Newpark Hotel to bring Kyteler legend to life with Hallowe'en hijinks
Families can enjoy two very different experiences at Jurassic Newpark this Halloween, with 'The Witching Hour' offering a spooky atmosphere after dark and 'Jurassic Haunt' providing a fun and family-friendly day out by day, with activities including the 'Jurassic Sorting Ceremony' and interactive wizard class, as well as rides and themed photo opportunities
As darkness falls over Kilkenny this Halloween, Jurassic Newpark will transform into a spellbinding world of dinosaurs, witches, mysterious creatures and family-friendly frights.
New for 2026, ‘The Witching Hour’ will see the attraction at Newpark Hotel open after dark for the first time on October 30 and 31, while ‘Jurassic Haunt’ returns from October 24 to November 1 with nine days of tricks, treats and prehistoric Hallowe’en fun.
For two nights only, families can discover a very different Jurassic Newpark after dark. Visitors can test their courage in the scare room where jump scares lurk in the shadows, pay their respects to the deceased and undead residents of the Jurassic Graveyard and read the tombstones to discover whether they met a grisly, hilarious end or simply suffered a classic case of extinction. They can creep beneath the webs and giant arachnids of the Spider Tunnel, storm the Jurassic Castle and encounter a coven of Kilkenny witches causing mischief along the way!
Rides like ‘Pterosaur Mountain’ and the’ Lost Valley Cyclone’ will take on a new sense of fun under the night sky, while the ‘Jurassic Halloween Express’ will carry families through the park filled with shadows, strange sounds and prehistoric surprises. In the ‘Dino Den Theatre’, the Hallowe’en story becomes very real as families discover the 700-year-old legend of Alice Kyteler, the Kilkenny woman at the centre of one of medieval Ireland’s most famous witchcraft trials.
And while darkness adds to the atmosphere, ‘The Witching Hour’ is very much a case of more spook than scare. The park will have atmospheric lighting throughout, with seasonal decor, props and roaming characters and plenty of themed photo opportunities keeping the experience firmly family-friendly.
Nine days of ‘Jurassic Haunt’ By day, the mood is more mischief than menace. Young witches and wizards can make their mid-term break magical by taking part in the ‘Jurassic Sorting Ceremony’and interactive wizard class, tackle magical games and decorate chocolate apples before exploring the dinosaur-filled Wicked Walk, Haunted Cabin, Jurassic Castle and Spider Tunnel.
The Dino Dance Show, face painting, scavenger hunts, Hallowe’en photo opportunities and ‘Jurassic Halloween Express’ are also included, alongside Jurassic Newpark favourites including Pterosaur Mountain, the Velociraptor Dino Ride, Fossil Dig Site, Mini Farm, Fairy Trail, Adventure Playground and Go Karts. With Halloween entertainment woven throughout the wider park, ‘Jurassic Haunt’ is designed as a fully interactive family day out.
General Managers Mark Flynn and Niall Dunne said: “This Hallowe’en is all about giving families two very different ways to experience Jurassic Newpark, from the fun and mischief of ‘Jurassic Haunt’ by day to a completely new atmosphere after dark.
"The Witching Hour is spooky rather than scary, with plenty of tricks, treats and a uniquely Kilkenny twist through the story of Alice Kyteler, which is a part of local history we are delighted to showcase. Ireland is after all the home of Hallowe’en”
Hallowe’en bed and breakfast breaks at Newpark Hotel start from €370 for two adults and two children, including breakfast and access to Jurassic Newpark, putting families just footsteps from the Hallowe’en action.
The hotel also makes an ideal base for exploring Kilkenny’s wider ‘Toil and Trouble’ celebrations, giving families even more reason to turn a visit into an October midterm break. See Arts and Entertainment pages for more on Toil and Trouble.
Day visitors are welcome and advance booking is recommended. Complimentary parking is included.