The Glasgow Botanic Gardens has spent the last few days in its Halloween alter ego, and it is not going anywhere just yet. GlasGLOW, Scotland's biggest Halloween event, is back in the West End for 2026, running from 16 October to 1 November, and this year it has gone full creature-feature. The theme is 'Zombie Zoo', billed as the world's first state-of-the-art zombie containment and conservation facility, and it turns the gardens into a 60-minute outdoor adventure complete with decontamination tunnels, cutting-edge observation labs, live feeding demonstrations and a cast of 'dead-friendly' zombies. It is the same immersive light trail that has been taking over the park since it launched in 2018, organised by itison Events.
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If you are planning a visit, the ticket options are worth a look before you book, because they have changed a bit this year. There is a new Twilight ticket, which lets you in while it is still light so you can watch the gardens transform as the sun goes down, and it is priced the same as Off-Peak. Off-Peak slots are the flexible ones, with adults from £26, children from £14 and families from £76. Peak tickets cover the weekends and the busiest Halloween dates, with adults from £28, children from £19 and families from £94. A family ticket covers two adults and two children, and under-3s go free. There is also a new Mallow Pass you can add on for £9 for adults and £8 for children, which gives you dedicated entry, a complimentary marshmallow skewer and direct access to Marshmallowland.
Speaking of Marshmallowland, the food side of things is a big part of the evening. It is a gourmet street food village where you can toast marshmallows under the stars, and it brings back stalls from Loop and Scoop, Dirty Bird, Mangiamo and Hector and Harriet, plus a first-ever GlasGLOW Zombie Bar. The Glow bar is there too, so there is plenty to keep you going between the trail and the food.
On timing, the gates open at 5pm every night, with last entry at 8:30pm Monday to Thursday, 9:30pm Friday and Saturday and 9pm on Sundays. If you are taking someone who would find the main event a bit much, there are ASN relaxed sessions on Friday 16 and Saturday 17 October at 5:30pm, with lower capacity, a calmer atmosphere and changing place toilets by Pamiloo, plus GLOW passes, a sensory guide and a quiet space. Late sessions run on selected dates as well.
It is worth noting that early bird tickets went on sale back in August, and there is a small service fee of 70p on orders, so factor that into the cost. If you have questions before you go, you can reach the team on 0141 673 4580 or at glasglow@itison.com, with the office open 9am to 5:30pm Monday to Thursday and 9am to 4:30pm on Fridays. The Glasgow Times called it a 'spooktacular spectacle', The Herald described it as 'one of the most magical and unique events Scotland has to offer' and the Daily Record listed it as 'one of the most iconic events in the Scottish calendar', so it is hard to argue with the track record.
Published Date
20 October 2026
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