Australia

Is Halloween a Public Holiday?

Halloween is not a public holiday. Businesses have normal opening hours.

What Do People Do?

Halloween is an observance that is becoming a growing trend in Australia. Some businesses and organizations coordinate Halloween-themed gatherings for staff and clients to interact with each other. Charity organizations may have fundraising activities that center on the Halloween theme.

Halloween parties involve people dressed in costume to reflect the Halloween theme. Some parties are held at venues that are supposedly haunted. Ghost tours, hunts and walks are popular during this time of the year. More Australians are also taking part in trick-or-treat adventures that involve organized groups of parents and children visiting neighbors. These children either receive a treat or present a trick to their neighbors.

Some homes are decorated to fit the Halloween theme during this period. Decorations include fake cobwebs, jack-o-lanterns and images of black cats or witches. Many stores sell Halloween-themed decorations, activity books, or clothing around this time of the year. It is a profitable time of the year for costume shops, online stores, and other places that sell or rent Halloween-themed items. Cinemas may also have special screenings or movie marathons featuring horror movies or films with a supernatural theme.

Public Life

Halloween is not a nationwide public holiday in Australia. Retail businesses selling or renting out costumes and other Halloween-themed items may be particularly busy prior to and on Halloween.