In Events, film, theatre, halloween, seasonal, pumpkin, farms

Well it looks like the summer is done and autumn is fully on its way. And that means it’s time for spooky season. Now, there’s loads happening around Leicestershire this year from family friendly Halloween parties, to pumpkin picking and scary films, so have a look through our run down and find out the best way to spend Samhain, have a horrific Halloween and trick and treat till you drop!

Haunted history and exploration

Explore the region’s ghostly history with the Haunted Heritage Ghost Walks. These run through the year but there are lots in the run up to Halloween. Starting with a paranormal investigation session at Belgrave Hall on 15 October, there’s a ghost walk round historic Ashby de la Zouch on 17 October, a chance to investigate the Guildhall on the 22 October, and a ghost walk round Bosworth Battlefield on 26 October.

On the 27 October discover the spooky goings on at Donington le Heath Manor House 27 October, and Belgrave Hall has a Halloween weekend special on 28 October. Then finally, on Halloween itself, there’s a special Ghost Walk around Bradgate Park.

Join a Candlelit Witch Mark Tour at the 1620s House on Halloween! The 17th Century was a very superstitious time and the 1620s house is full of protective marks to ward away evil. You can book your place here.

Join the Belvoir Castle Witch Hunt on the 27, 28 and 31 October. Strictly for adults, venture into the woods at night and face your darkest fears. The Witches of Belvoir were a family of women who used witchcraft to murder the young heirs to Belvoir Castle and curse the Duke’s bloodline. They were caught and sentenced to hang, but escaped and have been in hiding ever since. Book here if you're brave enough!

Are you ready for an eXtreme Scream? As Twinlakes Park transforms itself into a Haunted horror show, with escape mazes, live actors and epic scares all round. Definitely not one for the kids, this will be a hair-raising, laughter filled event! Running through to Halloween.

Get your pumpkin and have fun on the farm

Cattows Farm promises one of the biggest ‘Pumpkin Farm’ experiences in Leicestershire, and Halloween at the Farm will be running until 3 November! With a staggering 1 million pumpkins of various shapes, sizes, and colours to choose from, this is your chance to find the perfect pumpkin to light up your Halloween. There are also loads of exciting activities to go alongside, with a fun fair, circus, spooky cinema and much more!

Stoughton Grange has gain a reputation for fantastic kid-friendly events and they’re going all out for Halloween. Take a stroll through the Halloween trail and explore the spooky woods filled with surprises. Get lost in the spider web maze and pick a pumpkin to take home. Kids can also make a broomstick, or check out the scarecrow festival. It’s running until 31 October.

The Halloween Spooktacular at Windmill Farm Park is back and better than ever, with a new cobweb maze, and double the size of Pumpkin Patch! But that's not all - there's also the Fall Festival, where you can enjoy barrel rolling, sack racing and more! The Wicked Woods have a treat waiting for anyone who makes it through, and there will be scarecrow building and spooky crafts indoors. Running through to 31 October.

From 21-31 October there’s Halloween Fun at Manor Farm Park. Explore the spooky maize maze experience Ghoul School in the woodlands. There are falconry displays and owl holding, plus indoor and outdoor play areas. There's also a free pumpkin for every child to carve and take home!

Fearful fun for all the family

Get ready for a monstrously good time this October with loads of amazing family activities. An unforgettable trail of giant, glowing monsters will be playfully peeking over buildings across Leicester city centre from 16-31 October. Find out more about the Monster Trail here.

All October, Twinlakes is transforming into a Family Scream Park. There’s no need to be afraid because there's nothing scary - it's all about having fun and enjoying the spooky season with the whole family! Step inside Farmer Phil's pumpkin display and choose your own FREE pumpkin to decorate or carve.

This half term and Halloween, Twycross Zoo are hosting a 'dios de la muerte' like no other with their October Fiesta! Enjoy the infectious rhythms of Mariachi Loco, awe-inspiring stilt performers, mask making, plus their BRAND NEW magic of animals trail. And if you visit, then your ticket will be valid for FREE return visits for 12 months! Book now!

It’s Hubble Bubble Bosworth Trouble from the 14 October – 5 November. Explore Bosworth Battlefield and find all the hidden ingredients you need needed to make a potent potion. Find out more here. Join the Cats and Bats Family Fun Day at Belgrave Hall on the 18 October. With children's crafts, trails and much more. Come dressed in your Halloween outfit and join the fun.

