The holiday season is packed with potential. As consumer spending on experiences continues to rise—up 16% in 2024, according to Deloitte—it’s the perfect time to host festive events that draw a crowd.
Eventbrite’s data shows strong demand, too: In Q4 2024 alone, Eventbrite saw 167,000 daily searches for Halloween and fall events, 10.4 million total ticket buyers, and 22% of tickets sold via discovery on our marketplace.
But with demand comes competition. To help you stand out and sell more tickets, we analyzed millions of Eventbrite events to uncover consumer insights and trends to inspire your seasonal plans.
Fall and spooky season trends
Fall is prime time for cozy vibes and creepy thrills, and eventgoers are searching for and buying tickets for the below.
Top-searched events on Eventbrite (Sept.–Oct.):
- Oktoberfest gatherings
- Haunted houses and cemetery tours
- Makeup and costume classes
- Raves
- Bar crawls
- Speed-dating
Top ticket drivers on Eventbrite (Sept.–Nov.):
- Pumpkin patches
- Corn mazes
- Apple picking & fall hikes
- Hay rides
Fa-boo-lous trend to tap into: Interactive and immersive events summon crowds, especially when they nod to pop-culture faves like Beetlejuice, Wednesday or The Nightmare Before Christmas.
When to publish your Halloween event
Mid-to-late August is the sweet spot for publishing Halloween and fall events. Ticket buyers start searching and buying up to 8 weeks out, so launching early helps you:
- Capture early bird buyers
- Stay ahead of the competition
- Snag top venues, talent, and vendors before they’re booked solid
You don’t need every detail finalized. Lock in the essentials (budget, concept, branding, venue, key partners) and give people enough to get excited and ready to buy.
Holiday and Christmas trends
Holiday magic is in the air, and audiences are craving everything from over-the-top nostalgia to creativity and calm.
What’s trending:
- Kitschmas: This is all about the nostalgic, gaudy, and overtly sentimental celebrations. Think ugly sweater parties, kitschy Santa photos, tacky light tours, and holiday pop-hit karaoke nights. Ticket sales for retro-decade events were up 8.5% year-over-year on Eventbrite in 2024.
- Luxmas: Bring on the glam and exclusivity with masquerade balls, gourmet tastings, and elegant soirées.
- Craftmas: This is a response to commercialism and all about hands-on festive fun like wreath-making, ornament crafting, cookie-baking, gift-wrapping, and DIY workshops.
- Wellness wintering: Embrace sound baths, winter solstice gatherings, and other self-care-focused experiences (aligned with TikTok’s #WinterArc trend).
When to publish your holiday and Christmas event
Aim to publish September through October to capture peak holiday demand.
That early runway gives you:
- First pick of venues, vendors, and entertainment
- Time to refine your experience and stand out in a crowded season
- More lead time to market, build anticipation, and drive early sales
New Year’s Eve trends
When the clock strikes midnight, people want more than a countdown. They want a moment they can celebrate, share, and cherish.
What’s trending:
- Themed parties: 79% of young adults are interested in events that blend multiple interests. From Gatsby-style balls and Bollywood parties to futuristic disco events, Afrobeats, and K-pop parties, consumers are drawn to costumes, decor, interactive performers, and curated music that match the theme.
- Daytime parties: Brunches and sunset dance parties with early countdowns appeal to Millennials and families who want to celebrate without the late-night chaos.
- Sober-curious and wellness-focused events: Mocktail bars, breathwork, and intention-setting sessions are growingin popularity.
When to publish your New Year’s Eve event
Don’t drop the (disco) ball. For New Year’s Eve, October is your event-publishing window. That’s when:
- Attendees start seriously planning their countdown experience
- Early bird ticket buyers are looking to lock in premium events
- You can get ahead of the avalanche of last-minute listings
Publishing early also gives you space to experiment with pricing tiers, collaborate with partners, and fine-tune your theme or experience based on audience response.
Pro tip: See the events trending in your city on Eventbrite. Just update that URL to reflect your city and state, and you can explore what’s buzzing with consumers locally, with the option to filter daily, weekly, monthly or annually.
More seasonal event ideas to tap into:
- 14 fall party ideas
- 17 Halloween party ideas
- 13 chill winter party ideas
- 40 Christmas event ideas
- 31 New Year’s Eve party ideas
- 22 New Year’s Eve marketing ideas
Unlock your Eventbrite seasonal toolkit
- Tips and tools for listing and marketing your event: Get proven best practices for optimizing your event listing and promotion strategy.
- Streamline your onsite operations with Eventbrite’s tools: Deliver a smooth, professional experience for your attendees and staff on the big day.
- Seasonal webinars: Register for our free webinars featuring Eventbrite experts showing you in real-time how to optimize your event listings, along with seasonal marketing strategies designed to help you sell more tickets.
