Halloween is creeping up, and Dubai is getting ready for a weekend of ghoulish goings-on. Whether you’re looking for somewhere to show off your fancy dress or simply fancy an excuse to eat something shaped like a ghost, there’s plenty happening across the city.
But Halloween can also generate a frightening amount of waste, from disposable costumes and plastic decorations to individually wrapped sweets and uneaten food. In the UK alone, an estimated seven million Halloween costumes are thrown away every year, while research by environmental charities Hubbub and the Fairyland Trust found that 83 per cent of examined materials were made from oil-based plastics.
The resulting plastic waste from Halloween is estimated at around 2,000 tonnes annually, equivalent in weight to a staggering 83 million plastic bottles. Suddenly, the ghosts and ghouls don’t seem quite so scary
The resulting plastic waste from Halloween is estimated at around 2,000 tonnes annually, equivalent in weight to a staggering 83 million plastic bottles. Suddenly, the ghosts and ghouls don’t seem quite so scary.
Fortunately, enjoying the festivities doesn’t have to mean abandoning your environmental principles. We’ve rounded up some of this year’s Halloween happenings, with a little green inspiration for each.
Get Creative at Ribambelle
Little monsters can enjoy three evenings of Halloween entertainment at Ribambelle, where a spooky pumpkin workshop, themed photo zone, beauty bar, games and live performances await. Children can dress up as their favourite characters before getting stuck into the creative activities. Our eco tip: make this year’s costume from something already hanging in the wardrobe, and keep any pumpkin creations to reuse as decorations at home.
Where: Ribambelle, The Wharf, Bluewaters Island, Dubai
When: October 27–29, from 5pm
Price: AED 350 per person
Website: https://ribambelle.ae/halloween-party
Paint Your Pup at The Bolt Hole
Who says Halloween is just for humans? Give your four-legged friend a starring role at The Bolt Hole’s Paint Your Pup workshop, where dog lovers can create a portrait of their pet while enjoying a relaxed morning out. Our eco tip: Bring your imagination rather than a disposable costume, and you’ll leave with a personalised keepsake that’s far more likely to be treasured than another piece of plastic Halloween paraphernalia.
When: Saturday, 24 October, 9–11am Where: The Bolt Hole, Dubai Price: AED 100, excluding VAT Book: Paint Your Pup workshop
Enjoy Three Days of Frights at Centara Mirage
Centara Mirage Beach Resort is hosting three days of Halloween fun, including mask-making, face painting, children’s discos, beachside film screenings and trick-or-treating. The celebrations culminate on October 31 with a spooky parade and best-dressed family competition, with prizes including a family staycation. Our eco tip: use recycled cardboard and paper to make your Halloween masks, and swap costumes with friends rather than buying new ones.
Where: Centara Mirage Beach Resort Dubai, Dubai Islands
When: October 29–31; costume parade October 31 at 7pm
Price: Halloween activity admission not specified; accommodation rates vary, with a UAE residents’ offer providing 25% savings
Website: https://www.centarahotelsresorts.com/centara/cdd
Enter the Twilight Spectacle at House of Hype
Dubai Mall’s House of Hype has undergone a Halloween makeover, transforming its 25 immersive worlds into scenes of roaming characters, unexpected surprises and trick-or-treat adventures. Visitors can explore the attraction, enjoy live entertainment, and join the Twilight Parade, with a costume competition running throughout Halloween weekend. Our eco tip: House of Hype’s immersive worlds use digital projections, interactive lighting, and live performances to create much of the magic, making it an experience rather than relying on disposable decorations.
Where: House of Hype, Level 1, Dubai Mall
When: October 15–November 1
Price: From AED 149 per person
Website: https://feverup.com/m/656248/en
Start Halloween With a Little Magic at Reform
For families with younger children, Reform Social & Grill is starting Halloween bright and early with a breakfast buffet and a magic show by Adrian Hurley. Arrive in your favourite costumes, enjoy breakfast together and settle in for an entertaining morning without the late-night sugar rush. Our eco tip: bring reusable water bottles and take only what you’ll eat from the buffet to help prevent food waste.
Where: Reform Social & Grill, The Lakes, Dubai
When: October 31, breakfast from 8am; magic show at 9.30am
Price: AED 99 per child; AED 125 per adult
Website: https://www.instagram.com/reformdubai/
Tuck Into a Ghostly Feast at Hillhouse Brasserie
Hillhouse Brasserie is serving up a Halloween menu with plenty of fun dishes for younger diners, including mini ghost pizzas, monster mac and cheese and green slime jelly cups. Adults can enjoy seasonal dishes, including wild mushroom tagliatelle, while overlooking the golf course. Our eco tip: choose the vegetarian dishes and resist ordering more than your family can finish.
