How to Throw an Epic Halloween Party in Dubai: From Spooky Dress Codes to Ghastly Treats

Dubai’s unique blend of cultures offers the perfect opportunity to throw an unforgettable Halloween party. With its rapidly growing interest in Halloween celebrations, from spooky dress codes to eerie-themed treats, Dubai is now home to some of the most exciting Halloween events. Whether you're a Dubai native or an expat, this guide will help you plan every detail of your spooky soirée. Here's how you can throw an epic Halloween party that blends global spookiness with local flavor.

Picking the Perfect Theme

Choosing a theme for your Halloween party is the first step in creating a memorable experience. The right theme not only helps guide your decorations, costumes, and food, but it also sets the mood for the entire evening.

A theme brings cohesiveness to the party and makes planning easier. Instead of piecing together random ideas, a theme helps you focus on decorations, food, and games that work well together. It also gives your guests guidance on costumes, making it easier for them to join the fun.

Popular Halloween Themes

Frightful Fairytale

Take traditional fairytales and give them a horrifying spin. Characters like Red Riding Hood, Snow White, and Cinderella can become the center of gruesome and dark tales.

Ideas to Incorporate:

Decorate with enchanted forests, castles, and dungeons.
Guests can come as twisted versions of beloved fairytale characters like an evil Sleeping Beauty or a bloodthirsty Snow White.
Incorporate elements of dark magic, poison apples, and cursed mirrors into your decor.

Victorian Gothic Mansion

Transport your party back to the Victorian era, where the aristocracy’s elegance meets dark secrets and ghostly hauntings. Dark velvet curtains, antique chandeliers, and candelabras can give your venue a truly gothic touch.

Ideas to Incorporate:

Encourage guests to wear Victorian attire, like old gowns, suits, and top hats, with a creepy twist (e.g., undead lords and ladies).
Set up a séance table, complete with ouija boards and crystal balls for ghostly communication.
Use draped fabrics, cobwebs, and ornate gold frames for decoration.

Carnival of Horrors

Transform your party into a twisted, eerie carnival. Think abandoned ferris wheels, creepy clowns, and deranged circus performers. Incorporate elements like dark red and white striped tents, “haunted” carnival games, and eerie sideshow attractions.

Ideas to Incorporate:

Set up old-fashioned carnival games with a spooky twist (e.g., a “throw the ring on the severed hand” game).
Have eerie carnival music playing in the background to set the mood.
Encourage guests to dress as creepy clowns, fortune tellers, or ringleaders gone mad.

Spooky Dress Code

A well-communicated dress code encourages everyone to participate fully. Whether you’re asking guests to dress in theme or leaving it open to interpretation, make sure to emphasize the importance of costumes in your invites to get everyone in the Halloween spirit.

Day of the Dead Skeleton (Día de los Muertos)

Inspired by the Mexican holiday celebrating deceased loved ones, this costume is not just a skeleton—it’s vibrant, colorful, and steeped in cultural symbolism.

What You’ll Need:

Outfit: Wear a traditional Mexican dress or suit (if you prefer an elegant look) or simply a black outfit with painted skeleton bones.
Makeup: Paint your face like a sugar skull. Use white face paint as the base and add intricate designs in bright colors around the eyes, forehead, and chin. Embellish with rhinestones for an added sparkle.
Accessories: A floral headpiece or crown is a must! You can make one yourself using artificial flowers and a simple headband.

DIY Tip: Create the headpiece by hot-gluing artificial flowers (from stores like Carrefour or Ikea) to a headband. Use a mix of large blooms like marigolds for an authentic touch. For the outfit, you can paint skeleton bones onto a black shirt and leggings using fabric paint.

Plague Doctor

Take a step back to the medieval era with a spooky, historical twist. The plague doctor costume is creepy, mysterious, and easy to DIY with a few items.

What You’ll Need:

Outfit: A long black coat or cloak, paired with black gloves and boots.
Mask: The defining feature is the iconic beaked mask. You can make this from cardboard or paper-mâché, paint it white, and attach it to a black hood or hat.
Accessories: A staff or walking stick can enhance the eerie vibe.

DIY Tip: To make the mask, create the shape of the beak with cardboard, glue, and fabric or paper-mâché. Once dry, paint it and attach an elastic band so it stays on your head. Finish with black goggles to cover the eye holes.

