This content originally appeared in the 2024 spring issue of Spooky Little Halloween—The Magazine.
What do we mean when we say we’re looking for a Halloween podcast? Scares? History? Tips and tricks for celebrating?
After years of being asked for Halloween podcast recommendations — and even starting a spooky podcast myself in 2023 — I think we’ve been asking the wrong question...
Instead of asking for a Halloween podcast, I think we should be asking for podcasts that capture the feeling that October 31st conjures up for us.
Jump on Google, and every major publication out there has put together a listicle over the years of “Halloween” podcasts — which usually amounts to the same 4-5 big name, horror-centric shows.
So with this list, let’s dig a little deeper and find podcasts that invoke those Halloween feels.
Podcasts for Halloween Lovers
FOR THE SPOOKY SKEPTICS: Ain’t It Scary with Sean & Carrie
If you love a good mystery, you’ll love “Ain’t It Scary”. Sean’s a skeptic. Carrie’s spooky. And together, they dive into stories about the unknown, unsolved, unbelievable, or just plain weird in every episode.
FOR THE COZY GHOULS: Ghouls Night In
A chat show with your best ghoulfriends! Each week Penny Snark and Midge Munster sit down to share fun facts about a topic of their choosing…and it is always a spooky blast to listen to. This is perfect if you want to learn something new and laugh a TON.
FOR THE HORROR LOVERS: Girl That’s Scary
A horror podcast that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Kat and Jazz are your friendly neighborhood homegirls discussing everything horror and sci-fi. Their episodes aim to review horror movies with humor, honesty, and a lot of laughs.
FOR THE HAUNT LOVERS: Haunted Attraction Network
Obsessed with haunts? Can’t wait for them to open their doors every year? Looking for more Halloween and horror events to attend? Philip Hernandez is your guy! From news roundups and coverage of the biggest haunt events to best practices for running a haunt, Haunted Attraction Network has a bit of everything.
FOR THE ART COLLECTOR: Halloween Art and Travel
If you’re bored with Code Oranges or have the spooky travel bug, do I have the podcast for you! Kristen Stafford is a collector of Halloween folk art and avid traveler. In this seasonal podcast, she interviews Halloween folk artists and talks about bucket-list spooky locales.
FOR THE Spooky SOULS:
It’s Always Halloween Podcast
It’s Always Halloween isn’t just a podcast—it’s truly a community. Host Lucé Tomlin-Brenner has done a tremendous job of building her ghoul gang who are part of her episodes. Many feature feedback from listeners—or Lanterns, as she dubs them—and episode topics range from the historical to the personal.
FOR THE SPIRIT HUNTERS: Sips & Spirits
Love spirits of the spectral AND alcoholic varieties? Then you’ll want to join Chelsea and Erick as they sip original cocktails (recipes provided!) made from spooky-named spirits of the alcoholic variety and tell you the story behind the spectral. Their cryptic series of episodes is a blast as well!
For the Community:
We Bleed Orange & Black
Love meeting people in the Halloween community? Co-hosts Jeff C. Carter and Ryan Gerossie sit down weekly with creatives across the Halloween community to showcase their talents, talk about horror, and share scary stories.
FOR Season ENTHUSIASTS:
The Halloween Haunt
Admittedly, this particular podcast hasn’t been updated since 2018, but it is a personal favorite AND it has plenty of evergreen content you can enjoy anytime. Topics range from fun facts about candy and top costumes to Halloween history and even recitations of short stories and poems. Each episode is around 10 minutes, making it the perfect dose of October 31st.
For the Storytellers:
The October Children
Airing only in the fall, this podcast, created by writer Patrick Tumblety, is a series of bite-size episodes to fuel your love of the season. Each one is a fictional story told through a collection of highly curated flash fiction.
FOR THE 24/7/365 Fans:
The Happy Halloween Podcast
This podcast recently announced it would not be continuing with new episodes, but in the archives, you’ll find Tony Dixon chatting about his favorite Halloween things: the history of hayride and pumpkin patches, love for the Monster Cereals, and even occasional interviews with creators. This pod has a bit of everything to keep the Halloween feels going all year long.
FOR THE CURIOUS CREEPS:
By Pumpkin’s Light
Ever wanted to know the story behind your favorite content creator or small business owner? Co-hosts Mike and Miranda (yeah, me) deliver that to you every other week with our new podcast, By Pumpkin’s Light. We ask them questions to learn about why they fell in love with October 31st and how it led to the Halloween magic they create now.
What is your favorite Halloween podcast?
If your pick didn’t make the list, share it in the comments!
