Halloween in Perth used to come with a side of "that's an American thing". Now it is a suburb-wide night out, and a lot of the people driving it are parents who were never allowed to join in as kids.
A r/perth thread from a millennial mum struck a chord this week. She said she loves watching her kids dress up because she was "shamed" by her own parents for thinking it was cool. Nearly 50 people replied before Saturday's Halloween.
A generational switch
Commenters from Gen X to Gen Z told a similar story: they weren't allowed to trick-or-treat, or no one answered the door when they did, and now their street goes all out. One parent described a fun-size chocolate table out the front "just in case". Another family moving out of an apartment said a neighbour made 100 lolly bags last year and still ran out.
The old argument still came up, but it was quickly shut down. Several users pointed out Halloween started in Ireland and Scotland, and a British migrant said it was "huge" in the UK in the 1980s. A popular unofficial rule: if a house isn't decorated, walk past.
Photo: Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). File photo of Halloween costumes in Brisbane, 2022.
Where Perth Reddit says to go
- Buxton Street, Mount Hawthorn - the street is closed to cars and "thousands" turn up in costume, one user said.
- Bassendean - the council runs a "Keen on Halloween" hot-spot guide, and one commenter suggested renaming it "Bassenscream".
- Byford - haunted houses and lots of decorations.
- Perth Zoo - is running a Halloween event, according to users.
If you're driving to one of the big streets, regulars asked visitors to bring a bag of lollies to share with the houses doing the work. Others asked people to skip fake spiderweb outside, because it can trap birds and wildlife.
Sources: r/perth. Check event details with organisers and local councils before you go.
Photo (top): Fiona Henderson via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0). File photo of jack-o'-lanterns in Cairns, Queensland.
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