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Things to do in York this Halloween and half term 2026

Things to do in York this Halloween and half term 2026

Looking for things to do in York this Halloween and half term? We’ve got the guide for you.

It’s time to get spooky! There are so many fun things to do in York this Halloween and half term.

Are we missing an event? Let us know by dropping us a line at [email protected]. This guide will be continually updated.

Things to do in York this Halloween and Half Term

Halloween highlights

Halloween Spooktacular at Flamingo Land

Something wicked is coming to Flamingo Land…

This Halloween, prepare for Stalk in the Park!

From October 9th to the 18th & 24th to 31st October from 3pm, test your nerves by taking on our rides in the dark! Then, from 5:30, creep through two terrifying scare mazes, before hopping aboard the Halloween Express… if you dare!

Little monsters can enjoy Trick or Treat, fancy dress, and a Halloween live stage show, from 10am till 4:30 daily! Plus, look out for spectacular fireworks and drone shows on selected dates!

Dare to enter?

York Designer Outlet October half term Late Night Shopping Event

On 29th & 20th of October at York Designer Outlet there will be lots of some half term fun and chances to win at the York Designer Outlet Late Night Shopping Event!

There will be free face painting & Halloween Trail. Plus join YorkMix’s Victoria on Thursday 29th October live hosting the Drop to Win competition once again for a chance to win prizes from many of your favourite brands along with Gift Cards.

Don’t miss your chance to save an extra 20% off outlet prices on many of your favourite brands at their Late Night Shopping Event. For two days only, save on seasonal staples, the latest beauty lines, summer occasionwear, and accessories. We’ll see you there!

Piglets Halloween Spooktacular 2026

Dust off your wellies, dress to impress in your Halloween best, and join us for acres of spook-tacular fun!

Spooktacular is bursting with spooky fun for little ones! From petrifying portraits and a frightfully fun stage show to the all-new spooky Build a Teddy Bear experience, there’s magic around every corner. Every Spooktacular ticket also includes entry to our pumpkin patch and every paying child receives a voucher for a small pumpkin (worth £2.00).

Mother Shipton: The Great Prophetess at York Dungeon

Step back into the 16th century and become immersed in the world of Mother Shipton; the infamous prophetess of Knaresborough.

Born in a cave on a stormy night. They called her monster. A witch. Something to be feared. But what if there was another side to the story?

This Halloween, enter the shadowy hideout of the prophetess, where flickering fires tell tales of the past and the line between prophecy and reality begins to blur.

But Mother Shipton has seen something coming… and once her prophecy is revealed, there may be no escaping what the future holds.

Ascarium: Tricks & Treats

Join us as Aquarium turns Ascarium this October!

The Sea Witch is back!

Help look after their ocean home and fellow sea creatures by completing magical challenges throughout the aquarium.

Will you be brave enough to step up and help them by solving the ‘spook-splash-tic’ challenges and fill in your activity sheet as you go?

Help the Sea Witch and join her team of Ocean Defenders!

  • Get a reward for completion

  • Meet the Sea Witch in her lair, or roaming the aquarium

  • Enjoy cool photo opportunities

  • Fun activity trail and challenges throughout the aquarium

  • Enjoy visual games and activities

  • SEA LIFE Scarborough Scalby Mills Road Scarborough, North Yorkshire YO12 6RP

  • Sat 4 Oct – Sun 1 Nov

  • 10am – 4pm

  • More info

Little Peasants City Walking Tour

The Little Peasants City Walking Tour is 60 minutes of walking, laughing and learning and is suitable for all the family. If your little peasants are too young (or too scared!) to visit us inside the Dungeon, then join us as we bring The York Dungeon’s humour and fun outside onto the streets in York!

The Great Yorkshire Pumpkin Patch

Make a full day of it this October with admission to the Farm AND The Great Yorkshire Pumpkin Patch all included in one ticket!

Enjoy everything the farm has to offer alongside all the autumn fun at our Pumpkin Patch, where you’ll find thousands of pumpkins, entertainment, carnival games and our Pumpkin Market.

  • Monk Park Farm Visitor Attraction, Green Ln, Thirsk YO7 2AG
  • 3-31 Oct
  • 10am – 4pm
  • From £10
  • More info

A Truly Historical Halloween: October Half-Term at York Castle Museum

Step into York’s darker past this October Half-Term as York Castle Museum brings Halloween history to life with prison escapes, Victorian autumnal traditions and family storytelling.

