Finally it’s arrived….Halloween! As party preparations and costume planning begins, across the globe plans for scary festivities are well under way.

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So whether your thing is dressing up as Dracula, wearing a costume that resembles something out of the 70′s version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (hey – that movie is creepy) or kicking back with a scary movie, let us bring you some golden nuggets of spooky inspiration with a guide to some of the best Halloween events taking place worldwide.

Feature image courtesy of torbakhopper on Flickr

1. IT’S THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE!

Towering snowy mountains, Niagara Falls, zombies. Oh look a friendly moose! Canada has it all.

Wait…zombies?

The Toronto Zombie walk and Halloween parade has been live and kicking for over a decade. It comes complete with marching bands, contests and the walking dead – of course.

This volunteer run event sees of armies of ghouls and zombies marching (dragging?) along the streets of Toronto in search for brains.

2. HALLOWEEN COMES TO JAPAN

Japan is famous for its Cosplay (costume play) where many who love a good comic, anime or film dress up as their favorite characters.

Courtesy of Danny on Flickr

So what’s Halloween like in Japan? Well, fun and flamboyant with a wide variety of different parades and festivals.

The Kawasaki Halloween parade is the largest and most famous Halloween parade in Japan. It takes place just outside of Tokyo with over 3,000 performers marching through the streets towards ‘La Citadella’ complex, a busy shopping area for locals.

3. DEADLY MEXICO

El Dia de los Muertos takes places between the 1st and 2nd of November across Latin American countries, but primarily in Mexico. It’s seen as a sacred time of celebration with many families welcoming and honoring the souls of the dead. During this time, families will also prepare special altars filled with different offerings ranging from food to flowers for those that have passed on.

If you think El Dia de los Muertos sounds like a bit of a downer, you’ll be intrigued to know that it actually boasts many street parties and parades, making it a cultural experience like none other (Halloween…and then some).

4. HALLOWEEN IN HAWAII

Do they really do Halloween in Hawaii? Yes, yes they do!

The colorful ‘Keiki’ costume parade has over 30,000 participants and spectators, and is very family oriented. Adults and children are encouraged to dress up, show off their costumes on the stages to win prizes.Think of it as being something along the lines of a spooky paradise.

 Hawaii Halloween, courtasy of Kyle on Flickr

5.  THE HOME OF HALLOWEEN

Halloween in Dublin represents everything that this time of year is about: autumnal weather, scary festivities and a ghostly historical background to go with it.

The Dublin Samhain Halloween parade originates from the pagan festival of Samhain, also known as the Feast of the Dead which marked the start of the Celtic New Year and the return of the souls of the dead.

Nowadays, if you pay a visit to Ireland on Halloween you’ll see everything from pubs decked out in cobwebs to big costumed get togethers. The main event however, is the parade that starts off in Parnell Square and ends with a spectacular fireworks display.

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