The South East Region
Attractions and venues across the south east region are celebrating Halloween with activities for all the family to enjoy. Families can take a ride on the Wizard Express, gather round for some scary storytelling, take a guided Halloween walk, join a Spooktacular family fun run, make a magical wand or carve a pumpkin, at different venues across the region.
There is plenty of scary fun for the grown-ups too including; Kent-aminated, a simulated ‘Zombie Apocalypse’ experience; a ‘night at the museum’ with a tour of the old Police cells, now home to Petersfield Museum, followed by a screening of the horror film The Woman in Black; and Chiller at Maidstone Museum where the evening starts with a ‘ShockTail’ to view some of the gruesome collections with the curators.
Family Fun
Halloween Spooktacular, Kent Life (21 – 31 October) offers a spooky week of pumpkin carving, trick or treating, creepy critters and fancy dress competitions. www.visitmaidstone.com/whats-on/halloween-spooktacular-p236601
Head to Ham House and Garden, London, reputed to be one of London’s most haunted properties, for some Hallowe’en half term fun (21 to 29 October, 10am – 5pm). Visitors can discover how superstitions and folklore impacted the lives of the house’s inhabitants in the seventeenth century. Follow the family trail around the gardens, explore the house in the dark, or hear spooky stories in the Back Parlour. Normal admission prices applies. Activities vary by day. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ham-house-and-garden
At Boo at the zoo Marwell Zoo (21 – 29 October) everyone is invited to dress up in their best Halloween fancy dress costume and take part in some spooky activities including some creepy storytelling in the Haunted Hall, making your own magical wand and stopping by the Pumpkin Patch to carve a scary pumpkin to take home. Marwell’s resident wizard will invited family revellers to take part in his popular broomstick flying sessions to earn a Level 2 licence. www.visitwinchester.co.uk/boo-zoo
Spooky Castle at Carisbrooke (21 to 29 October) is for those feeling brave enough to take on the island’s haunted castle. Visitors will be able to create their own terrifying Halloween crafts, wander the grounds with the Victorian ghost hunters and listen to macabre tales of times gone by. Pass by the graveyard and discover how its occupants met a gruesome demise. A prize in the Halloween costume competition will be bestowed for the most spine-tingling attire each day. Adult £9.40, child (5-15 years) £5.60. www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/whats-on/spooky-castle-carisbrooke
Wizard Week at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway (23 to 27 October) includes displays by owls and birds of prey, magic shows, relaxing steam train rides, and the chance to tread cautiously through the enchanting Woodland Walk. Meet the friendly witches of Havenstreet and help them with their magic spells and potions. Dress-up as wizards, witches and other spooky characters with the chance to win prizes each day for the best costumes, and enter the Halloween Treasure Hunt. Early Bird online prices adult £11.50, child £6, infant FREE, family £29. Haven Falconry Bird of Prey Centre a small donation is invited of £1. www.iwsteamrailway.co.uk/events/wizard-week.aspx
Halloween at Leeds Castle (23 – 29 October) offers family fun during the October Half Term with daily fancy dress competitions and a spooky trail. www.visitmaidstone.com/whats-on/halloween-at-leeds-castle-p251881
Museums at Night at Petersfield Museum will have a Harry Potter-themed event for children to commemorate 20 years since the first book was published (27 October). www.petersfieldmuseum.co.uk
Take a guided tour around Winchester and hear tales of ghosts, murders and the supernatural. Halloween walk (28 and 31 October) offers a feast of ghosts and ghastly goings-on for Halloween. Come dressed for the part if you like. www.visitwinchester.co.uk/walk-halloween
The Watercress Line at Alresford in Hampshire will be transformed into a place of magic and mischief on Halloween (28 and 29 October). Take unlimited rides on the Wizard Express steam train and walk in Harry Potter’s footsteps over the famous railway footbridge where he received his Hogwarts Express ticket in the film and take a selfie. Come dressed as a witch, wizard or Halloween spook and find out about all things magical! Visitors will be able to hold an owl or falcon on their arm, be brave and touch some hairy, scary, creepy crawlies, marvel at a haunting magic show, make and fly on a witch’s broomstick and have their face painted into something scary. www.visitwinchester.co.uk/wizard-weekend
Screamland in Kent meets the all-new park for the first time. Ever popular, this fear fest sees the fairground become the scareground and will feature exhilarating mazes.There will be live music, fancy dress competitions and Get Spooked will be back for plenty of family fun for the little ones. Dreamland will also be open once again throughout the October Half Term. Early Bird Pre-Sale Tickets from Standard £15. www.dreamland.co.uk
As darkness falls, test your fitness and your fears in a night time Spooktacular family 2k fun run around the haunted Wharf and island at Guildford (28 October, 6pm). Look out for a string of spooky surprises on the way. Jacket potatoes will be available from 4.30pm and warm up is from 5.30pm. Dressing up is encouraged. Normal admission plus £2.50 for a baked potato and fun run. £5 for children’s half term activities and fun run. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/riverwey
