Ghosts and goblins don’t have to get together in person to have a little Halloween fun. Hosting a virtual Halloween event allows you to bring together groups from different locations to celebrate this spooky season. Halloween-themed virtual events work well for professional groups and organisations with members from different places. Hosting your haunted celebration virtually allows you to include more guests, no matter their location. Read on for more tips on how to host a virtual Halloween event.
What is a virtual Halloween event?
A virtual Halloween party is any Halloween-themed celebration taking place in an online setting. These events typically occur synchronously, allowing attendees to connect over the web using livestreaming technology. Virtual events for Halloween deliver several key benefits. First, they don’t require a venue, which makes them a budget-friendly option. Next, remote Halloween activities are conducive to wide participation since you won’t have to deal with capacity restrictions. Even more, you can invite attendees from across the UK — or even across the globe — when you host a virtual Halloween event.
How do you throw a virtual Halloween event?
Hosting virtual events for Halloween requires some planning and organisation. If you’re hosting your first livestream, make sure you have the tech you need to run a smooth event. Then you can focus on marketing, ticket sales, and activities that will engage your guests. Here are some tips for throwing a successful virtual Halloween event.
Understand what your attendees want
Virtual Halloween party attendees are looking for a chance to escape and have plenty of fun. Halloween is the perfect opportunity to give them a little bit of both! Think about what your attendees would expect and enjoy, and craft the experience specifically for their needs. And don’t worry, you don’t have to guess what they want: we’ve asked them for you.
Choose a reliable platform
The perfect video hosting platform will depend on what type of event you’ll be throwing. For a webinar on the Salem witch trials or a “Halloween treats and wine pairing” happy hour, you might prefer Zoom to control audience participation seamlessly. For a livestreamed horror flick event, look into Vimeo, where you can send out a password for your stream along with your tickets. If neither of those platforms seems quite fitting, check out our article on choosing the right hosting platform and discover the best option for your event.
Focus on the tech side for a smooth livestream
Hosting a killer online event doesn’t require a tonne of audio equipment or a fancy webcam. Instead, use what you have to your advantage. You can plug your laptop directly into your router for a faster connection than Wi-Fi, and ensure that your microphone uses its optimum settings. We’ve put together a handy guide for you to get started on hosting a high-quality livestream.
Technical side not your strong suit? Consider hiring a virtual streaming agency to act as a day-of coordinator. They’ll help the event flow smoothly and work out any issues that might arise, leaving you free to focus on other essential event logistics.
Make your virtual Halloween party safe
Virtual events might not have as many safety considerations as in-person gatherings, but safety is still important. Use a password for your event, set guidelines for attendees and staff alike, and expect to moderate communication and attendee interactions during the event. Most importantly, turn on your meeting platform’s highest security features to keep both kids and adults safe.
Host an inclusive event
Inclusivity, diversity, and accessibility aren’t just buzzwords. They’re requirements for modern events. But meeting today’s standards of inclusivity doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Consider adding closed captioning to any creepy videos you might show and including trigger warnings. Create a code of conduct for any costumed staff, and use inclusive language in promotions and on the day of the event. (Halloween is great for this. After all, “ghouls and goblins” is a gender-neutral greeting!) You can even offer a sliding scale or donation ticket pricing so trick-or-treaters of all income levels can attend.
Take some tips from the pros
Virtual events are here to stay. Rely on advice from the pros as you plan your Halloween-themed virtual events. Become an expert in livestream technology through trial and error. Or take tips from livestream expert Gilad Gershoni, founder of Elevated Stream. Wickhams Great British Wine Merchantmalso learned how to make its wine tastings work remotely, resulting in more accessible events.
With all that work already done, your event doesn’t have to be a guinea pig. Frankenstein these tried-and-true tips together to host an engaging virtual event.
Make it festive with Halloween-themed merch
Sending your attendees participatory items or add-on kits, such as Halloween decorations, sweets, or costume accessories, can help everyone feel like they’re part of the action, even if you’re far apart. You can include these goodies with your ticket prices, list them as an add-on, or send them as complimentary treats.
The best part? Including physical add-ons with your virtual event adds to your bottom line.
