Halloween might not be the big deal it is back home, but the day isn’t without its diehard fans throughout Europe as well. From high-tech amusement parks to centuries-old castles, the continent moans and groans under the weight of places to go for a good old healthy seasonal scare. Here are just a few places to consider:

Dublin, Ireland: The Bram Stoker Festival embraces Ireland’s capital city’s dark side by means of this event which takes its name from the author of the classic Gothic novel Dracula. From Oct. 28-30, party headquarters will be located at Stokerland’s Gothic Gates in St. Patrick’s Park. Things to do here include listening to creepy tales, taking guided walks, watching screenings of classic horror films and other blood-tingling delights. Some of the highlight events include a cabaret performance set for Oct. 27 and “I am NOT Legend,” a complete re-imagination of the Night of the Living Dead, complete with a live score and spine-tingling visuals, slated for Oct. 29.

Yet another not-to-be-missed spectacle is a Halloween parade titled “Cnamha La Loba,” which finds its inspiration from a tale in which a woman, half-wolf and half witch, travels the world collecting the bones of otherworldly beings. This parade gets underway from 7 p.m. Oct. 30. Entry to the park itself is free. Online: bramstokerfestival.com

Mayen, Germany: The “Festival der Hexen und Magier,” scheduled for Oct. 28, takes place in the shadow of the imposing Genovevaburg Castle, a fitting backdrop for an all-ages friendly festival offering walking acts, magic shows, jesters, pumpkin carving, medieval-style music and more. A highlight of the festival is a parade in which children wearing whatever costumes the adults in their lives can conjure up slowly make their way up towards the castle. Each child who takes part receives a small gift, and prizes are awarded for the best costumes. Activities take place between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. These are either free or involve moderate charges. Mayen is located approximately 60 miles northeast of Bitburg. Online: eifel.info

Steinbach am Donnersberg, Germany: The Keltendorf, or Celtic village, is located where a Celt settlement once existed at the foot of the Donnersberg mountain, one of the Rhineland-Palatinate’s highest mountains. On Oct. 31, a Samhain celebration promises to give a taste of how this date would have been celebrated back in the day. What was the beginning of a new year for the Celts was met with dining, drinking and the carrying out of various rituals, and today’s festival is not so very much different. Modern-day worshippers of nature and the changing of the seasons will enjoy mock battles and entertainers such as musicians and fire-eaters. Children in attendance can make leather bags and straw dolls in a workshop, compete in spear throwing competitions, and enjoy playing with fire as they bake what’s known as stick bread over the flames of a campfire. At 7 p.m., a torchlight procession begins, and when it ends, the straw dolls the kids have made will be tossed into the fames. An additional highlight is a performance by the Heebie-Jeebies, an Irish folk music band. Festival hours are 5 p.m.- 11 p.m. Tickets should be booked in advance. Steinbach is located about ten miles northeast of Sembach. Online: tinyurl.com/2s4j78ve

Kalkar, Germany: Kalkar Wunderland is the name given to an amusement park set inside a nuclear power plant that was never brought on line. It stands to reason any event taking place here would have a nuclear energy-based theme, and that’s the case for an event tied closely to Halloween. “Horror Nights” is a spectacle set to unfold on various dates through Nov. 5. With three haunted houses and two scare zones, thrills and chills are a given. The “Halloween” spectacle, on the other hand, is a family-friendly affair in which a harmless cast of monsters, ghosts and witches get up to their usual bag of tricks. Horror Night will take place from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Oct. 21-22 and Oct. 28-29. Ticket prices range from 26.50 to 31.50 euros, depending on time of visit. Visitors must be 16 years or older. Online: wunderlandkalkar.eu

Darmstadt, Germany: What would the American soldiers who got this party started decades ago think of the cult status this event has since achieved? The annual Halloween bash held in Frankenstein Castle, a partially restored ruin found atop a high hill along the charming Bergstrasse, has long been a legend in its own right.

Night after night, busloads of revelers will get shuttled to a place they’re all but certain to find the thrills and chills they’re after. This thousand-year-old castle with a dark past sets the scene to what is almost certainly the spookiest and most gruesome Halloween bash in all Germany. Monsters and bloodied corpses returned from the afterlife are just some of the frightful characters who reach out and touch their intended prey. Music and a bar add to the party vibe.

This year’s event kicks off Oct. 20 and runs through Nov. 4. Tickets are available online. Prices fluctuate with the date, but fall within the range of 37 to 45 euros for normal tickets and 101-125 euros for VIP tickets. On Sunday afternoons, a “light” version of this event suitable for all ages is held; tickets to this cost 22 euros. A two-euro service fee applies to each ticket order. Prices are inclusive of a shuttle bus which departs from the nearby town of Pfungstadt. Those wishing to attend the evening event should be age 16 or older. While the wearing of costumes is allowed, it’s prohibited to bring on site any bottles, cans, spray cans, umbrellas, sharp or pointy costume parts, selfie sticks, bags or backpacks. As the event is interactive, visitors should be braced for getting lightly mauled and quite possibly having their costumes ripped or dirtied. Online: frankenstein-halloween.de/en