If you only looked at post counts, October 2026 on Bluesky was about the midterms. If you looked at the Explore tab on any given afternoon, it was about Halloween. Creative communities turned the whole month into an event, and three Halloween topics made Bluesky's Trending list:
- Spooky-month stream schedules / Halloween live streams – trending from September 24 through the end of October, with more than 39,400 posts
- Halloween trick-or-treating traditions – nearly 8,800 posts in the last week of the month
- Halloween costume plans – trending in mid-October
That makes spooky-month streaming the second-largest trend of October on Bluesky, behind only the midterms (see our full October 2026 trends recap). Here is why, and how to find these communities – whether you want to catch the tail end now or be ready for next October.
Why Halloween Is So Big on Bluesky
Bluesky has become an artists' platform
Illustrators, comic artists and animators were among the earliest large groups to move to Bluesky, largely because of its stance on AI training and its chronological feeds, which don't bury art posts. October is the busiest month of the year for drawing challenges, so the art community's presence shows up in the trends more in October than at any other time.
Streamers and VTubers built a home here
The "spooky month" streaming trend is the clearest sign yet that the streaming community – Twitch streamers, VTubers and their audiences – is active on Bluesky. A schedule post ("here's my spooky-month lineup") is a natural fit for a platform with clean link previews and live badges that show when someone is streaming.
Prompt posts do well
Bluesky's trend list loves prompts – "post your favorite X", "share your costume". Halloween is full of natural prompts, so it produces trends that run for days rather than hours.
October Drawing Challenges on Bluesky
The classic month-long ink challenge has spawned a large family of themed alternatives, and Bluesky is where many of them are now organized. In 2026 these included themed prompt lists like #InkOctoberElves and Spacetoberg alongside the long-running general challenges. Organizers usually publish a 31-day prompt list in late September, and participants post one piece per day with the challenge hashtag.
How to find drawing challenges
- Search the hashtag, sorted by Latest. Most challenge posts use a consistent tag. Search it in Bluesky and switch to the Latest tab to see new entries in order.
- Pin the hashtag. Bluesky has no follow button for hashtags, but you can pin the tag or a search for it so entries are one tap away every day.
- Look for the prompt-list post. Organizers pin their prompt list. Find it and you've found the challenge's hub, plus the artists who share it.
- Use art custom feeds. Bluesky has many community-run art feeds that collect posts by tag. See our custom feeds guide to find and pin them.
Tips if you're participating
- Use the challenge tag and the day's prompt. Many feeds and searches key off both.
- Add alt text. Bluesky users notice, and it makes your art accessible to blind and low-vision followers.
- Thread your month. Replying to your own Day 1 post with each new day makes a browsable gallery at the end of the month.
- Check the posting limits for images and video before you start: see Bluesky character, image and video limits.
How to Find Streamers on Bluesky
- Watch for live badges. Bluesky shows a live indicator on avatars when a linked stream is active. Our live badges guide explains how they work and how to turn yours on.
- Use streamer starter packs. Many streaming communities maintain starter packs by game or genre. Follow one, then keep the people you actually watch. See how starter packs work.
- Build a "live now" list. Put your favorite streamers in a Bluesky list and pin it. Their go-live posts then appear in a clean chronological feed instead of getting lost in your timeline.
- Set alerts for your favorites. A Keyword Alert on a streamer's name or event tag tells you when they're scheduled.
Getting Ready for Next October
Seasonal communities come back on schedule. If you want a better spooky month next year:
- Save the accounts now. Put this year's favorite artists and streamers in a list while you remember who they are.
- Watch for prompt lists in mid-to-late September. That's when most challenges publish them.
- Check the trends early. This year's streaming trend started on September 24 – a week before October. Our trending hashtags tool will show the tags as they appear.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Halloween topics trended on Bluesky in 2026?
Spooky-month stream schedules (over 39,000 posts), Halloween trick-or-treating traditions (about 8,800 posts) and Halloween costume plans all made Bluesky's Trending Topics list in October 2026.
Is Inktober on Bluesky?
Yes. October ink and drawing challenges, including themed alternatives with their own prompt lists, are widely posted on Bluesky. Search the challenge hashtag and sort by Latest, or pin the hashtag so it is always one tap away.
How do I find artists on Bluesky?
Search art hashtags, follow art custom feeds, and use artist starter packs. Then add the artists you like to a list so their posts don't get lost.
Can I see when someone is streaming on Bluesky?
Yes. Bluesky shows live badges on the avatars of users who have linked an active stream.
Find Your Communities with Skyscraper
- Skyscraper for iOS – pin hashtags, lists and feeds, five languages
- Trending Hashtags – spot challenges as they take off
- Keyword Alerts – know when your favorite artists or streamers post