Halloween events Yorkshire – the summer holidays are behind us, Christmas is still a little way off, so what’s the next big family event on the horizon? Halloween of course!
I love Halloween, with its opportunity for the kids to dress up in spooky costumes, collect heaps of sweets and carve pumpkins. (Pumpkins! It was turnips when I was little. I can still recall the burning turnip smell as the candle flame licked the turnip lid!). Talking of pumpkins I also have a post on the best pumpkin patches in Yorkshire.
So the question is, where are the best Halloween events in Yorkshire 2019?
Northwood Fairy Sanctuary
“We’re happy to say that we won’t be offering chainsaw wielding psychos in the woods, but something altogether more gentle and seasonal. The woodland looks beautiful in autumn and lovely evening lantern walks will take place throughout the half term and then every Wednesday until Christmas from 4pm. Lantern making workshops will also be taking place if you’d like to make your own special lantern.”
See our review of the Northwood Fairy Sanctuary.
Stockeld Park
Witches in the Forest
26th October– 2nd November 2019
The witching hour will be upon us before we know it and it will be time for some family-friendly, frightful fun at Halloween! Head into our Enchanted Forest this Halloween and meet the Stockeld Park (real!) Witches! Follow your trail map to find them and help them finish casting their Halloween spells! Not too scary for little ones and perfect for the whole family to enjoy soaking up the Halloween atmosphere! At the light draws in, the forest will turn into a ghoulish wonderland, lit up by our Winter Illuminations!
*Included free with the Forest & Maze ticket.
They have Pumpkin Picking too – see our round up of Pumpkin Patches in Yorkshire.
Burton Agnes Hall Spooky Woodland Trail
26 October 2019 – 3 November 2019
If you’re feeling brave this half term, why not venture over to Burton Agnes Hall and take part in the fantastically spooky woodland trail!
Intrepid visitors are invited on an eerie hunt round the Hall’s atmospheric woodland, where clues are hidden amidst spooky Halloween scenes of witches, spiders and ghostly figures.
Once the entire puzzle has been solved, a treat awaits in the Gift Shop. Try not to let the haunting sounds and mysterious shadows of the historic woodland walk scare you whilst searching!
Admission prices: Adults £7.00, Seniors £6.50, Children (4-15 years) £4.00, Under 4s free
11am-4pm
Castle Howard
Join us at Castle Howard this October half term for a Halloween experience like no other.
Across the dormant water of the Great Lake lies our new adventure playground, Skelf Island and the naughty Skelves who live here are up to no good. Are you brave enough to join Corvus the Crow on his mischievous woodland adventure to find out the seasonal secrets of his hidden world?
Families of all ages can enjoy a day of outdoor trails and adventure play, with a series of ingenious treetop nest structures, connected by rope bridges, slides, nets and climbing equipment. No age restriction just a brave restriction.
See our full review of Skelf Island here.
Lightwater Valley – Frightwater Valley
Lightwater Valley is set to be transformed into ‘Frightwater Valley’ as part of its spooky Halloween celebrations (October 26th-31st). The North Yorkshire theme park will be hosting a series of spooktacular events and activities designed to appeal to visitors of all ages. From family-friendly scares to truly terrifying encounters there’s something for everyone to enjoy. For younger visitors there will be Spooky Character Meet and Greets, Scary Magic Shows and Trick or Treat Doors.
Visitors can also join in the frightful fun as part of the Halloween Fancy Dress Competition which will be taking place on the Lightwater stage between 3pm-3.30pm each day. There is also the chance to enjoy some grown-up thrills and chills inside the Live Scare Maze! The maze is definitely not for the faint-hearted and are not suitable for children under the age of 12 due to the extreme nature of the scares.
The scares culminate with the Frightwater Finale lakeside fireworks spectacular (6pm Saturday, 5.30pm Sunday-Wednesday).
See our review of Frightwater Valley!
Thornton Hall Country Park
HALLOWEEN BY DAY & PUMPKIN PICKING PATCH! 12TH – 31ST OCTOBER
Spooky activities at the farm this Halloween – come along if you dare!
2019 sees the return of the Thornton Hall Pumpkin Picking Patch (*).
- Scary mazes
- Freaky face paiting
- Pumpkin carving (*)
Special guests on selected dates during the school holidays (more information coming soon).
Price:
Normal admission applies – no advance ticket required.
(*) Additional charge for pumpkin picking / carving (£3.50 ea).
Minskip Farm Shop
Pumpkin Carving
Pick your perfect pumpkin and make it gourd-eous in our Activities Barn! We’ll have staff on hand to cut off the top and get rid of the gunk so your magic mushrooms can concentrate on creating their spooky masterpieces to light up at home! We’ll deal with the mess so you can have fun!
Piglets Adventure Park
Taking place from 10am – 5:30pm every weekend in October and every day from 26th October to 3rd November 2019 at Piglets Adventure Farm.
