Ready to get spooked? These are the Halloween events to know about in and around Johannesburg

• Friday 23 October, 6pm

• Location: Sunnyside Park Hotel, Parktown

• Cost: R599 via Quicket

Not all Halloween scares come with someone jumping out at you. The Historic Hotel Ghost Dinner takes a slower, more atmospheric approach, pairing ghost stories with theatrical entertainment in a suitably spooky setting. The evening delves into the history of Sunnyside Park Hotel, with ghost stories and performances bringing a supernatural edge to the experience before dinner is served. 

If you’re feeling adventurous with the dress code, Victorian attire is also encouraged. It’s essentially a ghost story, dinner and historic hotel experience in one.  

• Saturday 24 October, 7pm

• Location: 2482, 17th Ave, Alexandra

• Cost: Free, just need to register via Quicket

After a week of customers, tills and targets, clocking out for a Halloween party sounds like a pretty good idea. The Night Shift brings amapiano, house, hip-hop and Afro-tech to the dance floor, with costumes, food and drinks keeping the party moving. The DJs are still under wraps, so there’s a little mystery around who’ll be controlling the soundtrack on the night. And no, you don’t have to work in retail to join in. Think of it as your excuse to dress up and forget about work for a few hours

• Saturday 24 October, 7pm

• Location: 2482, 17th Ave, Alexandra

• Cost: Free, just need to register via Quicket

After a week of customers, tills and targets, clocking out for a Halloween party sounds like a pretty good idea. The Night Shift brings amapiano, house, hip-hop and Afro-tech to the dance floor, with costumes, food and drinks keeping the party moving. The DJs are still under wraps, so there’s a little mystery around who’ll be controlling the soundtrack on the night. And no, you don’t have to work in retail to join in. Think of it as your excuse to dress up and forget about work for a few hours.

• Friday 30 October, 3pm

• Location: Little Village Kyalami

• Cost: R200 via Quicket

Little ones can get in on the Halloween fun at Little Village Kyalami, which is setting up a trick-or-treat trail for the afternoon. Kids can arrive in costume, follow the trail and stop at different stations to collect their sweet treats. Alongside the trick-or-treating, kids can decorate their own treat bags to take home.

It’s a fun, family-focused afternoon rather than a scary Halloween experience, making it a good choice for younger children. It gives younger kids a taste of Halloween without the frights that come with some of the bigger attractions. If the kids are more interested in costumes and sweets than scares, this makes for an easy Halloween outing. 

• Friday 30 October, 6pm

• Location: Animal World at Emerald Resort

• Cost: R110 Children, R140 Adults via Tsogo Sun

Emerald Resort is turning Animal World into a Halloween playground for its Trick or Treat experience. Kids can follow the trail, take part in themed activities and stop at treat stations along the way, making it more of a family day out than a quick trick-or-treat run. 

For kids who want more than just sweets, there are spooky challenges and a Forbidden Forest experience to explore. The mix of animals, outdoor activities and Halloween characters gives the day a bit more going on than the usual school or shopping-centre Halloween event. Give yourself time to explore the resort before the trick-or-treat trail and spooky activities begin.  

• Friday 30 October, 6pm

• Location: Traders Times Square, Aramist Ave, Menlyn, Pretoria

• Cost: R100 - R150 via Howler

Forget stressing over what to wear this Halloween. Saints & Sinners has done the thinking for you, with a good-versus-evil theme that lets you turn up as either a saint or a sinner for a night of music. 

The soundtrack mixes Amapiano and hip-hop, while DJs, performances and photo moments keep the night feeling lively. For anyone who treats the Halloween costume almost as seriously as the night out itself, this Pretoria party is worth a look.  

• Friday 30 October, 11pm

• Location: Kempton Park Hospital

• Cost: R280 via Quicket

For those who think a haunted house is a little too easy, there’s the Halloween Paranormal Investigation at the abandoned Old Kempton Park Hospital. After dark, participants head inside to explore the building and investigate the stories of supernatural activity surrounding it. This isn’t a case of simply wandering through a dark building. Paranormal investigation equipment and techniques are part of the experience, giving participants a chance to get involved in the investigation themselves. 

You don’t need to believe in ghosts to appreciate the atmosphere but be prepared to look over your shoulder once or twice. 

• Saturday 31 October, 8:30am

• Location: 25 Minerva Ave, Glenadrienne, Sandton

• Cost: R100 - R165 via Quicket

If you’re not keen on staying out until midnight, Secret Sunrise has a different take on Halloween. Head to Sandton Gate in the morning for a headphone dance session with spooky music, movement and costumes. 

The crowd dances along through wireless headphones, so from the outside it looks a little surreal, with everyone moving to music you can’t hear. Go all in on the Halloween costume or keep it simple and come ready to dance. Go in the morning, get your spooky dancing done and still have the rest of Saturday ahead of you.

• Saturday 31 October, 10am

• Location: Shandon Way, Parkmore, Sandton

• Cost: R25 Parents, R75 Children via Quicket

For a more traditional Halloween experience, Parkmore is hosting a daytime neighbourhood festival at Shandon Way Park. Kids can dress up, collect treats around the neighbourhood and then enjoy games and entertainment back at the park. 

The fun doesn’t stop once the kids have filled their bags with sweets. There’ll be face painting, crafts, Halloween activities, food and a jumping castle to keep everyone entertained, while the event also helps raise funds for improvements to the park.

• Saturday 31 October, 11am

• Location: The View in Kibler Park, 4333 Vereeniging Rd, Olifantsvlei 327-Iq

• Cost: R250 via Eighteen13.co.za

Forget trying to make your Halloween costume the best one in the room. At Eighteen13 South, the competition is on the canvas instead. The Halloween Sip & Paint invites guests to spend the afternoon creating their own spooky artwork while enjoying a glass of wine.

You don’t need to know your way around a paintbrush either, so expect a few masterpieces, a few questionable ones and a good excuse to get creative. There’s no telling what will end up on the canvas once the wine starts flowing.