Halloween in Malta Living: pumpkins on the strip and a costume party at Sky Club

Halloween isn't a Maltese tradition, but you'd never guess it from Paceville at the end of October: costume nights, pumpkins in bar windows, queues in witch's hats. Malta Living's first seasonal event follows the island's lead. Halloween in a life sim should feel like a few special days, not a reskin, so it arrives in three parts: things for your home, the city dressing up, and one big night out. Here's when each happens.

Halloween at home: on sale now

Five Halloween pieces are in Buy, under the new Special events tab, from Friday 23 October until Sunday 1 November:

• Cobweb corner, €12
• The Qargħa lantern, €20 (qargħa is Maltese for pumpkin)
• Bat lights, €35
• Mr Bones in his chair, €90
• A Witch's cauldron, €240, which you can stir for Fun

They leave the shop after Sunday, but what you buy stays yours all year. Put them where your friends will see them: visitors notice what you've placed, and a cobweb by the front door sets the tone for a party. How placing, turning and storing works is in Buy mode.

The Special events tab is new too. It's second in Buy's row and holds a season's pieces while they're on sale, Halloween now and other special days later. Seasons now switch on and off by themselves, on their own dates in Malta time, so nobody has to remember to turn them on.

The city dresses up: from Friday 30 October

The map changes over the last weekend of October:

• Friday 30 October: the city starts decorating.
• Saturday 31 October: pumpkins line the Paceville strip and Sliema's front, lanterns light Sliema and Valletta, and the strip's bulbs turn orange and purple.
• Halloween night, Saturday 18:00 to Sunday 04:00: bats circle over the clubs and a light fog rolls in.
• Sunday 1 November at 12:00: it all comes down.

Bonġu!, the island's news on your phone, points you to it when it starts.

Halloween night at Sky Club

On Saturday 31 October, Sky Club's pin on the map says so, and its card has a 🎃 Costume party from 22:00 to 04:00. It's €15, gives a big boost to Fun and Social, and you can go once that night. Players with notifications on get one reminder at 19:00, so it's a good night to meet up with your club.

Out on the street, the city's walkers in St Julian's and Sliema join in, in witch's hats, horns, cat ears and pumpkin hats. If you want to dress up yourself, the Boutique and the dress codes post have what you need. For the rest of a night on the strip, the drinks and the risky moves, see Paceville nights.

Throw your own

A Halloween party at home works like any other: invite friends round, put some drinks out and let the party run itself. The cauldron is the centrepiece, and guests can use the things you've placed. House parties and visits explains hosting.

Why it's here

Halloween came to Malta late, but in St Julian's it's now one of the busiest nights of autumn. Building it as a season with its own dates also means other special days can follow the same way: the pieces, the map and the night out each switch on and off by themselves.

New here? Read what Malta Living is, or play Malta Living free and get your costume ready.

Questions people ask

When is Halloween in Malta Living?

Halloween pieces are in Buy from 23 October to 1 November. The map is decorated from 30 October, and Halloween night is Saturday 31 October, from 18:00 to 04:00.

Do I keep the Halloween pieces after Halloween?

Yes. They leave the shop after Sunday 1 November, but anything you bought stays yours.

How do I go to the costume party?

Go to Sky Club in Paceville on Saturday 31 October between 22:00 and 04:00, and tap Costume party on its card. It's €15.

Will there be other seasonal events?

Yes. Halloween is the first; seasons now start and stop by themselves, so more special days are on the way.