Halloween in Jamaica
Do they celebrate Halloween in Jamaica? Does Jamaica celebrate Halloween?
Do they celebrate Halloween in Jamaica and can you celebrate Halloween in Jamaica are two different questions.
Jamaica doesn’t celebrate Halloween. Jamaicans don’t celebrate Halloween. You can celebrate Halloween in Jamaica.
Let me explain the double speak.
Halloween is just not something that is on our radar or a part of Jamaican culture.
You would not see typical Jamaican kids trick or treating on the streets, except for example in a few select areas in Kingston.
I assure you that if a bunch of kids knocked at someone’s gate in the average Jamaican community asking for candy, they would be told for sure that candy will rot their teeth and that they should know better than to eat from strangers. Every Jamaican child grows up with those admonitions.
If you get dressed up as a ghost in Jamaica and scare someone who confuses you with the real thing, may God help you. They would probably die of fright!😂😂🤣
Culturally, there is a fear of ghosts (duppies) and evil spirits. Participating in something like Halloween is just way too close for comfort for most people. We don’t even want to see a ghost costume, moreover taking a chance of invoking the real thing. We are perfectly fine letting sleeping dogs or ghosts lie.
Where can you find Halloween-themed events in Jamaica?
Now if you’re asking if Jamaicans would indulge in a Halloween-themed party, that is a different question. The focus is on the party, not Halloween. Halloween is just an excuse for the party.
The most likely place to find a Halloween-themed party in Jamaica is at one of the resorts in the more touristy areas, so between Negril and Port Antonio. Most put on Halloween parties of some sort because they know their guests, especially Americans, would enjoy the experience.
Recent years have seen more local Halloween-themed events, primarily in the Kingston area. COVID, however, affected most of the offerings and they are slowly returning.
Boo at the Zoo was held at Hope Gardens Zoo in Kingston for several years. It was a family event with a Do You Dare trail, haunted house, trick or treating, games, music, costume contests, and prizes.
There was also Fete Republic Halloween and Halloween Palooza in Kingston, both are Halloween-themed parties with a Jamaican spin. It was more of a carnival-like experience with great soca and dancehall music.
Then there is Rose Hall Great House, considered one of the scariest places on earth and famous for its rumored paranormal activity. For Halloween, they up the ante with their night tour, which is essentially an upmarket haunted house tour centered around the life of Annie Palmer, the former mistress of the plantation.
Will Halloween feel like Halloween in Jamaica?
Well no. And would you really want it to?
Some family hotels might have some limited and organized trick or treating at the resort.
If you’re staying at a villa, there won’t be kids trick or treating in the streets.
Some decor concepts will be familiar, so you can expect to see orange and black colors but don’t expect to see decorations with real Jack-O’-lantern pumpkins. Those aren’t Jamaican pumpkins.
Where can you find a Halloween costume in Jamaica?
If you wish to wear a costume, bring it with you. It is highly unlikely that, even in the tourist areas, you would walk into a store and find wide a selection of Halloween costumes. You would most likely have to improvise to make one of your own.
What’s the best way to celebrate Halloween in Jamaica?
Since COVID, we’ve all come to appreciate the value of renting a private villa in Jamaica for the exclusive use of you and your guests.
That’s a fantastic way to celebrate Halloween in Jamaica safely. You get to create your own customized event and mingle with your own travel group being catered to by your own staff.
We would love to make that happen for you at our villa in Jamaica.
Imagine a costume party with a Halloween-inspired drink and dinner menu. Sit around a roaring bonfire telling stories, ghost stories if you dare. Or watch a scary movie at an outdoor theater.
If you aren’t into the Halloween scene, not to worry. It’s towards the end of hurricane season and there is always a reason to celebrate in Jamaica.
So, if you are thinking of visiting Jamaica in October, around Halloween time, check out Mais Oui Villa now.
Til next time.
Think and dream Jamaica!
Sherry, Darrell, and Darrian
Considering a visit to Jamaica with a group?
Contact us today for more information about, Mais Oui Tennis & Spa Villa, our boutique 8-BR ocean view Jamaica villa rental experience in beautiful Discovery Bay, Jamaica. Perfect for multi-generational families and groups, retreats, and intimate destination weddings and vow renewals.
Visit our website: https://MakeItJamaica.com
Give us a call: 833-MAISOUI (624.7684) toll-free or 914.709.0457
Like us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/MakeItJamaica
Follow us on Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/makeitjamaica
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/MaisOuiVilla
Follow us on Instagram: @MakeItJamaica [instagram-feed]
Sign up for our newsletter and immediately get our Free Discovery Bay Insider Guide to discover what you won’t find in the guidebooks.
