Spooky Events for Halloween in York – there is lots going on in York and nearby over Halloween and October half term in York.
Celebrate the spookiest time of the year in the ‘most haunted city in Europe’ with a visit to York this October. York offers tricks, treats and spooky encounters for all with a wide range of new ghoulish experiences, trails and events on offer this year.
From family-friendly magical adventures to experiences a little more gruesome and frightening, there is something for everyone.
Here’s our top pick of York’s best Halloween experiences to celebrate the spooky season in all its ghoulish glory:
Halloween Gin Tasting with York Gin
Thursday 31st October 2024 at 6.30pm
Boo! Fancy a ghost-inspired gin tasting in Europe’s most haunted city this Halloween? What could possibly go wrong? Held in our 16th Century home, especially as the next door pub is the most haunted in York!
Fear not – our intrepid gin expert, Tim, is on hand to protect and guide you through a thoroughly haunting and delicious gin tasting and ghostly history lesson.
Along with spirited stories you’ll get:
- Two spookily super gin cocktails, inspired by York’s history
- Tasters of our gin range – to give you ‘History in the Tasting’
This ghostly gin tasting takes starts at 6.30pm on Thursday 31st October 2024. Book now. Limited places.
Buy tickets – Ghostly gin tasting – York Gin Pavement
Annus Horribilis – Ghost Week at Fairfax House
The Fairfax family cordially invite you to visit Fairfax House during Ghost Week from Saturday 26 October to Sunday 3 November. Here you will be transported back in time to the year 1763 amidst their ‘Annus Horribilis’ (horrible year) – a time of dark clouds, anxieties and low fortunes for the family.
Keen to entertain their guests despite their woes, the family have left a series of perplexing puzzles and fun challenges in each room for you to solve. Those who manage to investigate carefully and find the correct answers will be entered into a prize draw to be in with a chance of winning an exclusive ghost – the Ghost Merchants’ Black Box Edition, No. 22.
We have visited and reviewed the Annus Horribilis event at Fairfax House here.
Halloween Outdoor Cinema by Adventure Cinema
Following on from their summer shows, The UK’s No.1 outdoor cinema returns to Castle Howard for Halloween! Get ready for a Halloween experience like no other. These shows will sell quickly!
Friday the 25th October 2024
The Lost Boys
Saturday the 26th October 2024
Hocus Pocus
Sunday the 27th October 2024
The Witches
A Truly York Halloween Spooktacular!
At the Mansion House on Sunday 20th October 2024
Celebrate Halloween on Sunday 20th October 2024 at an exclusive and exciting event at York’s Mansion House.
Guests will be welcomed with a Spooky cocktail** created by award winning The Potions Cauldron Group and will enjoy a Pie* and Pea Supper then a chance to search for the houses hidden souls.
European Award Winning Mad Alice of ‘The Bloody Tour of York’ will then take guest on a private your of York ending back at the house to share a final intimate tale!
To end the evening local singing star Alistair Griffin will perform a 45 minute Spooky set including the hit ‘Monster Mash’ and many more enjoyed with a complimentary drink** and sweet treat goody bag.Over 18’s only
* Vegetarian Options Available.
** None Alcoholic versions available.
All Profits to the Lord Mayor and Sheriff of York Charities. Buy tickets here.
The Wizard Walk of York
Click here to book tickets for The Wizard Walk of York.
The Magic Hatter is bringing his award-winning entertainment to the streets, with his Wizard Walk of York.
“Magic, mystery, comedy and excitement plus a dash of York’s history…the ingredients for a truly unforgettable experience for all the family!”
Public tours are running on selected evenings, starting from the bottom of The Shambles opposite The Golden Fleece. Pre-booking required. Private tours are available for birthdays, school groups, brownies, cubs and more. A wonderfully whimsical tour that wizard fans will go Potty for!
Wizard Wand Kits are also available, subject to availability. A handcrafted wand and instructions for seven tricks that young witches and wizards can learn at home. Plus a FREE printable certificate! To check days, times and book online visit the wizarding website at www.wizardwalkofyork.com.
