Hallowindie

Hallowindie 2026 takes place on Friday 30 and Saturday 31 October at the Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos de León. It is the sixth edition and the first to run over two days: Friday is a night of acoustic sets, and Saturday is the usual festival, headlined by La La Love You, with Alcalá Norte filling the slot left by Ginebras. A single ticket covers both days, and the tier currently on sale costs €40 plus €4 in fees.

The name says it all: live indie music on Halloween night. As well as the concerts, there is a fancy dress contest with €1,500 in prizes, plus decorations, games and food trucks. Costumes are not compulsory, but they work almost as a dress code: in 2025 around 2,500 people turned up in costume, according to La Nueva Crónica. The festival is organised by León-based company Latin Records, and León City Council is its main institutional backer.

Line-up by day: acoustic sets on Friday and La La Love You on Saturday

Friday 30 is the pre-Hallowindie, with three acoustic concerts. Performing are Javi Chapela, a singer-songwriter from A Coruña who released his debut album, “Futuros propósitos”, in March; Noa; and Casino Montreal, an indie rock group. On the festival website their name appears next to the dates, but Casino Montreal is a band on the line-up, not the concert venue.

Saturday 31 is headlined by La La Love You, the pop punk group from Parla, who were already on the 2023 line-up. Alcalá Norte, a rock band from Madrid, replace Ginebras, who have cancelled because one of their members is on medical leave, and they arrive in León days before releasing a new album, due out on 4 November, according to Heraldo de León. Rounding off the night are Cariño, the band from Lavapiés; Amatria, from Castilla-La Mancha; and three acts from the province: The Sirius, from El Bierzo, Standby Rock, from León, and DJ Motto, from Ponferrada, who was already on the 2025 line-up.

The line-up sums up the festival well: the main draws come from Spanish indie and pop, but three of Saturday's seven acts hail from León and El Bierzo. The last-minute replacement does, however, swap the pop of Ginebras, one of the three headline names in the announcement, for a more rock-oriented live show.

Stage times: doors at 18:00, everything else yet to be published

The official ticket sales page sets Saturday's doors at 18:00. As of 21 October, the organisers have not published individual stage times or the closing time, and Heraldo de León notes that Alcalá Norte's slot has not yet been confirmed. Less is known about Friday: neither the website nor the ticketing page says what time the acoustic sets start or whether they take place at the same Palacio.

The FAQ on the official website still refers to doors opening at 17:00 “on 4 November”, a date that does not correspond to this edition. For 2026, the times on the ticketing page apply.

Tickets: €40 for both days and €55 on the door

Official tickets are sold on Ctickets, and the same ticket gives access on Friday and Saturday. The price rises in tiers; this was the situation on 21 October:

• First tier, €29, and second, €35: sold out.
• Third tier, €40 plus €4 in fees: currently on sale.
• Final tier, €46 plus €4.60 in fees.
• On the door on the day of the concert, €55.

For those who only want to attend Friday's acoustic sets, the organisers have announced €15 tickets on the door; Ctickets does not sell this one-day ticket.

When it comes to minors, the rules do not entirely match. Ctickets states that under-16s must be accompanied by an adult, while the festival website requires a signed authorisation form for any minor, who must also be accompanied by their father, mother or legal guardian; without that form, the organisers will not admit the minor or refund the ticket. The sensible option is to bring the form even if the minor is 16 or 17. The same FAQ asks attendees to bring ID and to collect their wristband from the venue box office with their ticket.

Fancy dress contest: €1,500 and a single photo

The contest awards €500 in the individual or couple category and €1,000 in the category for groups of five or more, plus tickets for next year's edition. The finalists, five per category, receive prizes from the sponsors as well as tickets.

To take part, you need to fill in the registration at the entrance and have your photo taken at the festival photocall; this is the only photo the jury judges. The rules set a window of 17:30 to 20:30 for this photo but do not specify the day; if it is Saturday, with doors at 18:00 that leaves two and a half usable hours, so it is best to head to the photocall as soon as you get in. The finalists and the group prize are announced around the middle of the festival, and the individual prize at the end of the night. The jury is made up of members of the organisation, León City Council and the sponsors.

The Palacio de Exposiciones, on calle Gómez Salazar

Saturday takes place at the Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos de León, on calle Gómez Salazar, an indoor venue: in late October, rain or cold will not decide the night. The festival website includes a map showing the location but does not publish transport or parking information.

A week later, on 7 November, the same Palacio hosts Lion Rock Fest, and from 4 to 7 December the city welcomes Purple Weekend. The rest of the province's events can be found in festivals in León.

From one night to two days

The 2025 edition, the fifth, was a single night, on 1 November, with Siloé, León Benavente, Veintiuno, Bombai, Mañana Viernes, Cosmética and Motto, according to the festival website. For 2026 the organisers have added Friday with a brief explanation: “One night was too short for us”. Its promoter, José Manuel Contreras, presents Hallowindie as a showcase for groups that have gone on to make a name for themselves on the scene, according to esRadio.

Compared with the electronic music and punk that dominate much of our guide to Halloween 2026 festivals, Hallowindie remains committed to live pop and indie.