Traveltalk was in attendance last night at the launch event of Ghosts in the Rocks 2025, and it is clear Sydney is about to get haunted.
Supported by Tourism Ireland, this year’s four day Halloween festival promises an unforgettable mix of ancient myth, immersive art and after dark revelry.
Running from 30 October to 2 November, Ghosts in the Rocks will transform Sydney’s oldest quarter into a haunted playground of epic proportions.
Visitors can expect wild parties, eerie street performances, immersive installations and out of this world food and drink experiences, all set against the backdrop of The Rocks’ cobblestone charm and ghostly past.
Guests at the launch were treated to an unforgettable Dark Dinner inside the House of Whispers on George Street, where eerie storytelling met fine dining. Over the course of the evening, diners were drawn into a chilling mystery, solving riddles to uncover the secrets of the haunted house while feasting on dishes such as Charred Beast and Graveyard Tart. Each course came with its own twist, ensuring that every moment, like every bite, was steeped in suspense and shadow.
Top Picture Aoife Costello, Publicity & Comms Executive, ANZ, Tourism Ireland (L) & Sofia Hansson, Tourism Ireland’s Regional Manager for Australia and New Zealand (R) at the event
Bottom Picture: Joanna Tavia (L) Lorraine Christian, Consul General of Ireland to Sydney (R)
This Halloween celebration offers free entry for all, inviting locals and visitors alike to embrace the thrill of the unknown.
Festival highlights include:
- The Murder Bar, a hidden labyrinth where cocktails come with a bite, serving twisted elixirs designed to awaken the dark side of nightlife.
- Trick or Drink is a haunted bar crawl through five themed venues, each serving spine tingling cocktails inspired by classic horror legends.
- The Poliakov Haunted Woods offers eerie indulgence where the living and the dead shop side by side for potions, sweet treats and curious creations. Ghost Cinema brings an outdoor horror movie experience under the stars, complete with immersive soundscapes and live performances that will keep audiences on edge.
At the heart of the festival lies Ireland’s Halloween Art Dark Trail, a collaboration between Ghosts in the Rocks and Tourism Ireland. Amid glowing pumpkins and wandering phantoms, the trail stands as a haunting reminder of where Halloween’s story truly began.
This illuminated art trail winds through The Rocks and Circular Quay, connecting Sydney’s colonial history with the ancient Celtic roots of Halloween, known in Ireland as Samhain. Before Halloween became about costumes and sweets, Samhain marked the end of harvest and the moment when the veil between worlds grew thin. It was a time for remembrance, transformation and reverence for the unseen. Now, that ancient Irish spirit rises again in Sydney’s oldest streets.
The Art Dark Trail features five powerful illuminated cubes, created in collaboration with Sydney based artists and digital creators. Together they explore four stories of transformation, death and spiritual passage, blending global mythologies and modern expression. From the wailing Irish Banshee to Korea’s Jeoseung Saja, from haunted brides to symbols of the evil eye and ancestral longing, these works invite reflection on the shared human experience of mortality and renewal.
At the core of every piece lies Ireland, the home of Halloween, whose ancient fire festivals and storytelling traditions continue to inspire the world’s modern celebrations.
Sofia Hansson, Tourism Ireland’s Regional Manager for Australia and New Zealand, said:
“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Ghost Festival in The Rocks, to celebrate Ireland as the true home of Halloween. This partnership allows us to share the rich Celtic origins of Halloween from the ancient festival of Samhain to modern day traditions with Australian audiences in a creative and immersive way.”
The trail is free to explore, running from First Fleet Park through The Rocks until 2 November, illuminating the night with stories that bridge continents and centuries. Each step along the trail is an invitation to look beyond the costume and into the soul of Halloween itself.
With free entry, breathtaking installations and spine chilling experiences, Ghosts in the Rocks 2025 is not just an event but a celebration of art, ancestry and after dark adventure.
As the ghosts awaken and the lanterns glow, Sydney will once again become a place where the past walks beside the present and where the Irish spirit of Samhain finds new life under the southern stars.