Where: Hillhouse Brasserie, Dubai Hills Golf Club
When: October 31, 1pm–4pm
Price: AED 150 per adult; AED 125 per child
Website: https://www.instagram.com/hillhousebrasserie/
Dance Away the Scaries at YOFIT
Who says Halloween has to involve sweets and scary films? YOFIT Hot Studios is hosting Scary Moves, a Halloween-themed YODANCE session featuring high-energy music, fancy dress, prizes and light bites, in partnership with skincare brand SOHL SKIN. SOHL SKIN takes a less-is-more approach to beauty with its ‘No Waste. No Mess. No Excess.’ philosophy. Its facial mask sticks apply directly to the skin, eliminating the need for brushes, making post-workout skincare a little simpler. Our eco tip: Choose multifunctional beauty products that minimise waste, and embrace a Halloween celebration that’s as much about movement and wellbeing as fun.
Where: YOFIT Hot Studios, The Greens, Dubai
When: October 31, 7.30pm
Price: AED 125 for non-members; members can use existing credits
Website: https://www.sohlskin.com
Join a Halloween Pizza Party at Osteria Mario
Young chefs can get their hands floury at Osteria Mario, where Halloween-themed pizza-making sessions promise plenty of delicious fun. Children can make their own spooky pizzas, enjoy a themed milkshake and complete their Halloween looks with face painting. One lucky mum will win a beautiful customised GEOMA bracelet. Our eco tip: choose vegetable toppings, skip disposable straws and encourage children to finish the pizzas they’ve made.
Where: Osteria Mario, Dubai Hills Mall, Circle Mall and Dubai Festival City Mall
When: October 30–November 1, from 12 pm
Price: AED 129 per child
Website: https://www.instagram.com/p/DejEnugxxnX/?hl=en
Have a Frightfully Good Time at FireLake
FireLake Grill House at Radisson Dubai DAMAC Hills is getting into the Halloween spirit with a family-friendly brunch featuring live music, spooky films, games, arts and crafts, and themed food stations. There are prizes for the best costumes, too, giving little monsters plenty to look forward to while parents enjoy a leisurely afternoon. Our eco tip: Make the most of the arts and crafts activities, and encourage children to take home their creations rather than buying disposable Halloween decorations. At the buffet, start with smaller portions and go back for seconds to help reduce food waste.
Where: FireLake Grill House, Radisson Hotel Dubai DAMAC Hills
When: October 31, 1pm–4pm Happy hour from 1pm to 7pm
Price: AED 179 per adult; AED 99 for children aged 4–12
Website: Â @radissondubaidamachills
Watch a Halloween Film Under the Stars
Jumeirah Lakes Towers is turning up the fright factor this Halloween, with a free evening of spooky entertainment on October 31. Expect a haunted house, roaming witches, Frankenstein, stilt walkers, trick-or-treat stations, face painting and a Thriller-inspired flash mob at 6pm and 7pm. Families can also settle in for an outdoor screening of Goosebumps at 7.30pm as part of Cinema Under the Stars. Our eco tip: pack a waste-free picnic in reusable containers, bring refillable bottles and take everything home afterwards.
Where: Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai
When: October 31, 2026. Thriller flash mobs at 6pm and 7pm
Price: Free entry; AED 30 for a beanbag and popcorn
Website: jlt.ae
Bring Your Four-Legged Friend to Stomping Grounds
Halloween isn’t just for humans at Stomping Grounds, which is inviting families and their pets to take part in a fancy dress competition. The Jumeirah café will also be serving themed dishes throughout the day with prizes awarded across three categories: Best Dog Costume gets a Halloween plushie, Best Kids Costume gets a Halloween plushie and Best Adult Costume gets a AED 200 Stomping Grounds dining voucher for two.
Costumed adults will receive one complimentary espresso-based coffee, while costumed children will receive one complimentary babyccino or kids’ hot chocolate, plus a chocolate goodie bag. Our eco tip: avoid buying synthetic pet costumes that will only be worn once, and make sure any outfit is comfortable and safe for your animal.
Where: Stomping Grounds, Villa 98, 12D Street, Jumeirah 1
When: October 31, 9am–9pm
Price: Free entry; food charged separately
Website: https://stompinggrounds.me
Put Your Halloween Knowledge to the Test at The Coterie
Gather your cleverest friends for The Coterie’s Halloween edition of Quiz & Chips, where spooky trivia, music and a little friendly competition are on the menu. Alternatively, the venue’s Halloween Ballsy Bingo brunch on October 31 promises prizes, entertainment and plenty of opportunities to dress up. Our eco tip: organise a costume swap among your team, and share dishes where possible to avoid unnecessary food waste.
Where: The Coterie, Level 2, P6 Car Park, Ibn Battuta Mall
When: Quiz & Chips, October 30 from 8pm; Ballsy Bingo, October 31, 1pm–5pm
Price: Quiz & Chips AED 225 for five tokens; bingo brunch from AED 275
Website: https://www.instagram.com/the.coterie.group/
