Dublin Halloween Parade Fizzles: A Trick on the City

Tue Jan 13 2026 01:34:08 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Dublin fell victim to a phantom Halloween parade, leaving hundreds of attendees disappointed after a false event listing.

In a strange turn of events, Dublin's Halloween night transformed into an unexpected disappointment for many eager revelers. On Thursday evening, throngs of locals gathered along O’Connell Street, spirited and enthusiastic for a parade that, much to their dismay, never existed. The excitement quickly turned to confusion and frustration as it became clear that the advertised event was nothing more than a clever trick.

As the clock ticked toward the scheduled parade time, it was announced by local authorities at around 8 p.m. that there was no parade planned for the night, advising attendees to disperse safely. The enthralled crowd's anticipation quickly shifted to bewilderment as they learned they had been duped.

At the center of this mix-up was MySpiritHalloween.com, a site that features a range of Halloween event listings across several countries, including Ireland. The mistakenly advertised Dublin parade, complete with a specific location and time, drew in crowds who were unaware of its insubstantial nature. Nazir Ali, the owner of the website, later clarified that the misleading listing was an unintended error, stating he never meant to deceive anyone.

As Halloween festivities in Dublin took an unexpected turn, revelers were left reflecting on the curious incident, hoping for a more genuine scaring in the future.