Your spooky Laois guide for Halloween events across the county

Laois is the place to be this Halloween, with fun events happening around the county for 2024 starting this weekend.

In Abbeyleix, Morrissey's Pub is hosting a 'spooktacular' night of frights, fun, and fantastic costumes, creepy decorations and dreadfully tasty cocktails, in a fundraiser for the town's celebrations of its 250th birthday. Tickets for the over 18s fancy dress party are €10 and can be purchased on Eventbrite. Limited on a first come, first served. The Halloween Fancy Dress Party takes place in Morrissey's this Sunday, October 27 from 8pm.

Clonad GAA club in Portlaoise will host their popular Pumpkin Patch, also on Sunday, October 27 from 9.30am to 7pm, Eircode is R32 X403. This year, they are introducing prizes for best dressed as well as pumpkin carving, a maze, scarecrow dress up and an onsite cafe with homemade baked goods. Any local musicians that would like to play can contact Laois Pumpkin Patch on socials or Denis on 086 3237111. 

There is an entry fee of €10 per family. Entry fee includes free access to their new features plus all of your patch favorites. Pumpkins are charged separately, pay as you pick.

In Portarlington, Solas Eco Garden Centre have lots of ghoulish fun.  From Saturday October 26 up to Thursday, October 31, from 2-5pm, they have Haunted House afternoons, with a Scavenger Hunt, Halloween Craft Station, Traditional Halloween Games and costumes. The price €15 per child, with a bag of sweets included. All children must be accompanied. 

Solas also offer a Spooky & Sweet Halloween Afternoon Tea on Sunday, October 27. Indulge in wickedly delicious treats, from ghoulish finger sandwiches to spooky sweets and scones. Book online https://www.thegardenshop.ie/family-afternoon-tea/

Then on Bank Holiday Monday, October 28, Celebrate Halloween in Solas at their Pop up indoor Cinema. Free popcorn for each child, family of 4+ Discount Available when you Book Online €8.50 pp. Choose from Goosebumps at 2-3.30 or from 4-6pm Beetlejuice (The original). Book online https://www.thegardenshop.ie/pop-up-cinema/

Abbeyleix Heritage House is hosting a Haunted House experience on Friday and Saturday, October 25 and 26, suitable for younger children, with lots of games to play. The tour lasts 30 minutes, and costs €5 pp. Fancy dress is encouraged, but booking is essential. Bookings are for 30-minute time slots. To book, contact info@abbeyleixheritage.com or 057 871 4944. 

For a grown-up girls night out, Bob's Bar in Durrow is offering a Paint Your Pumpkin & Cocktail event on Friday, October 25 from 7.30pm to 9pm.  Tickets are €40 including two Halloween-themed cocktails. They will provide everything you need to create the perfect Halloween pumpkin, with classic Halloween movies playing in the background. Online booking essential here. 

Emo Court hosts a Tall Dark Tree Trail, a self-guided spooky walk on Saturday 26, Sunday 27 and Monday 28 from 10am to 5pm. Pick up a free trail map at their Visitor Hub to discover the spooky side of the beautiful public parklands. See if you can answer all the questions hidden among the trees. Complete the trail and collect your souvenir at the end.

In Cullohill, Castleview Open Farm will host daily pumpkin carving events from Saturday 26 to Thursday 31, 11am to 6pm. Carving will finish at 5pm. They have transformed their log cabin area into a smokey, spooky jail, so enter at your own risk. Bonus Witches Cabin and fancy dress competition on Thursday 31. The farm is open as normal on November 1, 2 and 3 from 11am to 6pm. No booking required for any day. Costumes are encouraged. Entry is €9.50 per person Under 2s and carers, go free. Pumpkins are €4.50 each.

There are dark arts to be seen in the Dunamaise Arts Centre, with two pop up exhibitions celebrating Halloween week. In the Café @rebeccadeeganartist presents a group exhibition of Alternative Irish Artists, with their Spooky Showcase. Check the artist Gubu Man with his one of a kind, special Pop Up Showcase in our foyer glass cabinet - the unique, marvellous, and spookily spectacular @gubudolls OPEN Tuesday to Saturdays, between 1pm and 5pm, and open 1 hour before all evening shows too.

One of Laois' newest pubs, The Pub Mountrath, is promising "the Ultimate Halloween Bash", a free Halloween Fancy Dress Party this Saturday night, October 26 with a photobooth from 6pm. They have two €50 Bar Vouchers up for grabs for the Best Dressed male & female and DJ Danny Maher will be lighting up the night from 9pm. 

You don't have to spend money in Laois to enjoy some halloween fun, just visit your library.

In Portarlington library on Thursday, October 31, join a free parent and child craft table from 11am with all you need to design your own haunted house. Then at 3pm staff can help you get into the witchy mood with a spooky storytime. All your little ghouls and monsters are welcome.

In Portlaoise Library are screening the classic movie The Lost Boys, on Wednesday at 5.30pm, October 30, for Over 17s. Follow the thrilling story of Michael and Sam as they navigate a world of vampires and danger in a small California town. See https://laois.spydus.ie/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/EVSESENQ?SETLVL=&RNI=15914988

Mountmellick Library have Halloween Children’s Activities on Tuesday, October 29 at 2.30 pm for a Witches Hat Craft for 6-9 year olds. Places are limited so please call 0578689382 to book a place. Then come along on Wednesday, October 30 at 2.30 pm for a Halloween Parent and child pop up craft table, until the supplies run out.