HOPPING ON THE HALLOWEEN BANDWAGON
It becomes more evident each year that Australians are embracing Halloween. Over the past week, most streets have houses decorated with cobwebs, ghosts and bats and the neighbourhood kids out in force trick or treating.
But it’s gone far beyond that and is now a major event. If you are in Sydney you could attend a blood-spattered zombie walk, spooky street parades, a ‘scream’ park and even pet parties. Even places like the Botanical Gardens (pumpkin carving classes) and the Australian Museum (Jurassic Lounge) are recognising the marketing potential. Pubs and bars especially have jumped on board with many Halloween themed events.
It’s a fun and versatile theme with venues doing single events, weekends or even a whole week of celebrations. It’s a perfect theme for food and beverage, gaming promotions, entertainment and even fundraising events. It’s also ideal for staff involvement.
Plenty of clubs are hosting Kids Halloween Discos, but with all the talk about how to reach Gen Xers and Millennials, not too many clubs are using the occasion to engage with this next generation of club goers.
Here is a quick rundown of just some of the Halloween events that have been happening around town. Use them as inspiration and make sure you mark the date down in your Marketing calendars for next year.
ZOMBIE WALK: A free event supporting The Brain Foundation, complete with food stalls with zombie treats, make-up artists on site to get you looking suitable horrible, competitions & prizes and an after party. This annual event now attracts thousands of people each year.
BERESFORD HOTEL: Howl-o-ween is a Halloween themed dog show. Merivale teams up with Dogue for a fun day with live entertainment, market stalls and prizes for best-dressed pups. They also raised funds for the Sydney Cats and Dogs Home.
GREENWOOD HOTEL: Originating in Ibiza, Circolo is amongst the most sought after party brands in the world. This Halloween, the Circolo team put on a 12 hour themed dance party at this North Sydney Hotel.
THE ARGYLE: Hosted two nights of mayhem across two floors, six bars and an outside courtyard, all themed as an abandoned asylum with roving performers including fire breathers and stilt walkers mingling with guests.
EL CAMINO CANTINA: This popular bar and restaurant in The Rocks embraced a Mexican Day of The Dead theme with a taco and tequila flight and a boilermaker (a beer with a shot of tequila) paired with buffalo wings.
SLIP INN: Another Merivale Hotel also going with a Day of the Dead theme but offering a whole immersive haunted house experience accompanied by some creepy cocktails and hor(ror) d’oeuvres.
