There’s street parties, and then there’s Lan Kwai Fong’s epic Halloween-themed street party in central Hong Kong. It’s the craziest spook-filled gathering of ghosts, ghouls and costumed revellers you’ve likely ever come across.

Yes, usually Lan Kwai Fong is a tame yet bustling maze of bars and eateries, but when October rolls around (and especially when Halloween hits), it transforms into an explosion of cobwebbed alleys where gory face painters dance to the sickest DJ beats echoing through the neon-lit streets (apparently we’re dressing up as poets this Halloween).

Wander through the cobbled lanes and you’ll be met with a bizarre lineup of activities: try to make it through the haunted houses without spilling your drink (talk about almost impossible), or watch the massive costume contest pick a winner between a nightmarish marionette doll and an instantly recognisable plague doctor. You can even catch a classic Hong Kong-style horror flick.

And when you get thirsty, there’s plenty of bars to choose from with each one rolling out a range of special options – think ‘Blood Punch’ and ‘Zombie Brain Shots’. To soak up all that mummifying alcohol, food stalls are on hand to satisfy your creepy cravings with everything from grilled skewers to sizzling dumplings on the menu.

But this place gets busy, like busy busy. Imagine shoulder-to-shoulder crowds of zombies, witches, and characters you can’t quite identify (is that a costume or your usual get up?) squished into streets definitely not meant for 25,000 people.

Local authorities are putting extra safety measures in place but keep your wits about you, prepare for the chaos, look out for others and hit up the Unholy Halloween Party (just a suggestion) for a hauntingly good time.