Upside-Down Stranger Things Costume

This costume, inspired by Stranger Things, puts a spooky twist on the beloved Netflix show’s alternate dimension, “The Upside Down.”

What You’ll Need:

Outfit: Any outfit that looks like it’s been through a rough journey. Think a tattered shirt, ripped jeans, or an old sweater.
Makeup: Use black, gray, and brown face paints to create a dirty, cracked look like the characters have after surviving in The Upside Down. Add fake vines and debris to your hair to mimic the show’s eerie environment.
Accessories: Carry a flashlight, walkie-talkie, or bicycle helmet to emulate the show's kids' adventure gear.

DIY Tip: For the debris and vines, use plastic plants and fake moss from craft stores like Creative Minds or Ace Hardware. Pin them into your clothes and hair with safety pins or clips to make them look like they’re growing out of you.

Edward Scissorhands

Bring Tim Burton’s iconic character to life with this detailed and artistic costume. It’s not only instantly recognizable but allows for some fun DIY elements.

What You’ll Need:

Outfit: Wear a tight black leather or faux-leather outfit with lots of belts and buckles.
Makeup: Use white face paint to give yourself a pale complexion. Add dark circles under your eyes and faint scars across your face to mimic Edward’s stitched-up skin.
Accessories: The key part of this costume is Edward’s scissorhands. You can create faux scissors using cardboard, aluminum foil, or craft foam. Attach them to gloves or fingerless gloves.

DIY Tip: To make the scissorhands, cut out scissor shapes from sturdy cardboard or craft foam, wrap them in aluminum foil for a metallic look, and attach them to old gloves using glue or strong tape.

Glowing Stick Figure

This costume is both creative and super fun—plus, it’s ideal for nighttime events as you’ll light up the dark.

What You’ll Need:

Outfit: Dress entirely in black—leggings, a long-sleeved shirt, gloves, and shoes.
Glow Sticks: Attach glow sticks (or LED light strips) to your body using tape or safety pins. Use different colors for extra effect. Arrange them to look like a stick figure by placing them along your arms, legs, and torso.
Accessories: Add a glow stick circle around your head to act as the “head” of the stick figure.

DIY Tip: Use black tape or glue dots to secure glow sticks to your outfit. Make sure to activate the glow sticks right before the event so they’ll last through the night. You can also use battery-operated LED strips if you want a longer-lasting effect.

Where to Find Costumes in Dubai

Party Centre: This is your one-stop shop for everything Halloween. They offer a wide range of costumes, from classic witches to extravagant masks.
Mystique Costumes: Located in Al Quoz, this shop specializes in high-quality costumes and unique accessories.
Amazon.ae and DesertCart: These online platforms have plenty of options for those who prefer shopping from the comfort of home.

Halloween Themed Food Ideas With a Middle Eastern Twist

"Blood-Red" Date Stuffed Eyeballs

What You’ll Need:

Large Medjool dates
Cream cheese or goat cheese
Pomegranate seeds (for "blood" effect)
Black olives (for the "pupil")
Honey

Instructions:

Pit the dates and stuff them with a mix of cream cheese or goat cheese. The creamy filling provides a sharp, tangy flavor that contrasts the sweetness of the dates.
Place a pomegranate seed in the center to represent the "blood," and add a slice of black olive as the "eyeball" pupil.
Drizzle with honey for added sweetness.

"Ghoul Fingers" Hummus and Pita with Beetroot "Blood" Drizzle

What You’ll Need:

Hummus (make it or buy your favorite)
Beetroot juice (for the “blood”)
Pita bread (cut into finger-like shapes)
Almond slivers (for fingernails)
Olive oil, cumin, and paprika (for extra flavor)

Instructions:

Serve hummus in a large dish and make grooves with a spoon to resemble a graveyard surface.
Cut pita bread into finger-sized strips, brush with olive oil, and sprinkle cumin and paprika before toasting them in the oven.
Drizzle beetroot juice over the pita “fingers” to simulate blood. Stick almond slivers into the tips to represent fingernails.
Place the pita fingers in the hummus, "sticking out" like hands emerging from a grave.

