Happy May! Or Should I Say Halfway to Halloween Day. Here’s What’s Ahead.

Trends

May 1

Halfway to Halloween? Time to Disrupt all that Beach Day Reverie.

Halfway to Halloween, also known as Halfoween, is celebrated six months before Halloween’s traditional date on October 31st. This date falls on May 1st.

Not to digress, but just so you know there is more than marketing behind this movement: May 1 is the date of an ancient festival known as Walpurgisnacht (or Saint Walpurgis Night). In the ancient province of Francia, it was a midnight feast to honor Saint Walpurga in hopes of warding off illness and spells. Trickling down through history other Northern European countries celebrated May 1 as a night when witches gathered to celebrate spring.

At any rate, some people observe Halfoween during the last few days of April or the first few days of May. Many celebrate it all May long. There are no hard rules.

Why the Rise of "Halfway to Halloween" Festivals *Matters for Brands and Marketers***

It’s Halloween... but make it twice a year. Halloween isn't just a holiday anymore — it's a whole season. And now? It's becoming two seasons. "Halfway to Halloween" celebrations (typically held in late April or early May) are creating a new mini-ecosystem for costumes, décor, events, themed foods, and parties.
Translation: brands have double the opportunity to sell products and experiences linked to one of the most profitable consumer holidays.

Quick idea sparks for different brands:
🎃 Food brands: "Halfway to Halloween" snack boxes or party kits
🎃 Fashion brands: Black, orange, and purple capsule collections
🎃 Beauty brands: Limited-edition goth glam palettes
🎃 Hospitality brands: Haunted spring staycations or horror brunches
🎃 Lifestyle brands: Home decor swaps ("goth garden party" anyone?)

Big takeaway?
The brands that create their own moments — not just react to the traditional calendar — are the ones that win big today. "Halfway to Halloween" is a textbook example of how culture is craving more frequent, fun, slightly ridiculous celebrations, and smart marketers will build whole campaigns around it. Because honestly... who wouldn’t want an extra excuse to wear a cape, eat candy, and summon some spooky magic halfway through the year? 🦇

Even though officially Halfway to Halloween is a May 1st thing, you can still jump on the spooky bandwagon all month long.

I have ideas for making the most of the Halfway to Halloween trend here.

Here are some more events and dates great for planning social media, store promotions, and emails this month:

Happening:

Mother’s Day: Sunday May 11, 2025 ~ take the opportunity to tell a heart warming story.
Wedding & Honeymoon Season starts: now! Just about every business has a hand in this industry.
Last Day of School: mid May to late June
Teacher Gifts: mid May to late July
Teacher Appreciation Day: Tue, May 6, 2025
Teacher Appreciation Week: May 5–9, 2025
Met Gala: Superfine: Tailoring Black Style Monday May 5, 2025
Kentucky Derby: Saturday May 3, 2025
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month: A Legacy of Leadership and Resilience
Small Business Week: May 4-10, 2025
Cinco de Mayo: Mon, May 5 ~ recipes and bright colors please! See this as a warm up for Memorial Day.
World Cocktail Day: Tue, May 13, 2025 ~ You may feel like someone desperately wants to get you drunk this month with all the boozy celebration days (see below), but never fear teetotalers, these days offer amazing opps for mocktail recipes.
Memorial Day: Mon, May 26, 2025 ~ Summer is here!
Cannes Film Festival: Tue, May 13, 2025 – Sat, May 24, 2025 ~ put out your best ideas for super luxurious hotel rooms, food and fashion.
Fair Trade Day: Sat, May 10, 2025 ~ now more than ever this is more than a trend.
World Bee Day: Tue, May 20, 2025 ~ this is a core conservation day.

Also interesting:

Harry Potter Day: Fri, May 2, 2025 ~ Yer a wizard, Harry!
Star Wars Day: Sun, May 4, 2025 ~ May the 4th be with you
Talk Like Yoda Day: Wed, May 21, 2025 ~ "Do or do not. There is no try," "Fear is the path to the dark side," and "Pass on what you have learned"
National Bike to Work Day: Thur, May 15, 2025
World Whiskey Day: Sat, May 17th
Preakness: Sat, May 17th ~ second jewel in the Triple Crown
World Baking Day: Sun, May 18th ~ I never need an excuse to bake
Full Flower Moon will occur on May 12th
World Turtle Day: Fri, May 23, 2025
Bob Dillon’s Birthday: May 24, 1941 ~ Like a Complete Unknown
National Wine Day: Sun, May 25, 2025
Indy 500: Sun, May 25, 2025
Amnesty International Day: Wed, May 28, 2025
JFK Birthday: May 29, 1917