Halloween in May? Yup! It’s Time to Disrupt (or even add to) all that Traditional Beach Day Reverie.

How Did Halfway to Halloween Start?

Actually, like so many of our holidays it goes back a few years. 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.

More recently Halfway to Halloween began with haunted attractions and theme parks. The roots of "Halfway to Halloween" trace back to the haunted house industry and major theme parks — places like Universal Studios and Disney — who realized they could tease their massively popular Halloween events way earlier in the year.

A few years back Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights started announcing haunted house lineups and releasing teaser trailers in April. Their intent was to build hype (and ticket sales) far in advance, because Halloween events are huge business — like "sell-out-every-night" business. They wanted to stretch the spooky marketing window from a couple of months to almost half the year. (Cue the cash registers ringing like a haunted bell tower. 🛎️)

It makes sense, according to the National Retail Federation Halloween generates around $11.6 billion in revenue annually in the US alone. This includes spending on costumes, decorations, candy, and other Halloween-related items. In 2023, spending reached a record high of $12.2 billion. While 2024 saw a slight decrease, the overall trend shows a significant increase in Halloween spending over the past decade.

Naturally Retailers smelled the pumpkin spice... and the money and quickly jumped on board:

Spirit Halloween (the big seasonal Halloween store chain) and other costume retailers saw the growing fan obsession and started doing mid-year mini sales or online sneak peeks.
Home décor brands realized spooky-cute Halloween styles (think: pastel pumpkins, cozy goth) have cross-seasonal appeal. Home Goods is already setting out their Halloween related decor.
Candy brands also realized people don’t actually need a reason to buy candy corn in May if you make it a “thing.”

Then Social media poured gasoline on the fire. Fans — especially hardcore Halloween lovers — started celebrating "Halfway to Halloween" on Instagram, TikTok, and Reddit, posting costume ideas, hosting spooky spring parties, sharing creepy makeup looks. It soon became user-led, organic, and joyfully ridiculous — a.k.a., the internet’s favorite kind of holiday.

Memes, challenges, mini home-haunts, DIYs — it exploded from a corporate teaser strategy into a full-blown cultural movement, because let’s be real: people will always choose spooky fun over "normal" if you give them half a chance.

Now it’s basically a new mini-season. Kind of like how Black Friday morphed into Cyber Week and Small Business Saturday — except way more bats, witches, and eerie candlelight. 🕯️🦇

Extra Fun Fact:

The "official" halfway point to Halloween is April 30th/May 1st (depending how you measure it).
This overlaps perfectly with Walpurgisnacht — an ancient pagan festival celebrating spring and believed to be a night when witches gathered.
Coincidence? Maybe. Witchy alignment? Absolutely.

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

✨ 1. 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 threatening to become 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.

✨ 2. It signals a craving for year-round "themed escapism." People aren’t waiting for the official seasons to live their fantasy lives anymore. They want cozy fall vibes in spring. Christmas movies in July. Summer margaritas in February.
Brands that can offer “out of season” whimsy and emotional escape will have a leg up.
Think: limited edition drops, pop-up events, social media challenges ("Show us your Spring Ghoul Look!").

✨ 3. New content hooks = new marketing cycles. You no longer have to wait until September to kick off spooky content. "Halfway to Halloween" gives brands a fresh excuse to:

Run early-bird promotions for fall launches
Tease product lines (candles, decor, costumes, snacks)
Launch influencer campaigns with eerie aesthetic twists
Build playlists, recipes, or party guides around the "halfway" theme
(Imagine the Instagram captions: "It’s never too early to be spooky." 🔮)

✨ 4. Emotional marketing goldmine: Nostalgia + Novelty. Halfway to Halloween hits two emotional notes like a xylophone in a haunted house:

Nostalgia for childhood Halloween memories (trick-or-treating, pumpkin patches)
Novelty of doing something unexpected and rebellious ("Halloween in May? Heck yes!")

Smart brands will play into both. Maybe with surprise drops, secret sales, or "trick-or-treat" promotions where the customer gets a mystery discount.

✨ 5. Cultural proof: Micro-holidays are big business. From Friendsgiving to Galentine’s Day, we know that made-up holidays are serious revenue machines.
"Halfway to Halloween" is proving it can tap into:

Event spaces (themed parties, haunted attractions)
Hospitality (spooky cocktail nights, horror movie marathons)
Retail (candles, decor, apparel, themed food + beverage)

Any brand that leans into these “micro-moments” becomes part of the conversation.

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? 🦇

5 Halfway to Halloween Campaign Ideas

1. "Haunt Now, Pay Later"

Idea: Launch a springtime mystery box with spooky-themed items (decor, snacks, candles, etc.).
Hook: “Because waiting until October is so last century.”
Bonus: Add an optional payment plan or discount for early orders.

2. "Ghoul’s Night Out" Pop-Up Event

Idea: Host a halfway-themed party (IRL or virtual) with haunted luau costumes, carved pineapples, themed cocktails/mocktails, and giveaways.
Hook: “Haunted Hula Girl Costumes encouraged. Chill vibes optional.”
Bonus: Partner with local artists, DJs, or mixologists for collabs.

3. "Spooky Sneak Peek" Product Launch

Idea: Tease your fall collections (fashion, beauty, home) during Halfway to Halloween. Limited early access.
Hook: “You've waited long enough...or have you?”
Bonus: Offer exclusive discounts to attendees or insiders.

4. "Trick or Treat Yourself" Flash Sale

Idea: A surprise online sale with "trick" (random discounts) or "treat" (free gifts). Customers spin a digital wheel or click a mystery box.
Hook: “No doorbell necessary. The candy’s all for you.”
Bonus: Each "treat" comes with a shareable badge for social media.

5. "The Ghoul Next Door" Content Series

Idea: Run a week of creepy-cute founder stories, behind-the-scenes content, and product sneak peeks themed around the idea of spooky neighbors.
Hook: “Would you survive living next to us? Only one way to find out...”
Bonus: User-generated content contest: customers share their most creative spring-spooky looks.

There’s something so delicious about being a little bit spooky when everyone expects you to be all sunny and pastel. 😎🌸 That tension? That’s marketing GOLD.

Steal these Halfway to Halloween Campaigns, Slogans and Taglines

🎃 "Too Ghoul for One Season."
🎃 "Creep It Real, Even in Spring."
🎃 "Spooky’s Always in Style."
🎃 "Six Months 'Til Screams — Why Wait?"
🎃 "Life’s Too Short to Celebrate Halloween Once."
🎃 "Spring Into Spooky."
🎃 "Halfway to Halloween. Fully Obsessed."
🎃 "We Put the Boo in April."
🎃 "Fear the Flowers — It’s Halfway to Halloween!"
🎃 "Eerie, Early, and Absolutely Essential."