By Marie-Antoinette Issa.
Sydney’s strict lockout laws have occasionally seen the city referred to as a proverbial ghost town, but this Halloween, one of its most historic (and rumouredly haunted) neighbourhoods is taking things literally - with the launch of The Rocks Ghost Festival across the October 31-November 3 weekend.
For the first time in history, visitors can experience the festival’s highlights, starting with the spooky transformation of the Two-Faced Market. While it may be a lively place to stock up on produce as vendors peddle their delicious bites by day, when night falls, the market’s darker side emerges, blending reality and the supernatural in a spine-chilling display.
With the starry sky acting as its spotlight, theatre group ‘Deadhouse’ will bring the ghostly history of The Rocks to life, weaving sinister stories of murders and restless spirits that haunt the streets. As the moon rises, each flickering shadow will pull you further into Sydney’s sinister past.
For those who love to dance (or should that be boo-gie?) with the dead, the Silent Zombie Disco Party promises a night of thrills. Hosted on the Tallawoladah Lawn in front of the Museum of Contemporary Art, the grassy spot will turn into a supernatural celebration complete with scary soundscapes.
The night will be led by a five-metre automated zombie head DJ booth, where beats will pulse through the crowd. If you’re brave enough, you can plunge into Poliakov’s ‘Reborn from Ice’ - an icy immersion that combines a chilling ice bath with a vodka tasting, setting the tone for a truly hair-raising night of dancing among the undead.
No ghostly gathering would be complete without a parade and the Ghost Festival will deliver a spectacle that channels the haunting spirit of New Orleans. The streets of The Rocks will come alive with costumed creatures, carnival theatrics and voodoo-inspired pageantry. If you come dressed in a haunting costume, you’ll even have the chance to carry the Ghost flag in a grand 1.5 km parade through the streets.
For those looking to fully transform into a Halloween creature, Crossing Lane will be the place to turn your nightmares into reality. Sydney’s top makeup artists and body painters will be on hand to turn festival-goers into legendary ghosts or sinister figures straight from fright-filled folklore.
Whether you want to resemble a haunted criminal from The Rocks’ dark past or embrace the macabre mystique of a voodoo Queen, the transformation zone will have you covered. Once transformed, festival-goers can make their grand entrance through Hell’s Gate, an interactive horror trail inspired by the true, chilling tales that haunt The Rocks.
If that’s not enough to raise your spirits, the ghoulishly good food and drink offerings at the Haunted Woods certainly will. Nestled in First Fleet Park, the Haunted Woods’ eerie wood cabins will invite visitors into a hub of creepy culinary creations. Think devilish treats, spiced pumpkin brews and blood-bag cocktails, all while navigating through ghostly sounds and towering props designed to keep your pulse racing.
Entry to the festival is free, with select ticketed experiences starting from $29. For more information, visit ghostfestival.com.au or follow the festival on social media…if you dare!
