Dine with the Dead at The Rocks’ Most Mysterious Halloween Banquet

IMAGE CREDIT: BBR GROUP

Chef Neil Nolan leads an evening of culinary artistry and gothic theatre at Foundation Park.

Hidden deep within the historic walls of The Rocks, something extraordinary is returning this Halloween. The Dark Dinner, the Ghost Festival’s most exclusive and mysterious experience, will once again open its gates for one unforgettable night of indulgence, theatre, and fire.

On Thursday, October 31, guests will step into Foundation Park, a secret, candle‑lit corner of The Rocks transformed into a gothic dining hall where the living and the dead come together for a feast like no other.

This year’s Dark Dinner will be helmed by Chef Neil Nolan from Pony Dining, one of The Rocks’ most celebrated culinary talents. Known for his mastery of open‑flame cooking and elegant Australian produce, Nolan curated a degustation menu designed to be shared, paired with fine wines and a touch of the unexpected. Each course will unfold like a chapter in a dark fairytale, from smoky aromas to delicately haunting flavours, all served under the flicker of firelight.

IMAGE CREDIT: BBR GROUP

But what truly sets The Dark Dinner apart is the immersive theatre woven between each course. As guests dine, ghostly performers will emerge from the shadows, fire artists will dance beneath the sandstone cliffs, and the night will build towards a finale that blurs the line between dining, storytelling, and ritual.

It is not just a dinner. It is an invitation to taste the night, fear the unknown, and dine with the dead.

Tickets are $209 per person, including a full degustation menu, wine pairing, and live performances. Places are strictly limited, with only a handful of tables available for this once‑a‑year Halloween gathering.

Bookings are now open via ghostfestival.com.au, and the organisers warn: those who wait too long may find the doors have already closed.

Because in The Rocks, some dinners only happen once in a lifetime.

GHOST FESTIVAL

Ghost Festival is a must-see free event for anyone seeking to experience a frightfully delightful Halloween experience in the heart of The Rocks, where the historic lanes will be haunted by spine-tingling stories twisting into real-life events.

INTERESTING FACTS

IMAGE CREDIT: BBR GROUP

Some believe the restless spirits of sailors, convicts, and plague victims still wander The Rocks's cobbled streets today.

One of the most chilling tales is that of Anne Kirkman, a young woman whose husband was lost at sea. Stricken with grief, Anne died suddenly of typhoid fever in her Cumberland Street terrace. Locals insist her ghost still lingers, drifting through the laneways in a long white gown, lantern in hand, as if eternally waiting for her beloved to return from the harbour. On quiet nights, some even claim to hear the faint sound of her sobs echoing through the stones of The Rocks.

Ghost Festival Details:

Dates: Thursday October 30 – Sunday November 2, 2025
Location: The Rocks - Sydney
Entry: Free to attend
Ghost Cinema tickets start at $39
House of Horrors Party early bird tickets start at $55
Murder Mystery Experience tickets start at $149
The Dark Dinner Experience tickets start at $209

Website: https://ghostfestival.com.au/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ghostfestivalsyd/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ghostfestivalsyd/

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