Halloween has quietly grown into a full-blown shopping season in Colombia, and this year the online buzz was dominated by a radio station, an ice cream brand and a candy giant. Social media analyst Buzzmonitor tracked mentions of "Halloween," "noche de brujas" and "dulce o truco" tied to Colombia and found LOS40 Colombia leading with 14.1% of brand mentions, followed by Crem Helado's Paleta Dracula at 12.1% and candy maker Colombina at 11.1%. Worth noting: the ranking measures online chatter, not actual sales.

LOS40 got ahead by starting early — costume ideas from September plus its own party, "La mejor fiesta de Halloween," on October 29. Paleta Dracula leaned into collectibles, video games and livestreams with streamer Westcol. Further down the list, the party scene made its presence felt: Awooween, tied to singer Ryan Castro, took 8.1% of mentions, while Jaloguin at Bogotá's famous restaurant Andres Carne de Res and rum brand Ron Viejo de Caldas each hit 7.1%. By category, sweets and snacks led with 24.4% of the conversation, then shops and malls at 22.2% and events and parks at 21.1%. When it came to actual reactions, LOS40 scooped 50.8% of all interactions, with supermarket chain Éxito second at 22.8% after offering 20% off costumes via its Crediexito card.

The spending data is the interesting part for anyone visiting around October 31. Fenalco, the national merchants' association, found that roughly 75% of Bogotá residents join the festivities, with 45% budgeting between 100,000 and 200,000 pesos for costumes, accessories and makeup — a share that has climbed steadily since 2024. A night out runs between US$47 and US$111 per person once you count costumes, tickets, drinks and transport, while a stay-home spread of sweets, chocolate and decorations costs about US$15 to US$31. In Antioquia, 77% plan to participate, and sweets dominate 61.4% of purchase intentions. Online orders containing Halloween products on the Tiendanube platform averaged about US$42 between October 6 and 20, with Bogotá driving half of them.

A couple of quirks stand out: one in four pets in Bogotá will wear a costume, and 57% of shoppers buying decorations and food head to discount stores.

Why should a traveller care? If you're in Colombia in late October, Halloween is a genuinely local experience — family-friendly treat runs by day, and huge themed parties by night at venues like Andres Carne de Res or the radio station's event. Expect shops and malls decked out, supermarkets pushing costume deals, and crowds willing to spend real money on the night. It's a fun window into how a borrowed holiday has taken on Colombian flavour, from streamer collaborations to pet costumes.