Brand new for 2026, visitors can explore the museum’s atmospheric Georgian Prison Cells through an immersive adventure inspired by the real people once held at York Prison.

Armed with the jailer’s keys, uncover clues hidden inside the cells, beneath the flagstones and within the prison walls to piece together stories of daring escapes and secret plots. Two versions of the experience will be available: one for younger children and another for older teens and adults.

Then step forward into Victorian York on the museum’s iconic Kirkgate street and discover the traditions of an All-Hallows’ Eve from more than a century ago.

Halloween at Mother Shipton’s Cave

Get ready to be spellbound this Halloween at Mother Shipton’s in Knaresborough, Yorkshire. From 24th October to 1st November, join us for a bewitching adventure inspired by Hocus Pocus.

Step into a world of enchantment as you explore themed displays filled with witches, cauldrons and magical mischief. Keep your eyes peeled for our iconic witchy sister trio, who are conjuring chaos throughout the woodland. Meet them, join their coven, and don’t forget to snap a magical photo together!

Ghosts After Dark

Ghosts After Dark returns bigger than ever, with 70 unique ghostly sculptures inspired by York’s rich history lurking throughout York Museum Gardens, King’s Manor Courtyard, and Library Lawn. Meet York’s finest storytellers as they bring the city’s legendary ghosts to life, against an atmospheric background of smoke and sound.

Hallowscream

Winner of Best UK Scream Park, Hallowscream at York Maze is a terrifyingly entertaining night of fear and fun with 5 separate live-action haunted house attractions and over 100 actors. But be warned the frights aren’t limited to the haunted houses, roving characters and live stage shows add to the atmosphere. The central entertainment zone is all undercover where you can get a drink from the bar while you watch the stage performances, browse the amazing range of merchandise in the Halloween MERCH Stand including Hallowscream branded souvenirs. The Fodder Barn offers a delicious range of street food including burgers, loaded fries, pizza & sweet treats.

  • Elvington Lane, York, YO19 5LT
  • Fri 9 Oct – Sun 1 Nov
  • 6:30-11:30pm
  • More info

Mad Alice’s Ghost Train

Come and join Mad Alice, if you dare. Step aboard the North Yorkshire Moors Railway after dark for an immersive Halloween experience like no other.

Named after York’s most infamous ghost, the Mad Alice Ghost Train carries you on a live theatrical journey across the moonlit night, with costumed storytellers, atmospheric entertainment and a complimentary York Gin drink to steady your nerves.

But hurry, Mad Alice’s presence is for three evenings only, 18 October, 25 October and 1 November, with two services departing each night.

Ghost Week

The seventh official Ghost Week is coming! Staples like The Little York Ghost Hunt are back, as well as partner events like spooky shows, workshops, dancing after dark, and much more.

  • Various locations
  • Sat 24 Oct – Sun 1 Nov
  • Various times
  • More info

Frightening family fun

Pesky Pumpkin Trail in the House

Silly squash, giggling gourds and pesky pumpkins are up to mischief around the House. Younger visitors and their families are invited to search for them during their visit, and use their wit and great spotting skills to discover each one.

  • Castle Howard, York, YO60 7DA
  • Thu 1 – Sat 31 Oct
  • 10am – 3pm
  • More info

Station Trick or Treat

Grab your broomsticks and cauldrons, it’s time for spooky season on the NYMR! This October half term, Kids Go Free on standard services, with one free child ticket per fare paying adult, so bring the whole family along for a day of Halloween fun.

Dress up in your best Halloween costume and head to the Shop at Pickering, Goathland or Grosmont. Say “Trick or Treat” and you’ll receive a free chocolate treat, subject to availability. No booking required, just turn up in your costume and join in.

Keep an eye out for our spooky selfie frames dotted around the station, pop your head through for a fun Halloween photo opportunity and share your best ghoulish look with us on social media.

  • Heritage trains between Pickering and Whitby
  • Sat 24 Oct – Sun 1 Nov
  • 9am – 6pm
  • More info

Fountains by Floodlight

Fountains by Floodlight is a feast for all your senses…
Watch as night falls over the abbey and the ruins start to glow with light.

Bring a torch and chase your shadows as you experience the abbey like never before. Join the volunteers for a guided twilight tour of the abbey. Head to the cellarium and hear live music flood through the ruin as darkness continues to fall. Take a visit to the Street Food Market and fill those grumbling tummies.