** Note from Nikki: If you have younger kids with you, there is no better tour for you. We have seen The Magic Hatter many, many times when the kids were little and wholeheartedly recommend him. **
Halloween Tasting – with ghost stories and Mad Alice Bloody Orange gin cocktails – waiting to see if this is running again in 2024
Join us on Halloween itself for a spooky evening of gin tasting and ghost stories in the beautiful, atmospheric Tudor building that’s home to York Gin.
York’s own ghost story writer Ben Sawyer will read spooky extracts from his latest book.
And our gin expert (and York Gin shop boss) Jenny will guide you through our range of gins. You’ll also enjoy a delicious cocktail made with Mad Alice’s Bloody Orange gin. Halloween in a bottle!
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/yorkgin/1030286
York Dungeon
The York Dungeon brings together an amazing cast of theatrical actors, special effects, stages and scenes.
It is a highly sensory experience with dark spaces, jump scares, loud noises, flashing/strobe lights, pungent smells, water sprays, air blasts and jump scares. Our guests also have the opportunity through random selection to become part of the show.
We love it. We know you will too.
Mad Alice and The Bloody Tour of York
Click here to book tickets for The Bloody Tour of York.
Join Mad Alice on The Bloody Tour of York as you wander “the streets and snickleways to historic landmarks. With 2000 years of history, York has fascinating stories of the macabre and the extraordinary. Uncover the tales of the Romans, the Viking invasion and the Plague amongst tales of torture and execution.
The history of the city is brought to life in this award-winning 90 minute tour which is suitable for gruesome little ones. Learn about the city’s most famous son Guy Fawkes and what really drove him to want to blow up the houses of Parliament in 1605. Dick Turpin, the famous Highwayman was hanged at York in 1739 but he was caught by sheer luck. Margaret Clitherow, martyr and Saint lived amongst the entrailed and blood-soaked Shambles in the 1580’s.”
Accessibility: Suitable for all ages and fully accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs. The walk takes a steady pace around the city. If there are any mobility issues, please talk to Mad Alice at the beginning of the tour who will tailor the tour to be more comfortable. Accompanying carers are invited onto the tour free of charge.
Tour Start Location
St. Williams College, College Street, YO1 7JF
When is the Tour?
April to October – 6pm and 8pm
Every night except Monday and Wednesday
How long does the Tour last?
90 minutes
How much is the Tour?
£12 adults and £6 children (under 5’s are free)
Click here to book tickets for The Bloody Tour of York.
York Maze Hallowscream
Saturday the 26th October – Thursday the 31st of October 2024
Calling all fearless 10-15 year olds*, and adults of a more nervous disposition…Venture into a new dimension of spine tingling fun this Halloween, as we invite you to explore 4 of our farm’s most mysterious buildings, each with its own twisted history you will discover for yourself once you step inside…
Hallowtween takes place within the grounds of the legendary former Dunnington Lodge, here at York Maze, one of the most haunted sites in the whole of Yorkshire. Nothing is what it seems and you will need to keep your wits about you as you experience all the shocks and thrills of our four Scare Houses; Corny’s Cornevil, The Singularity, The Flesh Pot and Necropolis!
Trick or Treat Chocolate Bar Making at York Cocoa Works
Friday 11th October – 2nd November 2024
Design and create your own Trick or Treat chocolate bar with a hands-on chocolate making workshop. Throughout October half term York Cocoa Works will be running their successful chocolate bar making workshops…with a spooky twist! Join in the Academy at the York Cocoa Works to design and make your very own 200g Halloween chocolate bar. Find out more.
Kirkgate Ghost Count at York Castle Museum
26th October – 3rd November 2024
Next month the Kirkgate Ghost Count will return as part of The York Ghost Merchants Ghost Week 2024!
