Amsterdam is great fun to visit at any time of year, but at Halloween, it’s nothing short of a scream. Each year in late October a group called Amsterdam Spook organizes a hair-raising program of Halloween-themed events anyone can take part in. So, if you have ever wanted to skate through the streets dressed as a zombie or joining dozens of other costumed freaks for a movie marathon, Halloween in Amsterdam is the perfect choice.
Amsterdam Spook
The first Amsterdam Spook event will take place on October 25 with ‘Fright Night Skate’, a costumed roller-skate trip through Amsterdam which is a great way to see the city and make some friends. You’ll need to bring your own skates and costume, but don’t forget a sense of humor, too.
Also that night will be Mr Horror’s Halloween Show, an all-night horror movie marathon – the perfect way to relax after all that skating! The choices will be curated by Amsterdam Spook’s very own creepy movie connoisseur, so you will get to see classics as well as newer releases in a totally unique setting.
Run For Your Life
The following night is an eventful one too, with the annual Halloween Run by Amsterdam running club Run2Day. This is when you’ll learn zombies really can move! Halfway through the run at 11:00 PM a special ‘Flesh Mob’ will take place outside the Odeon Theater, so be sure to cheer on the runners and get set for a scream-worthy surprise.
Inside the Odeon that night something ghostly will be going on – the Amsterdam Spook Halloween costume ball, which will be celebrating its 12th birthday this year. This year’s theme is Hollywood, so snap up a ticket and start working on your best ‘Dead Famous’ costume now.
Amsterdam Spook makes sure kids can get involved too, and on October 26 all children are invited to attend the Cinekid Halloween party at the Criterion for spooky movies, activities, a party and lots of prizes for the costumes – but don’t worry, the theme is more fun than frightening.
Haunting Fun
The week’s events will reach their crescendo with two fiendish Amsterdam Spook events to choose from. You can attend a devilishly delicious All Hallows’ Eve Dinner at the stylish restaurant G&T, dining on the likes of ‘eyeball soup’ and ‘blood cocktails’, or enjoy another Halloween movie night at the Nieuwe Anita.
Don’t forget that you can also receive great gory discounts in a number of shops and museums in Amsterdam from the 25th through 31st when you show your Spook ticket, for cut-price Halloween costumes or a well-timed trip to the Amsterdam Dungeon!
*Guest post
Image via Bob Jagendorf
Jessica Festa is the editor of the travel sites Jessie on a Journey (http://jessieonajourney.com) and Epicure & Culture (http://epicureandculture.com). Along with blogging at We Blog The World, her byline has appeared in publications like Huffington Post, Gadling, Fodor’s, Travel + Escape, Matador, Viator, The Culture-Ist and many others. After getting her BA/MA in Communication from the State University of New York at Albany, she realized she wasn’t really to stop backpacking and made travel her full time job. Some of her most memorable experiences include studying abroad in Sydney, teaching English in Thailand, doing orphanage work in Ghana, hiking her way through South America and traveling solo through Europe. She has a passion for backpacking, adventure, hiking, wine and getting off the beaten path.
