Macnas is a performing arts group that has been organizing Halloween parades in Dublin since 2013. The covid pandemic stopped these parades until last year, but the group had not scheduled one in 2024.

Initial crowds numbered in the hundreds and seemed to swell into the thousands.

“This appears to be an online scam. It’s really sad to see people getting scammed. Everyone is trying to have a fun and safe Halloween. Having a parade to attend seemed really good. I know a lot of people came “It’s really a shame that there are people trying to scam people”, Sinn Féin said Councilor Janice Boylan.

The thousands who showed up waited about an hour before realizing there would be no parade.

They gathered on O’Connell Street, off Parnell Street, in Dublin city centre. The hoax claimed the parade would start there and end at Christchurch Cathedral.

As they began clearing the streets, Irish police known as the Gardai issued a statement saying: “Please note that contrary to information circulating online, no Halloween parade is expected to take place in Dublin city center this evening or this evening.”

The Diwali festival was taking place in Dublin as the fake parade crowd showed up.

The website that touted the fake parade appeared to have removed the listing Friday morning.