Halloween in Dénia: history, activities and location

The Halloween party in Dénia has become one of the most anticipated appointments in autumn. Although it does not have a great tradition, in recent years it has established itself as one of the most followed celebrations in the capital of the Marina Alta.

People in disguise in Dénia enjoying Halloween

When is celebrated?

Although tradition dictates that the date of Halloween is October 31, in Dénia each year the program covers more days, lasting a week with activities spread over the calendar. Of course, the strong day is still the 31st, reserving the main events for that day.

Monsters invade the castle on Halloween

The schedule usually covers the whole day, with proposals for the youngest from the morning, reserving the night for adults.

Where have place?

There is no specific location, but there are places where more acts have been carried out for Halloween. The Youth building usually hosts several workshops and escape rooms each year. In the same way, before the pandemic it was a classic to approach the tunnel of castle (converted into Tunnel of Terror). In fact, in recent years it is the castle itself that has gained prominence.

history and program

Until a few years ago, Halloween was a minority celebration in Dénia. The party, of Anglo-Saxon origin, is closely linked to the new generations and has become popular thanks to what television and the internet have brought us closer to. It is for this reason that the city for years has limited the programming of activities on this day to youth. Although that has changed in recent years.

Scare in the Castle of Terror

Halloween at Llunàtics

The Department of Youth of Dénia was the first to bet on bringing the party to the city. Until then it was limited to private celebrations in entertainment venues, Fallas' houses or gatherings of Moors and Christians. In the same way, some stores have been joining and making special offers on those dates for some time. But it was through the Youth events that Halloween became popular among the young people of Dénia, highlighting the annual Llunàtics programme.

Escape Room from The Paper House

There, in the Youth building, endless proposals are made every year throughout the week to celebrate the most terrifying night. From costume contests to themed escape rooms (from Saw y The House of Paper the most recent), without forgetting the different workshops. This program is usually completed with dramatized readings in the Municipal Library and film cycles in the Social Center.

Halloween 2022

To begin with, on Friday 28 and Saturday 29 October, the facilities of the Youth space (Ronda Murallas, 42) will become the scene of a mystery to be solved. The game "What lurks in the classrooms" will take its participants to the old vocational training institute, where several presences haunt its facilities. In groups of between 15 and 20 people, the researchers will try to discover and counteract the mystery that surrounds the classrooms.

Escape room from La Casa de Papel for Halloween

On Friday the 28th there will be four sessions, from 20:00 p.m. to midnight, recommended for people over 16 years of age. While on Saturday 29 there will be 3 sessions, from 11:00 a.m. to 14:00 p.m., and another 2, from 17:00 p.m. to 20:00 p.m., dedicated to the younger public (over 10 years of age). And at night, for participants over 16 years of age, there will be 3 sessions between 21:00 p.m. and 00:00 a.m. Each pass lasts approximately 45 minutes.

The Tunnel of Terror

In 2015 an activity was held that forever revolutionized the celebration in Dénia. It is the Tunnel of Terror, which suddenly brought the magic of Halloween to the streets of the city and opened its arms to a more adult public.

First Tunnel of Terror in Dénia

The idea was simple, take the tunnel of the castle and turn it into a passage of terror with actors who would scare those who dared to go through it. And, of course, it was a success that thousands of people approach in each edition.

Scare in the Tunnel of Terror

This attraction is divided into two scheduled times so that it can be visited by the little ones at the beginning of the day, and later in the evening by adults, with a more terrifying route than the one for children.

Halloween 2022

On Monday 31, for the most daring, the council brings back the Tunnel of Terror, after the parenthesis caused by the Covid-19 health crisis.

Queue to enter the Tunnel of Terror

The tour will begin in the Plaza del Consell, where the queue of participants will form. Then, after passing the tunnel, the circuit will continue through the Youth area to end at the main gate.

There will be two passes: one for families (under 14 years old accompanied by an adult) and over 14 years old, from 17:00 p.m. to 19:00 p.m. The other will only be for people over fourteen years of age, from 22:00 p.m. to 00:30 a.m. The queues will close at 19:00 p.m. for the first pass and at 00:30 a.m. for the second. The groups will enter from 30 to 30 people.

The Castle of Terror

In 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Dénia City Council was forced to cancel the tunnel since the safety distances could not be met. To compensate, they created a dramatized route through the castle, also full of monsters and the occasional scare.

Families in the Castle of Terror

It was an experiment that was very successful, being repeated the following year with the same good reception. Now, it is unknown if after the pandemic, when the Tunnel of Terror is reopened, this attraction will be dispensed with.

Scares on the Halloween route

More Halloween 2022 programming

The little ones will be able to enjoy the entertainment in Plaça del Consell on October 31, with a mini-disco of music and choreography, scheduled from 19:00 p.m. to 20:00 p.m.

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