Madrid readies Halloween weekend with a giant catrina parade on 1 November, one party canceled

A long weekend built around Halloween

Madrid's listings for Halloween, Día de Muertos and All Saints' Day run from Friday, 30 October to Monday, 2 November, well beyond the night of Saturday, 31 October. Outlets describe parades through the center, costume parties, film marathons, horror passages and a musical. Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, so the main party nights sit inside the long holiday weekend. The programming ranges from frightening outings to family activities, and some events are free while others need a ticket or a booking. Altars decorated with marigolds, candles and papel picado appear at several cultural venues in the capital.

Parades, markets and altars

The Ánima Fest, a first edition organized by REM, runs from 29 October to 3 November across districts of Centro and Chamberí. Its headline event is a parade of giant catrinas on Sunday, 1 November at 18.00, leaving the Embassy of Mexico, passing Puerta del Sol and ending in Plaza Mayor, followed by a free Mexican party with dances and performances from 20.00. The festival describes more than 500 participants, monumental floats and folk music in its program. A craft market and workshops are planned at Plaza de Chamberí, and the Círculo de Bellas Artes will exhibit works inspired by traditions from Querétaro. At the Teatro Fernán Gómez on Plaza de Colón, a free altar honoring the Generation of 27 and Las Sinsombrero stays open until 8 November. Bakan, on Plaza de la Independencia, serves pan de muerto with hot spiced chocolate until 4 November, and hosts mariachis and a DJ on 30 and 31 October.

Horror tunnels and free plans

Two free horror tunnels are scheduled, one at Plaza de Juan Goytisolo on Saturday, 31 October at 17.00 and another at Plaza de Barceló on Sunday, 1 November at the same hour, both recommended for children over eight. On Friday, 30 October, from 19.00 to 21.00, the Marta Escudero Díaz-Tejeiro Sociocultural Building in Villaverde hosts a free immersive experience with a horror setting, ingenuity tests and a themed escape room. A simultaneous film marathon begins at 10.00 on 31 October in several Spanish cities. Arganzuela, Centro, Villaverde and Usera are among the districts hosting activities, while El Retiro and the Almudena Cemetery offer cultural alternatives.

Dinners, cocktails and a canceled party

Restaurant Raimunda, inside the Palacio de Linares, plans a Day of the Dead program on Friday night and at lunch and dinner on Saturday, 31 October, with marigolds, a professional catrina makeup artist, a tarot reader and DJ music. Its special menu is designed by chefs Aitor Mena and Agus Herrera. Italian restaurant Arrogante runs La Notte Nera, a dinner show set in a masked Venice, from 26 October to 1 November, with three limited-run creations. At the Four Seasons Hotel Madrid, an event called Yokai: Spirits After Dark takes over Suite 300 on Saturday, 31 October from 20.00 to 00.00, with two sessions at 20.00 and 22.00 and limited capacity. The Círculo de Bellas Artes has canceled its Noche de Muertos y Brujas for Saturday, 31 October, its fifth edition with eight DJs and artists, following the tragic railway accident on Wednesday, 28 October. Online ticket refunds are automatic, while buyers at the box office must contact the Círculo by email.

Free tours and the mystery ranking

GuruWalk's ranking places 13 of the 25 best Spanish-language mystery free tours in Spain. The top spot goes to a Jack the Ripper route in London, while Madrid holds fifth place with a route from the callejón del Verdugo to the Ángel Caído. Zaragoza ranks eighth and Gijón tenth, and Salamanca closes the Spanish list at 25th. GuruWalk says the ranking uses tours with at least 30 reviews and expects bookings for such tours to rise around 20% on last year across all languages and destinations. On Halloween night 2025, one in ten Spanish-language free tours booked was a mystery tour, double the share in September.