Pumpkin Spiced Labneh Dip with Spider Web Design

What You’ll Need:

Labneh (thickened yogurt)
Pumpkin puree (canned or homemade)
Pumpkin spice blend (or mix cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves)
Black olive tapenade (for spider web design)
Crackers or pita chips for dipping

Instructions:

Mix labneh with a couple of tablespoons of pumpkin puree and your pumpkin spice blend. The creamy dip should have a light, pumpkin-orange color and flavor.
Spread the labneh dip onto a serving plate.
Use black olive tapenade to draw a spider web design on the top of the dip (use a piping bag or spoon to carefully create the lines).
Serve with crackers or pita chips for dipping.

"Mummy-Wrapped" Kofta Meatballs

What You’ll Need:

Ground lamb or beef (for kofta meatballs)
Traditional kofta spices: cumin, coriander, cinnamon, garlic, parsley
Puff pastry or crescent dough (for "mummy" wrapping)
Yogurt-based dipping sauce (like tzatziki)

Instructions:

Prepare kofta meatballs by mixing ground lamb or beef with traditional spices (cumin, coriander, garlic, and parsley). Roll them into small balls and cook them in the oven or on the stovetop.
Once the meatballs are cooled, wrap strips of puff pastry or crescent dough around them to create a "mummy" effect.
Bake until golden brown and serve with a side of yogurt sauce or tzatziki for dipping.

Date & Pistachio "Tombstone" Bars

What You’ll Need:

Ground dates (soft Medjool dates work best)
Crushed pistachios
Dark chocolate (melted)
Almond flour
Edible silver or gold dust (optional, for decoration)

Instructions:

In a food processor, blend dates and almond flour until they form a sticky dough.
Press the date-almond mixture into a baking dish lined with parchment paper, creating a firm base layer.
Sprinkle a layer of crushed pistachios over the top.
Drizzle melted dark chocolate across the top and allow it to set in the fridge.
Once firm, cut the mixture into rectangular bars and shape the tops to resemble tombstones.
For an extra spooky touch, use edible silver or gold dust to decorate the "tombstones" with names or symbols.

"Witch’s Cauldron" Saffron Milk Rice Pudding (Haleeb Saffron)

What You’ll Need:

Saffron threads
Rice (for the pudding base)
Whole milk
Sugar
Rose water (optional)
Slivered almonds and dried rose petals for garnish
Green food coloring (for "witch’s cauldron" effect)

Instructions:

Start by soaking a few saffron threads in warm milk to release their color and flavor.
Cook the rice with milk and sugar until it becomes a creamy pudding. Stir in saffron milk and a dash of rose water for aroma.
Add a few drops of green food coloring to part of the pudding to create a "witch’s brew" look, swirling it into the pudding without fully mixing for a marbled effect.
Serve in cauldron-like bowls, and garnish with slivered almonds and dried rose petals for an enchanting look.

"Ghoulish" Halva Bites with Honey & Black Sesame

What You’ll Need:

Halva (a traditional sesame-based sweet, widely available in Dubai)
Black sesame seeds (for a spooky look)
Honey (for sweetness and glue)
Edible googly eyes (optional)

Instructions:

Cut halva into small, bite-sized cubes.
Dip one side of the halva cubes in honey, then dip them in black sesame seeds to create a dark, spooky coating.
Optionally, place edible googly eyes on each cube for a fun, ghoulish effect.
Arrange them on a platter for a Halloween dessert that balances traditional flavors with a fun twist.

"Brain" Kunafa Cheesecake

What You’ll Need:

Kunafa dough (available at most Middle Eastern stores)
Cream cheese (for the cheesecake layer)
Rose syrup or strawberry syrup (for the "blood" effect)
Butter
Sugar
Chopped pistachios (for garnish)

Instructions:

Prepare a cheesecake base by mixing softened cream cheese and sugar. Pour into a springform pan and allow it to set in the fridge.
For the kunafa topping, shred the kunafa dough and toss it in melted butter until golden and crispy.
Spread the kunafa over the cheesecake once it’s set, drizzling rose syrup or strawberry syrup across the top to mimic the look of dripping blood. You can arrange the dough in swirly patterns to resemble brain matter.
Garnish with chopped pistachios around the edges and serve.

