Love it or not, Halloween has become a calendar favourite for many Geelong children and families.
Once considered an American custom only, Australians are now seeing Halloween as an opportunity to have a bit of fun, create new family traditions and explore their spooky side.
Although Trick or Treating is not permitted in 2020, dozens of Central Geelong businesses are keeping the Halloween spirit alive, offering activities, products and ideas for families to enjoy at home to celebrate the scary season.
Museum of Play & Art (MOPA) in McKillop Street, is one of Australia’s most acclaimed children’s museums, delivering a collection of beautiful, creative and immersive play-based learning exhibits for little ones. Whilst they are unable to host guests inside the museum for Halloween this year, they have created an alternative Halloween experience for the kids to enjoy. Order one of their Halloween ‘Boo Boxes’ for $12 at www.museumofplayandart.com.au/halloween and visit MOPA on Saturday, October 31 between 2pm-5pm to collect your goodies via drive-through. MOPA itself and its staff will be dressed up and ready to greet all their excited little visitors.
The kids shouldn’t be the only ones to have all the fun! Adults can also order a devilishly indulgent ‘Booze Bag’ for $25, complete with delicious wine and treats.
What’s for dinner this Saturday night? Look no further than Domino’s. Australia’s largest pizza chain has released a ‘Halloween Roulette Pizza’ for a fun and daring dinnertime experience. One slice of each roulette pizza ordered is possessed with Ghost Chili hot sauce, but you won’t know which one it is until you taste it. Order online at www.dominos.com.au or visit the corner of Gheringhap and Ryrie streets.
Follow up with dessert from Baking Bliss or Baked by Us in Ryrie Street who are getting their spook on with delicious, assorted Halloween cupcake packs for the family to enjoy. Pre-order in-store or online at www.bakingbliss.com.au or www.bakedbyus.com.au
Set the scene at home with a range of Halloween-themed mini LED decorative lights and scented candles from Dusk in Westfield Geelong. View online at www.dusk.com.au
Lincraft, Big W and Target are also stocking a full range of Halloween decorations, costumes and themed props to help get your home looking the part.
For more craft ideas, visit www.westfield.com.au for their cute and creative tutorial on how to make a Halloween Worry Monster.
One of Halloween’s much-loved traditions is to create a Jack-O-Lantern. Not only can you pick up a carving pumpkin from Coles in Westfield Geelong, you can also head to their website to download a spooky stencil to perfect your carving creation.
A successful Jack-O-Lantern will of course require a high-quality knife to get the job done. Right next door to Coles is Matchbox or pop into Chef’s Essentials in Ryrie Street, who both stock a large range of reputable loose knives and knife block sets that will service your kitchen for many Halloweens to come.
Coles’ website www.coles.com.au also has a Halloween page full of simple recipes, tips and ideas from spooky sushi balls, edible slime, to a chocolate haunted house. Don’t miss your chance to win a $5000 Coles online credit when you purchase three Halloween products.
For grown-ups who like to get into the Halloween spirit, Cotton on and Factorie in Market Square are stocking a large range of adult licensed t-shirts from classic cult favourites including Scream, Friday the 13th, Ghostbusters and more.
Top off your outfit with Lovisa’s range of ghostly but delightful Halloween-themed accessories from face masks to earrings, rings and headbands. View their range at www.lovisa.com.au/halloween-accessories
Little boys and girls will love the creepy range of t-shirts, onesies and sleepwear available at Best and Less in Market Square. Check out their range at www.bestandless.com.au
The spooky season is also alive and well at Popcultcha in Moorabool Street, soon to be located in Ryrie Street, with the arrival of Pumpkin Witch, the first statue in the Happy HallowQueens series inspired by the style of acclaimed animation writer, director and cartoonist Chris Sanders. Check out Popcultcha’s range of themed collectables, novelty games, books, comics, clothing and apparel at www.popcultcha.com.au
Gorgeous gift and goodie shop, Our Satellite Hearts in James Street, is treating us this year with two fun Halloween activities. Simply cook, concoct, bake or create a Halloween-inspired dish at home between now and October 31, take a photo of it and share it to your feed or stories to win a lolly haul of your dreams valued at more than $100. Tag @oursatellitehearts and #OSHtrickortreatyoself to be in the running.
You can also visit them online at www.oursatellitehearts.com.au to enter their Halloween guessing contest for your chance to win a mystery gift box valued at more than $250. Guess how many lollies are in the jar – each guess is $2, and you can guess as many times as you like.
While you’re there, view the range of quirky, white-witch goodies including crystals, books, Tarot cards, Mexican handcrafts, ‘intention collections’ and a huge range of international candies and treats.
And finally, celebrate the recent re-opening of Geelong’s libraries, including the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre (AKA The Dome), in Little Malop Street. The Dome’s collection of Halloween-themed books ranges from board books for little ones right through to primary, junior and adult fiction to scare yourself senseless. Visit them in Central Geelong or browse
For more information on what’s happening in Central Geelong and a full directory of businesses visit www.centralgeelong.com.au or download the Love Central Geelong App. Please adhere to ‘Third Step’ restrictions and wear a face mask when you leave home.
