Ten Halloween events for families

Scare the kids senseless this half term with a whole host of frightfully fun Halloween events popping up in ancient caves, stately homes and even on a steam boat. It’s enough to scare the whole family silly.

Wookey Hole, Somerset (22-30 October)

Kids’ imaginations will run wild when stepping inside this fantastical collection of the 50,000 year old caves once home to Ice Age beasts. Creep around the witch’s parlour, the witch’s kitchen and the great hall, all drenched in neon colour and echoing with cackles and the dreary drips of the mysterious river. The Witch of Wookey Hole will be lurking about and will be happy to take you on a tour of her ancient lair, if you’re brave enough that is.

Scarewood Forest, Liverpool (27-28 and 31 October)

Take your little monsters along to Scarewood Forest for a day of fairy tales and treasure hunts. Set in the idyllic Formby Pinewoods, picnicking teddy bears will be ushered aside to make space for more eerie characters from fairy tales and nursery rhymes for children to play with, including mischievous fairies. There’ll also be traditional Halloween games to get stuck into, special effects make-up, ‘acro-bats’ and pumpkin carving.

Halloween at Holkham Hall, Norfolk (27-31 October)

Get ready for bewitching stories and scary adventures in Norfolk this October as Holkham Hall is transformed into a haunted wonderland. Bring out your inner Harry or Hermione by creating spells and mixing potions with Holkham’s very own wizard, make weird and wonderful crafts, scary yourself silly with ghoulish story stories and hunt for ghosts with a tour of the labyrinth of creepy cellars below.

Spooky Science Week, NewcastleGateshead (27 October – 4 November)

Discover the strange side of science at the Life Centre with Spooky Science Week. The little ones can get stuck into plenty of spine-tingling activities, such as icky slime workshops, jump on the 4D Motion Dracula for a hair-raising ride and learn weird and magical facts about the moon in the new planetarium show, Moonstruck. Howling is only permitted once the show has finished. 

Exbury Ghost Train, Hampshire (27 October – 4 November)

All aboard for a Phantom-mime! Take the Exbury Ghost Train through pitch-black tunnels and be spooked senseless by skeletons, scarecrows and other ghastly ghouls on route. Wacky hosts Napoleon Bone-aparte and his sidekick Batty the Vampire will be on board to thrill the whole family with strange stories and terrible jokes. Calm your nerves afterwards by taking a peek at some of Exbury’s most mysterious trees such as the Chinese Coffin Tree, The Devil’s Walking Stick and Ghost Tree.

Halloween Festival, Stratford-upon-Avon (1-31 October)

Scare yourself stupid with 31 days of non-stop nail-bating, spine-tingling festivities at Stratford’s annual Halloween Festival, now in its seventh year. The festival organisers have thought up ways to induce goose bumps in all ages, with plenty of eerie activities for the little ones and the scaredy cats, including a mass zombie walk, magic lessons for budding witches and wizards and ghost stories galore. Be sure to have a butterbeer and slice of cauldron cake too in the Golden Broomstick Tearoom.

Spooky Tours at the Old Wardour Castle, Wiltshire (27-28 October)

Experience things going bump in the night at a haunted 14th-century castle. Travel back to a time where horrid goings-on were a common occurrence and say a meek hello to ghoulish residents who refuse to leave – if you dare! Small children and the faint hearted will be glad to know that less terrifying tours take place during sunlight when the sinister ghouls are snoozing.

Spooky Spectacular at West Midland Safari Park, Worcestershire (20 October – 2 November)

Pull on your scariest costume and explore the spooky side of West Midland Safari Park. Wander cautiously through the bat-infested Twilight Cave, gawp over the weird and wonderful fluorescent creatures that live deep in the ocean and get up close to some of the deadliest snakes and reptiles around. There’s a Halloween-themed Sea Lion Show and late-night rides including Venom and the Black Fly.

Halloween Ghost Ship, Lake District (28 October)

Pull on your scariest fancy dress and hop aboard Windermere’s Halloween Ghost Ship to hear spooky ghost stories from story-telling legend Taffy Thomas MBE. As you float along Windermere on one of the oldest and most iconic steamers in the Lake District, Taffy will reveal dark goings-on in and around the lakes such as the strange tale of the Claife Crier. If the children get a little spooked, there’s plenty of family games and activities including face painting to keep them smiling.

Ghostly Gaslight at Blists Hill Victorian Town, Shropshire (27 October)

Don a cape, bonnet and a splash of fake blood and head for Blists Hill to celebrate Halloween in true morbid Victorian style. As dusk falls, the street lamps will cast strange shadows from every corner of this 19th-century town and ghostly figures will replace the friendly shopkeepers and town people. Be sure to keep a close eye and ear out for things that go bump in the night.