Sydney❜s Ghost Festival Returns to The Rocks

Calling all Halloween fans and spooky savants to The Rocks this October for the return of the incredibly popular Ghost in the Rocks Festival.

Sydney's spookiest street festival is back, bigger, bolder and badder than ever! From 29 October to 1 November 2026, the cobbled streets, heritage buildings and hidden laneways of The Rocks will be transformed into a four-day Halloween playground packed with ghostly encounters, street entertainment, creepy eats, elaborate costumes and immersive experiences. Best of all, entry to the festival itself is FREE.

What's On at This Year's Sydney Ghost Festival

The festival is back for four days and four nights, spreading the spooky action across The Rocks with everything from family-friendly trick-or-treating to outdoor horror movies, DJ parties and cocktails with a distinctly macabre twist.

The current line-up is still being revealed, but so far, many of the festival’s biggest attractions are returning, including Poliakov Haunted Woods, The Murder Bar, Trick or Drink, The Dark Dinner, Ghost Cinema, House of Horror and the Halloween Parade.

So, while we're waiting to see what entirely new scares will be unleashed for 2026, there is already plenty confirmed to sink your fangs into.

Giant Trick or Treat Returns

One of the best picks for families is the Giant Trick or Treat, which sends costumed visitors exploring participating businesses throughout The Rocks with a map in hand and plenty of sweet rewards waiting along the way. Free tickets are required, and costumes are very much encouraged.

As the sun goes down, expect the atmosphere around the precinct to become noticeably spookier, so families with younger ghost hunters may prefer an earlier visit.

Join the Halloween Parade

The Halloween Parade will once again send monsters, ghouls and fantastically dressed festivalgoers marching through The Rocks.

Visitors can dress up and join the horde or find a spot along the route to watch the spectacle unfold. The parade is free to watch and participate in, with Hickson Road Reserve currently listed as its festival location.

Haunted Woods, Markets and Spooky Food

First Fleet Park and Tallawoladah Lawns will become the Poliakov Haunted Woods, filled with food, treats and curious creations, while the Halloween Market will bring together appropriately witchy wares, sweet treats and unusual finds.

There will also be plenty happening inside The Rocks' bars, restaurants and retailers, with limited-edition Halloween menus, themed cocktails and suitably eerie creations expected across the precinct.

Ghost Cinema Under the Stars

For older kids and teenagers who enjoy a proper scare, Ghost Cinema is returning to Cadmans Cottage.

Deckchairs beneath the night sky set the scene for cult horror movies accompanied by live performers and immersive sound effects, turning movie night into something considerably creepier than Netflix on the couch. Ghost Cinema is a ticketed experience.

Get a Halloween Makeover at The Crossing Lane

Planning to take your costume seriously? The Crossing Lane will bring professional special-effects makeup artists into the mix, transforming festivalgoers into zombies, monsters, witches and other creatures before they head out into the streets. The makeover experience is ticketed.

There's also Reese's Ghoul's Gate, a free 360-degree costume photo experience and competition where Sydney's most committed Halloween dress-ups get their moment in the spotlight.

The Scares Continue After Dark

Once the younger ghosts head home, Ghost in The Rocks moves into considerably darker territory.

The returning House of Horror takes over a multi-level heritage building at 47 George Street with themed rooms, DJs, fortune tellers and immersive experiences, while The Dark Dinner combines a four-course meal with storytelling and mystery. Cocktail lovers can also follow the Trick or Drink trail between themed venues around The Rocks.

With live music, epic costumes, street shows, and over-the-top Halloween fun, Ghost in the Rocks is an unmissable four-night fright-fest.

For more information, visit Ghost in the Rocks.

Where: The Rocks Precinct
When:  Thursday, 29 October to Sunday, 1 November 2026
Cost:    FREE entry

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