Get ready for a Halloween Family Party Night at Conkers on Saturday 28 October. It’ll be a spooktacular evening with a Family Disco in Discovery Hall, a thrilling ghost train ride to and from Dippy’s amphitheatre show plus a ghost walk and Vertigo Adventures. Dress up as your favourite ghoul or ghost for a night of fang-tastic fun with prizes for best dressed!

At the 1620s House come down to the ancient barn for a rave from the grave! Disco, party games, fancy dress competition food and Halloween crafts. Join the Monsters Mash for 7-12 year olds on 28 October and the Little Horrors Mash, for 3-6 year olds on the 29th.

There’s a Spooktacular Saturday in Hinckley on the 28 October. Enjoy free activities including pumpkin bowling, creepy crafts, spooky stone painting, face painting stencils and a themed stilt-walker.

And Halloween comes to Belvoir Castle from the 16– 31 October. It’s a family-friendly activity trail that’s certainly more of a treat than a trick! Dress up in your best costume and get into the spirit of the spooky season with fun mysteries to solve and prizes to win along the way.

Terror on stage

What’s better than a spooky story at Halloween? There’s loads happening on stage this October. Classic ghost story The Innocents is being performed at Leicester Guildhall from 23-28 October, as a Governess arrives to look after an orphaned Brother and Sister.

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is on at the International Arts Centre from the 26-28 October. The RATAE Cooperative Players presenting a retelling of the classic thriller which explores the darker side of human nature in Victorian London.

On 26 October at Loughborough Town Hall, experience Night Terrors An Evening Of Selected Ghost Stories. This spine-tingling evening includes three tales of the supernatural from EF Benson’s brilliant collection of ghost stories told by award-winning actor Gerard Logan.

The Guildhall celebrates Spooky Season

The Guildhall has lots more happening for Halloween, as befits Leicester’s most haunted building.

Something for the kids on the 19 October, with Witches and Wizards Day. Make a witch's cat hat, a flying wizard and your own book of spells! Come dressed for Halloween and join the magical trail around the museum.

MR James wrote some of the best tales of terror to read aloud by candlelight. Robert Lloyd Parry of Nunkie Theatre Company has been keeping this flame lit and brings Gravest Fears, with two tales The Stalls of Barchester Cathedral and An Episode of Cathedral History to life on 30 October.

What’s better than some scary movies at Halloween. And the Guildhall is the perfect historic place to experience. Throughout spooky season you can see the early classic The Cabinet of Dr Caligari, the chilling 90s adaptation of Roald Dahl’s The Witches, the ultimate haunted house movie Poltergeist, and Mark Kermode’s favourite and one of the most chilling films of all time, The Exorcist.

Monstrous movie screenings

Let’s keep going with those movie screenings as they come thick and fast throughout October, with loads of local cinemas and theatres showing some of the classic horror films. The Exorcist is on at Market Harborough Theatre on 29 October. At the Little Theatre on 30 October you can see the original vampire story, Nosferatu, with a live musical accompaniment.

Leicester Film Club have gained a reputation for their screenings of cult, classic and little known gems, and on 29 October they will be showing modern horror anthology Trick r Treat at 29 October, with a ‘Dark Market’ and horror film quiz taking place beforehand. Get your tickets here.

The Phoenix are showcasing a different approach to Halloween with a series of films focused on women’s rage called Hell Hath No Fury, featuring some of the classics of female-led horror including Misery, Carrie and Lady Vengeance. From 3-28 October

Alongside this, their late night Fridays lean towards horror, with £4 screenings of The Exorcist, The Thing, Halloween and a The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 1 & 2 Double Bill on 27 October.

The Phoenix also have something special for the 28 October, live at the Nest, join Leicester’s famous Black Annis for the ultimate Halloween adventure. It’s a spine chilling musical feast, and includes a scored version of one of the earliest short horror films, La Maison Ensorce, from 1908.

Find somewhere to stay

So we can't promise a haunted hotel for you (well aside from Bosworth Hall), there are loads of options if you're looking to spend a few days in Leicestershire over Halloween.

Take a look at our hotels page where you can check availability and book your room directly through our website. 

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