Spooktacular Adventure at Web Adventure Park
Details to be announced for 2024
There’s so much going on during the October Half Term at the Web, come along for a SPOOK-tacular time! Especially for spooky season, we’re running a Scarecrow competition for schools, after-school clubs, sports groups, nurseries, etc. to create some fabulous creations, but we need your help in deciding which scarecrow wins! Judging will take place during the October Half Term and the winners will receive a free play time at the Web! If you’d like to enter, please do get in touch.
Our resident magic man Dazzling Darren will be running Halloween-themed discos for the children to enjoy every day, with prizes for the best fancy dress costume, best dancing, and more! He’ll also be showcasing his daily magic shows, this time with a Halloween twist! Nothing too scary – just lots of fun!
What else can you get up to during the October Half Term you ask? Whiz around our unlimited fairground rides, compete with friends in the Laser Lightyear Game Zone, hop hop hop around on our two bouncing pillows, race down our giant astra slide, meet our furry friends during the animal encounter sessions, get a hole-in-one at our dinosaur mini golf, let off steam inside our award-winning indoor play, taste our delicious handmade pizzas, and so much more!
Come along for a full day of activities, from 9:30 AM until 6:00 PM, where EVERYTHING is included in the admission ticket.
Pumpkin Festival at Piglets Adventure Farm
12th, 13th, 19th and 20th October & daily from 26th to 31st October 2024
Get ready for stacks of family fun at the Piglets Adventure Farm Pumpkin Festival.
Pick a free perfect pumpkin from their homegrown Pumpkin Patch, find your way through the Mysterious Maize or enjoy spooky fun at Professor Dan’s Magic Show show. Tickets are limited and must be booked online.
Mother Shipton’s Hocus Pocus
Saturday 26th October to Sunday 3rd November 2024
Come one, come all for a freakishly fun Halloween experience at Mother Shipton’s.
It’s just a bunch of Hocus Pocus! Get ready to be spellbound this Halloween at Mother Shipton’s, from the 26th of October to the 3rd of November.
Step into a world of enchantment as you explore themed displays featuring witches, mysterious cauldrons and magical spells being cast by our characterful actors.
Engage in SPOOKTACULAR activities and capture the magic of the season with our terror-ific photo opportunities. Share your haunting photos with us on social media using #mothershiptons for a chance to win free tickets to come back again!
Pumpkin Picking at Castle Howard
1st – 31st October 2024, open 10am – 5pm
The Castle Howard Garden Centre Pumpkin Patch is back for the fourth year running!
Explore the patch and choose your perfect pumpkin. Whether small, medium, or large, we’ve got varying sizes and colours for carving, decorating and making the most of the spooky season! Head to the Garden Centre when you arrive and follow the signs for PYO pumpkins.
Light Spectacular at North Yorkshire Moors Railway
Waiting to hear plans for this year’s Halloween
The North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) is already gearing up for its mesmerising Light Spectacular event, which takes place during October and November. Tickets are now on sale for this captivating steam train experience that departs from Pickering Station.
The hugely popular, hour-long, illuminated journey is an immersive audio and visual experience pulled by a steam train adorned with 17,000 LEDs, which will entertain the whole family. Tickets for the must-see (and hear) experiences are £25 per person, and include an hour-long illuminated experience between Pickering and Levisham station.
When passengers arrive, they are given a flashing wristband which synchronises with the on board lightshow and music which will have you singing and dancing in your seats. If that’s not enough, the entertainment by the NYMR’s onboard compere, TV’s ‘Voice Over Man’ will ensure you’re in the mood to party.
Experience Halloween at York’s Chocolate Story
Waiting for 2024 details.
Join us for a thrilling adventure as we embark on a spine-chilling tour around the city, immersing you in the spirit of Halloween. Prepare to be captivated by a series of engaging activities, including exhilarating Halloween games and indulging in delectable chocolate samples. This is an experience you simply cannot afford to miss. As an added bonus, the individual with the most impressive costume will be rewarded with a special prize.
This experience includes:
- Tour around York city with approx 5 delectable chocolate and sweet samples, including a chocolate mouse.
