Head West for ‘Ireland’s Best Halloween’ Fest

Westport House 2013 Halloween Festival

As anticipation builds for Halloween, rumours flourish of ghoulish goings on at the historic Westport House in Co. Mayo. Their annual Halloween Fest, which runs for the duration of the mid-term break (October 26 to November 3) from 11am to 5pm daily, is the perfect place to go for fiendish family fun. It’s so devilishly good that it was awarded as the Best Halloween Event in the West!

The 18th century historic house will be transformed into a (not too) scary haunted house for the week (suitable for little ones), and the attractions and activities on offer are guaranteed to cast a spell over your little witches and warlocks! The cauldron of festive fun includes the White Witch’s story time, and ghastly face painting with Lord of the Darkness, he has something for even the little ones.

For that added bubble, boil and trouble make sure you try out the frighteningly good family workshops throughout the day: Carve your very own Jack O’Lantern to ward off evil spirits when you get home (additional charge of €2.50 for your pumpkin); or Zombie shuffle your way to the formal Large Dining room of Westport House and learn all the moves to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” music video.

If all this Halloween fun has worked up an appetite, then trick or treat your way to Westport House’s ‘Spooky Spoons workshop’ where you’ll learn some gruesome new recipes and decorate your own cupcake with snakes and spiders webs and maybe even eye of newt.

You and your little monsters will have a hauntingly good time as you experience the thrills ‘n’ chills of our Pirate Adventure Park. Travel into another world on the mysterious Westport House Express train ride and have even more fun than you can shake a broomstick at while on board the swinging ship and pedal Go Karts before a final wicked trip on the log flume water ride. The park is open from 1pm to 5pm daily.

Make sure you get in the spirit of things by dressing up in Halloween costumes!
To find out where to stay over this ghoulish holiday check out www.destinationwestport.com/placestostay

Fireworks Extravaganza & Fancy Dress

If you’re in Westport House for the October bank holiday weekend, you will definitely get a treat (no tricks promise) with an explosive Fireworks Extravaganza and haunting Halloween dance on the front lawn of Westport House. Make sure you dress to impress and look scarily good as you could be in with a chance to win some fantastic prizes in the costume competition – adults too! The Fireworks Extravaganza is only €5 per person or €4 for annual pass holders.