Halloween Medellín 2026: Long Weekend & Moto Rodada Warning

Halloween Medellín 2026 lands on a Saturday, October 31, and runs straight into Monday, November 2, the Todos los Santos public holiday. That makes a three-day weekend, and, going by past years, a heavy one for police and traffic crews.

Are motorcycle rodadas banned in Medellín for Halloween 2026? As of October 24, 2026, we have found no announced Medellín motorcycle ban or official plan. In 2024 the city prohibited rodadas outright; in 2025 it skipped a ban but ran heavy checkpoints. Looking for parties instead? See our Halloween guide to Medellín’s best celebrations (an evergreen guide; check each venue’s 2026 listing) and the haunted houses and costume raves roundup.

What to expect in short: a three-day weekend (October 31 to November 2), likely police checkpoints, and no announced 2026 Medellín motorcycle ban as of October 24, 2026. This piece draws on Alcaldía statements as relayed by Blu Radio, Minuto30, Telemedellín, RCN and El Colombiano, reviewed as of October 24, 2026.

Halloween Medellín 2026: the long weekend

Colombia’s holiday calendar puts Todos los Santos on Monday, November 2, 2026, according to RCN’s list of remaining 2026 holidays. The next one, Independence of Cartagena, follows on Monday, November 16, so November has two Saturday-to-Monday weekends.

Expect fuller roads on the way out of the city on Friday evening and back on Monday. Hotels and short-term rentals in El Poblado and Laureles are likely to be busier than a normal weekend, though we have not found published occupancy figures for this holiday.

The moto “rodada” issue

The thing most likely to affect you is not a party. It is motorcycles.

• Medellín: El Colombiano reports that an invitation is circulating for a costumed motorcycle rodada (group ride) on Saturday, October 24, heading toward San Jerónimo, Sopetrán and Santa Fe de Antioquia. The ride was set for October 24; we have not confirmed whether it went ahead. The organizers propose bringing candy for residents of those towns. The article does not say whether the ride is authorized. We found no confirmed announcement of a rodada on October 31 itself.
• Cartagena: Mayor Dumek Turbay confirmed that a “Rodada del Terror” called for October 31 will not go ahead, as in 2025, per the same El Colombiano report. The city’s Interior Secretariat says the ride is prohibited.
• Bogotá: per the same El Colombiano report, a similar 2025 call (October 25) caused congestion, especially along Carrera 30, and authorities reminded riders that blocking a road or intersection with a vehicle can bring a traffic sanction.

What Medellín did in past years

Treat these as precedent, not a forecast. As of October 24, 2026, we have not found an official Medellín plan for this year’s Halloween.

	2024	2025
Policy	Rodadas prohibited	No Bogotá-style moto ban; preventive approach
Announced deployment	900 police, 400 soldiers, 150 traffic agents, 20 tow trucks, 3 fixed checkpoints	Mobile checkpoints (Manrique, El Poblado, Castilla, Belén, Barrio Antioquia, Autopista)
Early count	1,042 citations, 430 motorcycles impounded	400 citations, 182 motorcycles impounded
Later count	1,000+ citations, 446 vehicles impounded, 5 rodadas blocked	500+ motorcycles, 40 other vehicles, ~800 citations, ~32 arrests, 160+ bladed weapons

2024. The city rejected a viral call for a Halloween motorcade. Mobility Secretary Mateo González said no rodada would be allowed and that “the full weight of the law” would fall on riders wearing disguises, riding without helmets, doing dangerous maneuvers or intimidating others, per Blu Radio. The article lists no specific fine amounts. Enforcement followed: Telemedellín reported five rodadas blocked, more than 1,000 traffic citations and 446 vehicles impounded, while Blu Radio’s first tally put the night at 1,042 citations and 430 motorcycles impounded.

2025. Medellín chose not to impose Bogotá-style motorcycle bans, with Security Secretary Manuel Villa describing a preventive, educational approach. Enforcement was still heavy.

An early count from Minuto30 listed 400 citations and 182 motorcycles impounded.

Later, Blu Radio quoted Villa at more than 500 motorcycles and 40 other vehicles immobilized, about 800 traffic citations, roughly 32 arrests and more than 160 bladed weapons seized. Figures differ by cut-off time, so use the later numbers as the better guide.

Practical tips for visitors

• Don’t ride in a costume group. If you rent a motorcycle or scooter, a Halloween rodada is the quickest route to a citation and an impounded bike.
• Carry your documents. Checkpoints are likely on main corridors; keep your license, the bike’s papers and mandatory insurance (SOAT) with you. This is general advice, not drawn from a 2026 announcement.
• Plan rides home early. Expect taxi and ride-hailing demand to be high late on Saturday and Monday’s return traffic to be heavy (general guidance, not from an official source).
• Keep your guard up at night. Our recent coverage of Parque Lleras’s decline and rising scopolamine robberies is worth reading before a night out, since both cover the nightlife areas where Halloween crowds usually gather.
• Check the day before. Mobility and security announcements usually come in the final days. Follow the Alcaldía de Medellín and local outlets for this year’s plan.

Bottom line

A Saturday Halloween plus a Monday holiday means a busy, crowded weekend with visible policing. If you are in a car or on a bike, expect checkpoints; if you are on foot, expect costumes and crowds. If you are here for the parties, start with our Halloween guide. We will update this piece if the city announces its 2026 measures.

FAQ

Is November 2, 2026 a holiday in Colombia? Yes. Todos los Santos moves to Monday, November 2, 2026, per the RCN holiday list.

Are motorcycle rodadas allowed in Medellín on Halloween? As of October 24, 2026, there is no 2026 ruling yet. The city banned them in 2024 and chose checkpoints in 2025.

What happened in Medellín on Halloween 2025? About 800 traffic citations and 500+ motorcycles immobilized, per the later Blu Radio count above.

Is the Halloween rodada in Cartagena allowed? No. Mayor Dumek Turbay confirmed the October 31 “Rodada del Terror” will not go ahead.