New for 2026!
Discover the story of Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal brought to life through striking projected animations, created by Illuminos, cast onto the abbey ruins. As darkness falls, centuries of history will unfold across the stonework in a unique and immersive experience that celebrates this extraordinary place.

  • Fountains, Ripon, HG4 3DY
  • Weekends in October
  • 5-9pm
  • More info

Wicked Web’oween 2026

There’s so much going on during WEB’OWEEN, come along for a SPOOK-tacular time! Meet Elphaba and Glinda too!

Our resident magic man Dazzling Darren will be offering Halloween-themed entertainment for the children to enjoy every day. He will showcase his daily magic shows, this time with a Halloween twist!

He has two amazing guests too, our tribute characters from Wicked! Come meet Glinda and Elphaba and sing some of their favourite songs!

Nothing too scary – just lots of fun!

Apple Week at Ampleforth Abbey

Celebrate our apple-growing traditions this October half-term with a week of orchard-inspired fun!

Join us as we celebrate one of Ampleforth Abbey’s most cherished traditions with a full programme of exciting events:

  • Apple Olympics on the lawn (fun games for adults and kids to enjoy the outdoors together: apple sack race, apple and spoon race, apple toss challenge)

  • Tea Room Specials.

  • Free children’s trail in the orchard.

  • Free children’s apple craft activities in the Visitor Centre

  • Apple-themed gifts in the shop.

  • Apple tasting in the Tea Room.

  • Apple pressing demonstrations at our Cider Mill by Orchard Manager, Steve

  • Mini-exhibition in our Visitor Centre. Learn about the fascinating history of our heritage orchard and how our famous cider and juice are made.

  • Ampleforth Abbey, York, YO62 4EN

  • Sat 24 – Sat 31 Oct

  • 10am – 3pm

  • More info

Haunted Hall: Ghost Hunters!

Did you know that York is said to sit on a paranormal nexus, a place where the boundary between our world and the spirit world is at its thinnest? For reasons no one can explain, those boundaries have weakened even further, and the spirits of York’s past have descended upon Barley Hall.

To protect visitors, we’ve temporarily closed the Hall while our paranormal investigators work to contain the outbreak. But with ghosts spanning more than 2,000 years of York’s history, they can’t do it alone. They’re recruiting trainee ghost hunters, and they need your help to track down the troublesome spirits hiding throughout the Hall.

No previous ghost-hunting experience is required, just plenty of courage! Each ghost-hunting adventure lasts approximately 45 minutes and is recommended for brave hunters aged 6 and above.

Are you ready to discover what lurks in the shadows of Haunted Hall?

October Half Term at Eden Camp

Become a Spy! Crack the Case This Half Term. Get ready for a top-secret adventure at Eden Camp this October half term, from 24 October to 1 November!

Calling all budding spies, super sleuths and aspiring detectives! Explore the museum, uncover hidden clues, investigate evidence and put your detective skills to the test with a week packed full of mystery, espionage and family fun.

Owl About Goddards Trail

Can you find all the hidden owls around Goddards Gardens? Keep your eyes peeled as you explore and collect the letter from each owl you discover. When you’ve found them all, rearrange the letters to reveal an owl-related word. Complete the trail and collect a sticker reward for your efforts!

Halloween at The Hole In Wand: Spin to Discover Your Fate

Something magical is stirring this Halloween…

From 10th October to 1st November, step into The Hole In Wand for a Halloween adventure filled with mystery, magic and mischievous surprises.

But this year, your fate isn’t entirely in your hands…

Spin the wheel. Discover your fate.

As you take on our magical wizard golf course, you’ll encounter our special Halloween challenge. Give the wheel a spin and discover what fate has in store for you. Will fortune favour you? Will you be given a mysterious challenge? Or might a little magical mischief come your way?

There’s only one way to find out…

  • The Hole in Wand, 14 – 16 Coppergate Walk, York YO1 9NT
  • Sat 10 Oct – Sun 1 Nov
  • 10am – 6pm
  • More info

Halloween at Murton Park

Halloween at Murton Park is Back!

Enjoy a half-term treat packed with trains, crafts, and spooky storytelling — plus a brand-new evening Trick or Treat experience.

  • Murton Lane, Murton, York, YO19 5UF
  • Sat 24 Oct – Sun 1 Nov
  • 10am – 4:30pm
  • More info

Spooky Season at the National Railway Museum

This Halloween season, something spooky is coming to the museum…

York is said to be one of the most haunted cities in the world, and this October, you are invited to enjoy a storytelling trail like no other.

