3 inspiring ways to make your halloween event truly killer

We love Halloween at Ticket Tailor – and not just for the cosy autumnal vibes and spice lattes (although those things are pretty great). What we love this holiday for is the fact that it’s always a time of year where we see people getting really creative with events.

There’s no denying that things are going to be looking pretty different this year, though. And it’s heartbreaking to think of all the amazing events that have had to be cancelled due to Covid 19.

But the Halloween spirit lives on, even in these difficult times. We’re seeing many turning to online and outdoor events, and lots of really admirable efforts to make ghoulish happenings Covid secure. Whether you’re looking for inspiration to give this years’ event a boost, or are planning ahead for 2021, here are some top tips inspired by our most inventive Halloween listings this year:

Make things genuinely terrifying 

Halloween is the perfect time to capture the imaginations of horror-movie fanatics and adrenaline-junkies. And while it’s tempting keep things ‘tame’ for fear of upsetting customers – it’s probably more common to hear of people complaining events weren’t terrifying enough, rather than vice versa. 

Just look to things like World Zombie Day for proof. Tickets for immersive events like these fly off the shelves, and it’s all because of the lure of a genuine, white-knuckle kind of terror. In our eyes, this kind of thing should be all or nothing – if you’re going to promise a horror show, there should be plenty of jumps, screams and scares for your thrill-seeking customers. 

We love how the wicked and wonderful Field of Horrors in Albany rates its attractions by ‘Fear Factor’ and ‘Fun Factor’, so its customers can choose accordingly. It also promises (quite matter of factly) in its FAQs that it’s simply ‘meant to be scary’ – and we have a feeling it delivers. Plus, it’s rolled out thorough Covid 19 guidelines, stating all the ways it’ll be keeping its visitors safe (albeit terrified) this year.

Put your arts & culture hat on

Halloween doesn’t have to be all about cheesy horrors and ghost trains. There’s tons of scope to create a spooky event that’s steeped in history, culture and the arts too. Look to Cornwall’s Rogue Theatre for inspiration – it’s Dead of Night Dis-Dance is a “wonderful Halloween celebration with theatre, laughter, music, stories, thrills, frights, delights and dancing.” It takes place in the heart of a forest, and involves everything from comedy performances to spooky theatrical readings, and then a socially distanced disco (because why not?).

We love the idea of using the arts and theatre to create a Halloween event that feels rich, immersive and genuinely entertaining. Sure, everyone loves a fancy dress party – but there’s something far more enchanting about the idea of creeping through a spooky forest at night, to be wowed with theatrical live performances from actors in lavish costumes.

Go for futuristic

Halloween is usually associated with ghosts from times past, so why not break the mould and go all-out futuristic with an event that embraces the best of modern technology? Take Canada’s Halloween Nights of Lights event, for example – “an immersive experience like none other, featuring more than 700,000 LED lights animated and synchronized to your favourite Halloween tunes.” 

This innovative event involves driving through a series of tunnels to see a wicked onslaught of animated light displays. The best bit is that the animation happens in time with the Halloween-themed music blaring from a dedicated radio station, which you tune into at the start.

This goes to show how thinking outside the box and opting for a contemporary rather than historic theme is a great way to make your Halloween event jump out in an overcrowded space. We love the idea of using lighting innovations, cool music and really imaginative sets to create a weird and wonderful Halloween world that feels refreshingly state-of-the-art.

Halloween is a time full of creativity and imagination – so there’s no excuse for following the same old formula when there are plenty of ways to break the mould. We can’t wait to see what Ticket Tailor users will come up with next. Ready, set… BOO!