It’s almost that time of year when carved pumpkins, trick-or-treating and spooky costumes become the norm as the tradition of Halloween becomes ever more popular in the Algarve.
There will be many events taking place in the region, including a Fun Day at Portimão Arena on Saturday, October 26 and Sunday, October 27, a special Halloween programme at Guia’s Zoomarine theme park and a series of frightfully fun events at Quinta do Lago.
Portimão’s Fun Day Halloween is returning for its eighth edition and will feature four areas with climbing walls, an anti-gravity wall, a go-kart track, slides, floats, pirate boats, trampolines and activities such as body painting and dynamic bungee – a safer and more controlled version of bungee jumping.
The Fun Day will take place on both days between 10am and 7pm and will be aimed at children and youngsters between the ages of two and 16.
Standard one-day tickets, granting access to three of the four areas, cost between €13 and €15 depending on whether they are bought prior to the event or on the day. There is also a ‘gold ticket’ granting full access to the activities costing €17 and €19.
Tickets can be purchased at Portimão Arena, TEMPO Theatre, Portimão Museum, Fnac, Worten, CTT post offices, or online at www.bol.pt. Each ticket is valid for one child accompanied by one or two adults.
Zoomarine, better known for its marine animal shows and water rides, also wants to spook its guests during the Halloween season. To do so, it has set up a “scary route” which will take visitors through a giant fright-filled horror house to meet its many “mysterious residents”.
There will also be a “haunted street” with cemeteries, giant spiders, skeletons, ghosts and zombies, a statue festival on October 18, 19, 25, 26, 31 and November 1 and a Witchcraft Fair on November 1.
Quinta do Lago has also organised seven Halloween-themed events taking place throughout the next two weeks.
A Halloween Brunch will be held at the Bovino Steakhouse between 12 noon and 3pm on Sunday, October 20 and October 27, while a ‘Monster Hunt’ is planned for October 23 at Quinta do Lago’s lake from 4.30pm to 6pm.
Also planned is a ‘Haunted Dinner’ at Casa do Lago on October 26 at 7pm, a ‘Spooktacular Quiz’ at Dano’s on October 28 at 4.30pm, a Halloween party at The Shack from 3pm to 6pm and a cinema night and dinner at The Magnolia Hotel starting at 6pm on October 31. Quinta do Lago will also host a costume competition at Dano’s on November 1 from 3pm.
Quinta Shopping is also preparing a Halloween celebration on Thursday, October 31 and is promising “great entertainment, fun scary activities, spooky surprises and much more”.
The afternoon will be “filled with games and activities for children young and old” starting at 3pm. There will also be a fancy-dress competition encouraging visitors to put on their “spookiest costumes”.
The event is being organised with the help and in benefit of ACCA – Helping Children in Need in Algarve.
Many other Halloween celebrations will also be taking place in the Algarve in the coming weeks, so keep an eye out for them… and for any ghouls or creepy crawlies that might want to celebrate this spooky time of year with you!