- Engaging and inclusive games for children to enjoy alongside their parents, featuring water guns, hand puppets, and a mummifying activity.
- A chocolate treat for the winner of the best Halloween costume.
Price: Adult: £10, Child: £15. All children up to 15 years old must be accompanied by a paying adult. All attendees must purchase a ticket.
Availability: 28th & 29th Oct 30th at 1.15pm – 2.45pm (1 per day). 30th & 31st Oct between 1.15pm – 2.45pm & 4.15pm – 5.45pm (2 per day)
Duration: This experience is 1hr 30 mins.
Capacity: 25
Adults can only book with a child present (this is a children’s activity). Children age is 0-15.
Pick your own pumpkins at The Balloon Tree – every day until 31st October
Looking for a fun and exciting way to choose the perfect pumpkin for the Halloween season?
Why not visit The Balloon Tree’s Pick Your Own Pumpkin field. Their homegrown pumpkins are just waiting for you to pick them and take them home to carve, cook and decorate. With their usual variety of shaped and sized pumpkins, this year this a ghoulish twist available – Polar Bear Pumpkins!
PYO Entry Fee: £1.50 per person
York Ghost Week
York Ghost Merchants Events
Saturday 26th October — Sunday 3rd November 2024
Ghosts are an obscure yet undeniable part of the story of our city and we celebrate them wholeheartedly.
This is our fifth official Ghost Week; the first took place precariously between lockdowns but proved a welcome diversion at a time that was difficult for all. The following year we built upon this success and hosted “ The Residents” an installation of 1,000 glass Ghosts at the Mansion House, for the second year we showed “The Intaglio Seal” a short film at the Medical Society and last year the Jaggery Family event was held in St Anthony’s Garden .
“The Little York Ghost Hunt” is always at the centre of proceedings and has become embedded firmly in York’s calendar. This year the nights of the Little York Ghost Hunt are Monday 28th – Thursday 31st October inclusive.
Over the years we have added in other events, both of our own making and with select partners. A full programme for 2024 with ticketing information can be found on the Ghost Merchant’s site.
The Little York Ghost Hunt – Walking route around the Minster
Monday 28th – Thursday 31st October ( inclusive ) 6pm – 8pm only
As the day surrenders to the night the Merchants invite you to join the search on select evenings between 6pm and 8pm (Monday – Thursday only) for Little York Ghosts, along the atmospheric ancient streets that surround York Minster. This is a seek and keep hunt.
Most of the hidden Ghosts are Ragamuffins, they originate from our workshop but sadly never made it to the shop due to small imperfections. They find their way instead on the streets of the city where they wait patiently as strays to be found by someone who will take care of them and give them a home. Ragamuffins vary greatly in colour and style, but each is stamped with an R alongside the number on the base, if you are lucky enough to find one, please share your pictures on Instagram.
There are 125 in total hidden each evening and included in their number are 20 rare Bright-eyed Phantoms.
The Ghost Merchants have been hiding little Ghosts around the city of York for many years and the act of hiding, seeking and the communal event that has grown around this activity is at the heart of Ghost Week. It is free to participate in and open to young and old.
As Ghosts are scarce, we kindly ask that each person limits their collection to just one Ghost to give others a better chance of success. Do note there are now far more seekers than hidden Ghosts these days, so success is far from guaranteed. We hope that the hunt is undertaken with a spirit of fun and kind-heartedness.
Maps marking the route will be available from The York Ghost Merchants from mid-October. There will also be a printable version of The Little York Ghost Hunt map available from this page nearer the event.
Children should be accompanied by an adult on the hunt and be aware that the Little Ghosts are not suitable for Children under 3 years of age.
Most of the hunt takes place along pedestrianised areas and secluded backstreets but please do be aware of traffic in the marked areas of High Petergate and Goodramgate in particular. We also ask that all ghosthunters are respectful of residents and their property along the route. Ghosts are never hidden on private property.
FREE EVENT, no tickets required, just turn up and join the hunt.