Piglets are running their Pumpkin Festival again this year. Was always a big favourite with my two when they were a little younger. They have all the usual activities such as a bouncy pillow and adventure playground, but also pumpkin carving and spooky storytelling (I love the storytelling). Don’t miss the Creepy Cottage or the corn cannon either! All the children get a free pumpkin.
York Maze – Hallowtween (aimed at 10-15 years)
Too old for witches tales, too young for Hallowscream!? Welcome to HallowTween! The frightful new Halloween event for 10 – 15 year olds and scaredy cat adults! Brought to you by the same team behind the multi-award winning Hallowscream – winner of the Best Scream Park 2018.
Housed under a giant marquee HallowTween is all under cover and takes place on the same site as Halllowscream. Venture into three of Hallowscream’s infamous haunted house attractions but without the shocking scare actors!: Barnageddon 3D, Corney’s Cornevil (New for 2019) and The Singularity (New for 2019). These are still scare attractions and won’t appeal to everyone but without the live actors they offer a milder level of scare (see age advice information below). Plus illusionists performing death-defying acts on stage, music, side-shows, Halloween characters, hot food and more.
Opening Times
Open 2.00pm – 5.00pm (last admission 3.30pm), every afternoon from Sat 26th to Thurs 31st Oct 2019.
To stagger arrival times, tickets are sold in three Intake Periods: 2.00pm-2.30pm, 2.30pm-3.00pm, 3.00pm-3.30pm. Once on site you can stay as long as you wish. Last entry to HallowTween is at 3.30pm, Haunted Houses close at 5.00pm, site closes at 5.30pm. We recommend that you allow at least one and a half hours for your visit to allow time for queuing and to go through all three haunted houses, get a bite to eat and drink and enjoy the atmosphere of the event!
Ghost Bus Tour of York
Comedy horror tour around York’s seedier past as the conductor shows the sights from a classic 1960s Routemaster bus. The on-board actors and eerily decorated bus will ensure passengers have the spookiest ride in town. A few main sights you will see are Clifford’s Tower, Treasurer House, York Minster and Dick Turpin’s Grave. They depart directly outside of York Station, on Station Road.
York Dungeon
Lots of different dates – see last year’s York Dungeon Halloween post for details!
York Dungeon are organising lots of Halloween events, from Trick or Treat Walking Tours, Ghost Cruise on the Ouse, York Dungeons City Bus Tours and Late night openings at York Dungeon.
Forbidden Corner
Dates to be announced for 2019
The Forbidden Corner, it would make for a great quirky and occasionally spooky day out over half term. It’s the further away in our list, but a fabulous and magical day out.
Flamingo Land
Details yet to be released.
Halloween Half Term Event.
See my review of Flamingo Land at Halloween.
Halloween Events Yorkshire
Mother Shipton’s
26th October 2019 – 3rd November 2019
This Halloween visit England’s Oldest Tourist Attraction for a good old-fashioned scare, suitable for all ages.
Follow the haunted trail through the historic woodland to find monsters, ghosts and skeletons hiding around every corner.
The attraction will be transformed into a ghoulish event for all the family. Saturday 26th October to Sunday 3rd November, 10am to 4.30pm (last admission 3.30pm).
See the Petrifying Well and Mother Shipton’s Cave. The park has scenic picnic areas alongside the popular River Nidd, an adventure playground, gift shop and museum.
Posts beyond this point need updating – I am waiting for more info. I am leaving them here so you can see what happened last year!
Temple Newsam
Tours Galore
Various dates – Make the most of your visit by joining a free tour or by picking up an audio guide for 45 minutes of stories. If you fancy delving a little deeper, the Hidden Temple Newsam Tour on Tuesdays & Saturdays goes beyond the ropes and underground.
Gruesome Newsam
27 October 2018 – 11am
Hear some of the grisly and ghastly stories associated with Temple Newsam including a journey through the creepy derelict cellars. This gruesome tour is suitable for brave guests aged 7+.
Fungus Foray
29 October 2018 – 2 – 5pm
Take a walk through the woods with a local expert on a beginners guide to the natural history and identification of fungi around the Temple Newsam estate. Take the 1.5 mile tour and learn some fascinating facts along the way.
Spooky Spooktacular
31 October 2018 – 5pm – 8pm with last admission at 7.15pm
Scare yourselves silly with a visit to the darkened haunted house and fiendish farm. Take a tour of the house complete with tales of spooky residents who creep through the corridors at night. Try your hand at spooky crafts, collect some terrifying treats along the way and don’t forget to dress up for the occasion, the scarier the better! Limited numbers, booking advisable. £25 family, £10 adult, £5 children.
Have a look at our review of Temple Newsam here.
Yorkshire Tour de Phantome – Halloween Events Yorkshire
The phantasmagorical heritage of the Yorkshire Coast and North York Moors National Park is set to attract even more visitors to the region this autumn with the launch of a new series of paranormal-themed visits and tours – the Tour de Phantome.