Market your event to attract attendees
You don’t need a long-term marketing plan to throw a successfully spooky online Halloween event. In fact, launching your marketing campaign in the week leading up to the event sells more tickets. And if you’re selling tickets on Eventbrite, our built-in marketing tools (like email campaigns, social media connectivity, and website embedded checkouts) help you get the word out fast.
Get feedback from your attendees
It’s the morning after Halloween, but it’s not time to move on just yet. Getting feedback on an event is like receiving free business advice from the people who matter most: Your attendees!
Send out a brief and efficient survey right after the event and ask what they loved, what they’d change, and what they want next time. Not only will feedback help you better understand their event experiences, but you’ll get insider knowledge you can use on your next virtual event.
How to host a virtual Halloween party
Virtual Halloween parties let you offer multiple activities during the event, so you’ll be sure to please all of your attendees. Consider mixing and matching activity ideas to create a customised event that your attendees will love.
Use virtual backgrounds
Turn that drab virtual background into something downright spooky. Encourage your participants to choose their scariest virtual background to use for the event. You can even consider making this activity a competition, with an award going to the spookiest virtual background.
Create a spooky playlist
What’s a party without music? Your virtual Halloween party calls for a playlist suitable for this frightful season. Fill your playlist with classic Halloween tunes like “Monster Mash” and “Thriller.” You can mix in some scary sounds, too. Think cackling witches, rumbles of thunder, and blood-curdling screams.
Halloween-themed games for adults
Several party games work well in a virtual environment and encourage attendees to interact with each other. In fact, a spooky game can be the perfect ice-breaker to kick your party off. You can choose one activity that serves as the focus of your party or opt for a couple of games to keep your party moving. Consider these creative ideas as you plan your virtual Halloween party:
Virtual escape room
Escape rooms require teamwork and problem-solving skills, making them ideal events for colleagues. A Halloween-themed escape room is a festive virtual party idea. Party attendees can work through clues over a livestream to help solve the mystery and “escape” — no room needed.
Virtual murder mystery
A virtual murder mystery delivers plenty of spookiness and intrigue to your Halloween virtual event. You can find murder mystery games online or come up with your own, assigning each guest a character. Your attendees play a role as they work to find out the mystery.
Virtual haunted house tour
Haunted houses are classic for Halloween, so consider hosting a virtual haunted house tour at your next event. Find videos of a popular haunted house and have guests follow along on a video tour.
Horror movie trivia
Test your attendees on their horror movie trivia. Participants can divide up into teams and answer questions about horror films. Offer a themed prize for the winning team, such as a bag of Halloween treats or a cinema gift card to check out the latest horror blockbuster.
Virtual ghost stories
Read a spooky story to your guests or ask them to bring their favourite ghost story. You can even invite a local author to log on and read their own ghost story.
Virtual Halloween activities for kids
Let kids get in on the spooky fun, too. A virtual Halloween party is well suited for children, and an array of activities can keep them engaged during your virtual event. For a kid-themed party, be sure to offer multiple activities to keep the party moving and hold their attention. Consider these ghoulish kid-friendly activities:
Halloween fancy-dress party
Costumes are a must for a kids’ event. Host a fancy-dress party that gives each guest an opportunity to show off their costumes. You can offer prizes for the most creative costumes — but make sure every child is recognised to keep them happy.
Spooky dance party
Turn on your Halloween playlist and let kids dance to their favourite spooky tunes. A dance party keeps kids active and moving during a virtual event. To keep the fun going, take requests and play their favourite music.
Stream a scary movie
Host a Halloween film night that kids will love. Consider the kids’ ages when choosing a film, and be sure to keep it age-appropriate. Let the kids chat about the flick over the livestream after it ends.
Halloween crafts
Let kids create a Halloween craft together during the virtual party. Make sure each family has the craft supplies they need beforehand. You can even offer craft kits for participants to pick up or order before the party.
Blind sweets tasting
Let’s face it; kids expect sweets on Halloween. Start the season with a blind sweets tasting. You’ll need the parents’ help with this, so make sure they have sweet treats on hand to get the game going. Kids can try different sweets and guess what they are without seeing them.
Host a memorable virtual Halloween event
Bring together family and friends to have some spooky fun at a virtual Halloween party. Offer creative activities to keep your guests engaged and incorporate virtual Halloween games for added fun. Using Eventbrite, you can launch, promote, and host your next online event and make it a success. Learn more about our virtual events platform.
