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theatre · Sunday 25 October 2026 · 5:30pm 
Macnas Halloween Parade
At Galway City Streets · From University of Galway through the city centre to the Claddagh, Galway City, Co. Galway
At Galway City Streets · From University of Galway through the city centre to the Claddagh, Galway City, Co. Galway
Macnas brings its large-scale street theatre spectacle back to Galway for Halloween 2026 with An Treunn: The Summoning of the Lost, drawing crowds estimated at up to 80,000 people along the route. It is one of the biggest single free events on the Galway calendar and the closest thing the city has to its own Macnas signature - the company has been staging Halloween parades in Galway for decades, and this remains the flagship outing each year.
This year’s parade is built around a rediscovered tale attributed to Dracula author Bram Stoker, woven together with the haunting call of the corncrake, a bird whose decline mirrors the show’s themes of culture, memory and climate loss. Expect the full Macnas trademark: giant puppets, stilt performers, elaborate costume, fire and lighting effects, and a moving procession of performers rather than static viewing points. The parade begins at the University of Galway and makes its way through the city centre via the Cathedral, Salmon Weir Bridge, Eglington Street, Shop Street, Mainguard Street, O’Brien’s Bridge and Dominick Street, finishing at the fire station in the Claddagh. It is a free, all-ages event, though the scale of the crowd means young children are often better placed on a parent’s shoulders or along the wider viewing stretches. Recommended family viewing areas are along Father Griffin Road and Eglington Street, away from the tightest pinch points in the city centre. The same production is due to be performed again at Dublin’s Bram Stoker Festival the following week.
The route runs entirely through Galway’s compact city centre, so it is best reached on foot, by bus or by taxi rather than by car, since city-centre streets close to traffic along the route for the evening. Bus Eireann and city bus services run into Eyre Square, a short walk from several points on the route. Arriving well before 5:30pm is worth it, as prime viewing spots along Shop Street and Eyre Square fill up fast.
The parade is a natural centrepiece for a Halloween weekend in Galway, with pubs and restaurants along the route busy before and after. There is more to see in Galway and across Co. Galway.
Heading to Galway City Streets in Galway? Galway has plenty more to see. Read the Galway area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.
In town for Galway City Streets? These Galway tours book out in summer.