Created in collaboration with master purveyors of ghouls, York Ghost Merchants, scores of the iconic ceramic ghosts will be hidden high and low amidst the carriages and trains, accompanied by stories inspired by our collection, Victorian rail travel and York’s haunted heritage. Can you spot them all?

Throughout the week, young ghost hunters can enjoy daily free storytelling sessions in Station Hall at 11.00, 12.30 and 14.30. Join in with playful storytelling with a light spooky twist.

Visit our two STEM Sheds to explore light and shadows. Free activities include exploring semaphore signals, and using light and shadow to create your own ghostly illusion.

October Half-Term at York Minster

We’ve seen the Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Vikings and Normans. Now, we’re ready for you.

Come rain or shine, York Minster is the perfect place for family fun this October half-term. With hands-on activities, visiting medieval pilgrims, immersive cinematic experiences and creative crafts, there’s something for every generation to enjoy.

Discover what’s happening throughout the week and plan your half term adventure at York Minster.

Autumn Half Term at Yorkshire Air Museum

At the Yorkshire Air Museum at half term, we have plenty for the whole family to enjoy.

On Tuesday October 27th we have our Props Day, where our propellor driven aircraft will be fired up in two sessions – morning and afternoon. This will include our iconic Dakota paratrooper transport aircraft.

On Wednesday the 28th, we’re hosting our Fly Festival Workshop – Amy Johnson Day. A busy engaging session for children 5yrs+, to find out about Amy Johnson becoming the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia. They can construct their own models of the De Havilland Gipsy Moth she flew halfway across the world! There is a seperate charge for this event.

On Thursday 29th, families can get hands-on with some of our smaller exhibits, with sessions in the main hangar run by our Schools Team. A great way to look at objects such as flying gear and gas masks.

Plus, there’s the whole museum to explore, with over 60 aircraft and vehicles, plus our historic buildings, play area, café and shop.

Spooky shows, music, and crafts

The Yorkshire Halloween Festival

Hosted by Made in Yorkshire, The Yorkshire Halloween Festival is a celebration of creativity and interactivity suitable for all the family!

As well as our well know large group of local artisans you will also find at the festival, a unique series of local makers who will be running workshops to entertain and encourage you to make and create – all with a Halloween/Autumnal theme.

  • Parliament Street, York
  • Thu 22 – Fri 30 Oct
  • 10am – 5pm
  • More info

Halloween in Concert

A frighteningly good night of graveyard smash hits!

As darkness falls across the land, our incredible cast and live band take to the stage. With stunning visuals and state-of-the-art production, this brand-new concert spectacular unleashes a thrilling crescendo of all things Halloween… with a twist.

Arrive dressed to impress – there’s a prize for the best costume – and settle in for The Music of the Night in a spine-tingling show that’s simply out of this world.

This atmospheric live concert show resurrects some of the greatest spooky hits ever recorded in one electrifying night. Featuring Monster Mash, Highway to Hell, The Time Warp, Running Up That Hill, Hungry Like the Wolf, Maneater, Bat Out of Hell, It’s a Kind of Magic, She Wolf and, of course, Thriller.

Expect big vocals, killer moves and maybe even some Dancing in the Moonlight as we celebrate the magic of Halloween – for one night only.

The Concert That Must Not Be Named

Immerse yourself into a spellbinding night of music as the iconic music of Harry Potter and more are transformed in a breathtaking performance on the magnificent Grand Organ of York Minster.

Iconic film scores by John Williams (Hedwig’s Theme and Harry’s Wondrous World), Alexandre Desplat (Statues and Farewell to Dobby), Nicholas Hooper (Ministry of Magic) and Patrick Doyle (Hogwarts’ Hymn), plus arrangements of orchestral music by Gounod, Holst, and Stravinsky, will be heard alongside a ‘thrilling’ classic by Michael Jackson and original pieces of fabulous organ music by J S Bach, Cecilia McDowall, and Louis Vierne.

Gounod’s Funeral March for a Marionette — the theme of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Bach’s famous and thunderous Toccata in D minor, and Vierne’s phantasmagorical Feux Follets will be just some of the pieces used to display our Grand Organ’s formidable array of orchestral colours and demonstrate why the organ was cinema’s original surround-sound system.