Waterford Is Planning an Epic Halloween Mid-Term Break for Families
If your Halloween plan currently involves a bag of Haribo, a scary film the kids are already too old for and a vague sense that you should have organised something better, Waterford might just be about to rescue you. The county is gearing up for one of Ireland’s biggest and most impressive Halloween programmes this October and honestly, the line-up is something else.
From haunted tunnels and woodland creature trails to ghostly river cruises, paranormal investigations and Viking werewolves — yes, really — there is enough going on across the county to fill the entire mid-term break without ever repeating yourself. Whether your crew is made up of brave ten-year-olds who want full horror or nervous five-year-olds who need things on the gentler side, Waterford has thought of both.
The Spooky Tunnel and Wicked Woods
Two of Waterford’s most beloved Halloween events will be back for the mid-term, and if you haven’t experienced either of them yet, this could be the year to sort that.
The Spooky Tunnel on the Waterford Greenway returns from Friday 23 October to Saturday 31 October, transforming the atmospheric Ballyvoyle Tunnel into a spine-tingling experience for families. It’s the kind of thing that sounds simple on paper — a tunnel, some spooky dressing — but in practice it’s genuinely atmospheric and brilliantly done.
Spraoi’s Wicked Woods also returns to Carriganore Woods across the same period, running from 23 to 31 October. Families will follow a woodland trail filled with strange creatures, lights, sounds and music, in a site-specific celebration of Samhain that’s unlike anything else in the country. For younger visitors or those who’d rather not be wandering a dark forest at night, there are special daytime matinee performances on 24 and 25 October — a very sensible option if your four-year-old has strong opinions about darkness.
On the Waterford Suir Valley Railway, the Spooky Express will offer families a creepy journey through the Suir Valley, while Osprey Viking Cruises will run a special Halloween cruise to the atmospheric ruins of Grannagh Castle during the mid-term. Both feel like the kind of thing kids will talk about long after the sweets are gone.
Something for every age — and every nerve
Waterford’s Viking and medieval past lends itself brilliantly to Halloween storytelling. Fangs & Fables at Viking House will bring Irish and Norse mythology to life through the characters of Raghnailt, a medieval vampire, and Ulfr, a Viking werewolf, while the Crime, Grime & Graveyards Urban Underbelly Evening Tour digs into the city’s darker history — crime, punishment, disease, superstition and death. Cheerful stuff, in the best possible way.
At the Medieval Museum, psychical researcher and GhostÉire co-founder Anthony Kerrigan will lead Paranormal, Past and Present, sharing insights from supernatural investigations including work at Waterford’s Irish Wake Museum. For the grown-ups who’ve always secretly fancied themselves as ghost hunters, this is a decent night out.
Younger visitors can get involved in Waterford’s Weird and Wicked Past, an entertaining look at medieval medicine, hygiene, crime and punishment. The Irish Wake Museum is also hosting Masks & Mystics, where children can create their own Halloween masks inspired by folklore and seasonal traditions. At Mount Congreve Gardens, the adults-only Poison & Petals guided tour will uncover the darker side of the garden — poisonous plants, folklore and botanical curiosities. Atmospheric and genuinely interesting.
Active, outdoorsy and genuinely useful for mid-term survival
For families who need structure during mid-term — and honestly, don’t we all — there are some solid camp options too. Splashworld Tramore will host its Halloween Swim Camp from 27 to 30 October for children aged 3 to 15, combining swimming lessons with waves, slides and water play. That’s a full morning sorted, right there.
GROW HQ is running a four-day Junior GIYers Halloween Camp for children aged 8 to 12, where kids can harvest, cook and explore food and nature with a seasonal twist. Meanwhile Lismore Heritage Centre will host a Halloween Camp on 27 and 29 October, followed by its inaugural Halloween Children’s Fancy Dress Party on 31 October.
And if you’re looking for something for yourself among all the child-focused planning — fair enough — GROW HQ is also hosting a Fancy Dress Supper Club on Halloween night, while the Lakeside Samhain Sauna at Moon & Lotus Studio in Dunhill promises yoga, sauna and seasonal treats. A sauna and yoga on Halloween. Frankly, that’s the scariest thing on this list in the very best way.
Waterford is genuinely one of those places that rewards visitors who plan ahead and go for it properly. With accommodation and dining options across the county, it’s very doable as a full mid-term break rather than a day trip — combine the events with some autumn walks, great food and a night or two away and you’ve made a mid-term memory rather than just survived one.
The full programme of Halloween events, accommodation and things to do across Waterford is available at visitwaterford.com.