Ghastly Drink Ideas

"Witch’s Brew" Sparkling Lime and Cucumber Punch

What You’ll Need:

Fresh lime juice (from about 4-5 limes)
Cucumber slices
Simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water)
Sparkling water or lemon-lime soda
Green food coloring (optional, for a more vivid effect)
Ice cubes
Dry ice (for fog effect, optional but impressive)
Lime and cucumber slices for garnish

Instructions:

In a large pitcher or punch bowl, combine fresh lime juice, simple syrup, and cucumber slices. Let it sit for 10 minutes to allow the cucumber flavor to infuse.
Add sparkling water or lemon-lime soda for bubbles. If you want a more vibrant green color, add a few drops of green food coloring.
Stir well and add ice cubes to chill.
For an extra spooky effect, carefully add a small chunk of dry ice into the punch bowl to create a foggy, mystical appearance. (Remember to handle dry ice with care and ensure it dissipates before drinking.)
Garnish with lime and cucumber slices floating on top for extra flair.

Poison Apple" Cider Fizz

A creepy take on a classic apple drink, the "Poison Apple" Cider Fizz blends the crispness of apple cider with dramatic dark effects from pomegranate juice. The visual contrast and rich flavors make it a hauntingly delightful drink for all ages.

What You’ll Need:

Apple cider (chilled)
Pomegranate juice (for the "poison" effect)
Sparkling water or club soda
Green apple slices (for garnish)
Black or purple sugar (for rimming the glass)
Ice cubes

Instructions:

Rim your glass with lime juice, then dip the edge into black or purple sugar to create a "poisoned" look.
Fill each glass halfway with chilled apple cider.
Slowly pour pomegranate juice over the back of a spoon into the glass so it gently sinks to the bottom, creating a dark, layered effect.
Top off with sparkling water or club soda to give it a fizzy finish.
Garnish with thin green apple slices hanging on the rim or floating in the drink.

Entertainment for the Ghoulishly Inclined

Zombie Tag

A twist on the classic game of tag, with a spooky zombie apocalypse theme. It’s perfect for outdoor parties or large indoor spaces.

How It Works:

One person starts as the "zombie" and tries to tag other guests.
Once a person is tagged, they become a zombie too and must help tag the remaining humans.
The game continues until everyone has been turned into zombies, with the last human being the winner.
To add extra excitement, create "safe zones" where humans can rest for a few seconds before running again or have a "cure" (a special item like a glowing potion) that gives humans a second life.

Pumpkin Bowling

A fun and creative twist on traditional bowling, using mini pumpkins and ghost-shaped pins!

How It Works:

Set up "pins" by stacking toilet paper rolls or using lightweight bottles that you’ve decorated with ghost faces or Halloween designs.
Use small or medium-sized pumpkins (without the stems) as bowling balls.
Guests take turns rolling the pumpkin down a lane (made of tape or chalk) to knock over as many ghost pins as possible.

Mummy Wrapping Race

A silly, team-based game where guests race to wrap a partner in toilet paper to create the best (and fastest) mummy.

How It Works:

Divide your guests into pairs or teams.
Give each team a roll of toilet paper.
One person from each team acts as the "mummy," and the other team member must race to wrap them in toilet paper from head to toe.
The first team to fully wrap their mummy (without tearing the paper too much) wins.
Award prizes for the fastest team, as well as for the best or most creative mummy wrapping.

"Body Parts Relay Race" (Mix-and-Match Monster Race)

In this hilarious team game, players have to race to "assemble" a Frankenstein-like monster using mix-and-match body parts.

How It Works:

Print or cut out different parts of a monster (heads, arms, legs, and torsos) on stiff paper or cardboard. Each part should be different, like a werewolf arm, vampire leg, or witch’s head.
Set the body parts at one end of the room, and divide guests into teams. Each team member races to the pile, grabs a body part, and runs back to stick it on a blank board or wall to build a "monster."
The team that completes the most monsters (or the funniest ones) in the time given wins.

In a world that can often feel too fast-paced, Halloween offers a rare chance to pause, to reconnect with our inner child, and to let our imaginations run wild. It’s a night to step into someone or something else's shoes and experience life from a completely different perspective, all while sharing a common joy with those around us. So as you plan your Halloween party, remember that the real magic lies not just in the decorations or the treats, but in the laughter, the surprises, and the connections you create along the way. After all, it's not just about the tricks and the treats, it's about the memories we craft together.