by InTrieste
In Friuli Venezia Giulia, Halloween is less about plastic skeletons and candy corn than it is about rediscovering ancient stories, nature, and the quiet magic of autumn nights. Across our region — from mountain villages to seaside cities — the holiday offers an unexpectedly rich blend of folklore, science, and outdoor adventure.
At the Cornino Lake Nature Reserve in Forgaria, families can experience Halloween surrounded by the creatures that rule the night. Beginning at 5 p.m. on October 31, the reserve’s “kingdom of the griffons” will come alive with guided activities introducing visitors to owls, bats, and other nocturnal species. Organizers hope to show how what people often fear — the “biodiversity of fright,” as they call it — can become a “biodiversity to be admired” through understanding and curiosity.
In the Carnia area, the village of Ampezzo will host “Not da lis muars,” or “Night of the Pumpkins.” As darkness falls, torches and carved lanterns will light up courtyards and alleys, while jugglers and fire performers fill the streets with a sense of enchantment. The event recalls the rural autumn traditions of northern Italy, when fire and light marked the passing of seasons and the approach of winter.
Forni di Sopra, in the Dolomites, offers a more mystical celebration. The “Celtic Night among Stars and Ghosts” invites participants to join a guided walk through the Tiviei Plateau — a gentle route through meadows and forests beneath the mountain peaks. Along the way, local guides will share legends tied to Samhain, the Celtic festival that inspired modern Halloween. As the night deepens, guests can learn to read the stars, listen for owls, and perhaps glimpse deer grazing in the darkness.
In Paluzza, near the Austrian border, the Tower Park of Moscarda becomes the setting for a lantern-lit trail through the woods. The walk evokes the “tradition of migrating souls,” a nod to the region’s folklore about spirits traveling between worlds during the thinning of the veil between the living and the dead.
For those preferring a livelier evening, Sacile — known for its Venetian-style bridges and arcades — will turn its historic center into a family-friendly stage, with performances and games culminating in Piazza del Popolo.
And in Trieste, the Immaginario Scientifico museum will keep its doors open until 8 p.m. for an evening of spine-tingling science. Visitors can witness eerie experiments and chemical reactions that blend fear and fascination, turning the laboratory into a playful theater of curiosity.
Taken together, these events reveal how Friuli Venezia Giulia celebrates Halloween not as a borrowed American custom but as a local festival rooted in the rhythms of nature and history. Here, fear is never just for thrills — it is a way to reconnect with the landscape, the night sky, and the stories that have long lived in its shadows.