Leeds Art Gallery
October half term: Great Artists in Artspace and Art Practice
30 Oct – 4 Nov 2018 11am – 4pm
Come along and make art inspired by the current work on display at Leeds Art Gallery. Don’t forget to bring along any art work from school and reflect on what’s good, interesting and useful about it.
Abbey House Museum
Teen Halloween special FX make up
27 October 2018 2 – 4pm
Come along with your friends and enjoy our event hosted by a professional make-up artist. Learn how to apply gruesome Halloween and special effects makeup. Event for 13+.
Haunted Halloween crafts
30 Oct ober 2018 – 10am-12pm & 2-4pm
Get ready for Halloween with a day of creepy crafts in our spookily decorated Victorian Streets.
Spooky Science
31 October 2018 – 10am-12pm & 2-4pm
A day of spooky science activity with goo and ghosts, frogs and foam. No scientific knowledge necessary only curiosity.
Leeds City Museum
Crafty Creatures
30 Oct – 2 November 2018 10am – 12pm & 1 – 3pm
Be a crafty creature this school holiday with making and constructing activities. Build like a beaver, nest like a bird or construct like a termite. Bring your own animal toys if they want to join in!
Crafty Creatures Day at the Museum
30 October 2019 10am-12pm and 1-3pm
A bumper day for all ages of the family. Flock to the museum where you can build animal dens, nests and lodges. Use recycled, junk materials to create art inspired by nature. There’ll be extra activities for young people aged 11+ too, including mosaic making. This day is sponsored by, and run in partnership with the Grammar School at Leeds.
Leeds Industrial Museum
MelaninFest®
27 October 2018 10am – 4pm
To celebrate Black History Month, MelaninFest is coming to Leeds Industrial Museum for a takeover day. The leading social enterprise is dedicated to exploring cultural identity, Black history and what it means to be a person of colour in Britain today. Expect family crafts, talks, films and more. Join us in exploring a rich and vibrant culture through activities and events suitable for all ages.
Putting the Happy in Halloween
30 Oct – 1 November 2018 12.30 – 3pm
Come and discover the real stories behind Halloween with 21st-century witches from the Leodis Pagan Circle. Family craft sessions will include jack-o’-lantern and willow wand making. There’s also the chance to make your own luxury oat milk bath bombs, using herbs from the autumn harvest.
Mystery Matinees
Every day in school holidays 2pm
Watch a classic film in our atmospheric 1920s cinema! Tucked away inside the museum we have the amazing Palace Picture House, one of the UK’s smallest cinemas, seating up to 24 people. Join us for intimate screenings of family favourites and vintage classics. Film screenings are included in the admission charge and running every single day in school holidays. Where else can a family of five go to the cinema for £9? Contact us to hire the cinema for events or arrange group screenings.
Thwaite Mills Watermill
Orchard Week
From 27 Oct
Join in with some orchard activities to celebrate Apple Day including a treasure hunt and other family friendly fun. Come and get arty with apples (30 Oct, 1pm–3pm), make erupting apple-cano’s (1 Nov, 1pm-3pm) and get creepy with Halloween crafts in the orchard on All Hallows Eve (31 Oct, 11am–3pm).
Lotherton
Spooky Scarecrow Trail
27 Oct – 4 Nov – 10am – 8pm
It’s back and due to popular demand even bigger this year! As well as our ever popular Spooky Scarecrow Trail, this year we have extended our opening times into the evening to make it even spookier with a scary walk through the haunted woods. Why not visit the new Skeletown, where you can see the scary side of the Wild West, but only if you dare! With creepy craft activities every day, there will be plenty to entertain your little terrors with this Halloween!
Halloween Fun Day
31 October 2018
Spooky crafts and activities for all the family to get involved in.
Kirkstall Abbey
Deli Markets
27 & 28 October 2018 – 12-3pm
Enjoy food from around the world at Yorkshire’s most scenic deli markets! On the last weekend of every month (plus bank holiday Mondays), between March and November, over 40 stalls pop up in the cloisters of Kirkstall Abbey. Our popular markets are the perfect place to find high quality local produce, handmade crafts and collectables and freshly cooked treats for a tasty lunch. Enjoy street food feasts, from Yorkshire pudding wraps to pizza, Polish sausage to tasty Jamaican curry!
Mini Owls
30 October 2018 – 10-11am
A friendly free session for under 5’s and their carers. Each week we have a range of crafts, toys, books and instruments and if the weather is nice we like to put games outside too.
Not so scary scarecrow trail
30 Oct – 4 Nov
Boo! A hunt around the abbey for our not so scary Halloween scarecrows. Suitable for all ages.
Leeds Discovery Centre
Beastly Beasts and Spooky Tours
31 October 2018 – 10am – 12pm
Bring your battery powered candles for our Halloween spook-fest. Discover the weird world of museum monsters in our spine-chilling museum store!
Also look at my other round ups for different times of the year, Things to do in Yorkshire with the kids at February half term, Easter, May half term, Summer Holidays, October half term and at Christmas.
If you are looking for Halloween events further afield in Lincolnshire, try this roundup by The Mini Malpi.
