October 31 starts just like any other regular school day. We all know, however, that this Friday is anything but regular. It’s a time for celebration and creative self-expression. It is Halloween at the British School of Sofia.

If we have to pinpoint one day during the year that everyone awaits eagerly, Halloween would be it. 

Traditionally, BSS has been known to organise a series of festive events that result in one of the most spectacularly colourful school days of the year.

The morning starts with classes. Once you enter the BSS premises, however, you notice the scary pumpkin carvings. Terrifying “creatures” lurk in the corners while the entire dining room is decked with balloons and glossy Halloween banners.

We kicked off the festivities with the first houses competition of the year. Primary school students tested their skills, knowledge, and dexterity to make sure their house emerged victorious.

Houses competitions are deeply rooted in the BSS community-building philosophy. They are also a part of an established tradition in British schools, encouraging healthy competition, and providing students with opportunities to collaborate.

Once they become a part of the BSS community, students are assigned to one of our four houses – Centaur, Dragon, Kraken, and Phoenix. Each house features students from every grade, providing children of various ages with opportunities to work together and outperform the competition. 

On Halloween, primary students competed in several disciplines. These included art, music, sports, and poetry.

A traditional bake sale was also a part of the first BSS houses competition of the year. The scary treats contributed to the Halloween spirit, while the proceeds generated through the sale are to be used for various initiatives and causes. The house that sold the most as part of this initiative won the first annual competition.

Following the enjoyment of all decadent chocolate treats, we all started getting ready for the biggest Halloween event of their own – the traditional BSS parade.

The Halloween parade gives everyone a chance to shine bright and surprise the BSS community with creativity and original thought.

Each grade gets their opportunity to parade and shine while everyone cheers and pinpoints their favourites. A panel of student judges is responsible for the selection of the finest, most spectacular costumes. The best carved pumpkins also result in special recognition for their authors.

The artistry this year was outstanding. Elaborate costuming and even a number of DIY ensembles graced the yard, getting everyone in the mood for a celebration.

We saw superheroes, super villains. A number of fantastic creatures, terrifying monsters, witches, wizards, book, and movie protagonists joined us for the most diverse and colourful parade. 

We laughed, we cheered, and we were amazed. We sang, we danced, and we created those fond memories to cherish a lifetime.

Words can hardly sum up everything that happened on Halloween. To give you the full picture, we’ve created this colourful gallery to capture the best moments and allow us to relive the special day time and time again.