Spooky Halloween events across Leicestershire

From pumpkin picking to Xtreme Screams and spooky tours of historic buildings to family friendly ghost trails, there’s loads happening this spooky season in Leicester and Leicestershire. Read on to find out more!

Cattows Halloween Farm is the biggest Halloween event in the country and this year they’re taking you on an American Adventure. From traditional pumpkin picking to live wild west cowboy shows, Jurassic dino trails and even an American Circus… there’s something for everyone this year! It runs from 27 September through to the 2 November. Get your tickets before it’s too late

One for the adults this time, Twinlakes are bringing back their Xtreme Scream Park back from 3 October to the 2 November. Prepare to be scared out of your skin with terrifying street theatre, live shows, fairground rides, food and drink plus the seven super terrifying Scare Mazes. Get your tickets here

The family friendly Windmill Farm Park Halloween Spooktacular and Pumpkin Patch is the perfect place to take the kids. There are loads of spooky crafts, a cobweb maze, Witches Hat Parade, Potion Making Workshop, Wicked Woods, Fall Festival and loads more! Running from 18-31 October. Info and tickets here.

Wander through the historic grounds of Belvoir Castle and enjoy their Spooky Playground Trail, themed with bats, ghosts, and hidden surprises in the gardens. There will also be ghostly tales, pumpkin decorating and lots more. Running from 18 October to 2 November. There’s 10% off when you book online so get your tickets now!

Get ticket or treating at Twycross Zoo from 18 October to the 2 November!  Meet the mysterious Ticket Master. Help the Zous Chef, discover amazing smells with the Poo Keeper, join the Ex’spook’ditioner as they travel the world and reet the Scaretaker in their eerie shed. With great photos ops, incredible animals and Swizzels sweets, it’s a spooktacular adventure for all ages! Get your tickets here

On 30 October at the Guildhall experience scary movies in historic surroundings. First up is The Lost Boys, then later in the evening The Exorcist will chill you in this reputedly haunted building. Then on Saturday 1 November there are two chilling tales from Bram Stoker and W W Jacobs told by Robert Lloyd Parry.

Halloween is the time when the performing arts really come into their own, so prepare to get spooked, scared or just entertained! The Phoenix cinema is hosting two separate four week courses at the Phoenix Leicester inspired by the birth of the modern movie monsters and Edgar Allen Poe on Screen.

Join historical witchcraft expert, Cara Hamilton at Leicester’s Guildhall on 10 October for a night of discovery. She will be presenting the tale of Witchcraft across the UK, Europe and North America featuring practical demonstrations and enthralling performances. Tickets available here.

At the Phoenix cinema they’re teaming up Halloween and Black History Month with their Black Resistance & Power of the Supernatural themed event. Inspired by Ryan Coogler’s new movie Sinners (which is showing), you can also catch Daughters of the Dust, Eve’s Bayou and Blacula. They’re also continuing their Kaiju season, showing classic Godzilla movies throughout October.

Leicester Film Club are putting on a couple of great events, with a Horror Movie Quiz and screening of Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny at Firebug on 12 October. Book your seat here. Then on the 25 October, they’re be holding a Horror Social and a 40th Anniversary screening of The Return of the Living Dead at Showcase Cinema (book via the Showcase app).

On Sunday, 26 October, from 12pm to 8pm, the heart of Loughborough will come alive with a full day of film, food, and freakishly good entertainment. Organised by Charnwood Borough Council, the Halloween Outdoor Cinema is completely free to attend, making it the perfect seasonal celebration for families, friends, and Halloween lovers of all ages. Visitors to the town centre can enjoy three Halloween-themed films on the big screen at 12.30pm, 3pm, and 5.30pm. Bring your blankets and chairs for a cozy movie experience under the autumn sky.

There’s some great on stage performances to get you in the Halloween mood. At Mountsorrel Memorial Centre on 22 October enjoy the family friendly Halloween panto Beetlespoof. Feed me Seymour as Little Shop of Horrors comes to the Sue Townsend Theatre from 23-25 October. The descendant of legendary writer Charles Dickens Gerald Dickens performs The Signalman plus Sikes & Nancy and Captain Murderer at the Guildhall on 25 October and the following day there will be a live performance of The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde.

On Saturday 1 November the Leicester Witch Festival returns to Albert House in Loughborough for a day steeped in mystery and power. Rituals, workshops and witchCRAFTing alongside an enchanted witchy market. Get your tickets here.

For two weeks from 20 October to 2 November, Leicester city centre will transform into a haunted storybook as The Great Leicester Ghost Hunt takes over. Presented by BID Leicester, discover magical illusions and cheeky spirits hiding across the city centre! There will be projections, illusions & ghostly tricks. Follow the free trail on the My Leicester app and complete it for a chance to win a £300 Leicester Gift Card!

It’s no Halloween without a proper ghost hunt! Explore The Guildhall, reputedly one of Leicester’s most haunted building with professional paranormal investigators on the 19 & 20 October. The 1620s House in the National Forest has a dark history and you can explore it by flicking light on Halloween itself as you take a Candlelit Witch-Mark Tour of this historic building.

Hinckley BID are holding a special Halloween Treasure Hunt from 18-31 October. Free and fun for all the family, just follow the clues located on shop windows around the town to find the answers! There are hundreds of pounds worth of prizes to be won!

Take a trip through Leicester’s gruesome history with interactive displays for ages at St Nicholas Church as the Friends of Jewry Wall host Folklore Blood and Gore. This free event runs from 11am to 3.30pm on on Sunday 26 October.

There are lots of fun family events through half term and into Halloween. Take part in a Spooky Fused Glass Workshop at The Guildhall on 19 October or listen to Spooky Stories from Preacher the Storyteller at Enderby Civic Centre on 20 October.

You can join the White Witch and her friends for some Halloween crafts and stories at the 1620s House on 21 October. You will have the chance to create a beautiful flower arrangement inside a pumpkin and a traditional Rowan cross to protect you from evil spirits.

Bring your crafty little witches and wizards to the Guildhall on 23 October for Wands and Broomsticks half term fun makes and treasure hunt, then on the 24 October, also at the Guildhall there’s a Halloween Silent Disco for the kids.

Over in Blaby the Vipers Rugby Club are holding a special Halloween Party on the 31 October. Just £3 entry and there’ll be a raffle, games and prizes, fancy dress competition plus sweets and popcorn!

Duffy’s is one of the top music venues in the city and they’re going all out for Halloween. Saturday 25 October matinee all ages show Nirvanher (female fronted Nirvana tribute), followed that evening by a female Guns n Roses tribute Bra’s n Roses and a Rocknite. On Sunday 26^th they’re hosting Riot Fest, featuring local artists Amy DX, Chris Ilett, Hymns for Horses, The Marlinas, Kevin Hewick, Boiler Men and Virginia’s Wolves. On Thurs 30 October you can see Caligram and Forlorn, then on Halloween itself, Friday 31 October there’s a free entry Halloween special featuring a Misfits tribute band, rock covers and club night.

If you want to get glammed (or ghouled) up and hit the town for Halloween there’s loads happening in Leicester and further afield. On 25 October at the Attenborough Arts Centre there’s a Halloween themed Burlesque show and this continues with India Starrs House of Showghouls burlesque show at the Y Theatre on the 31 October. There’s a Halloween Screamfest Allfrighter at Quarter 25 on Yeoman Street 31 October.

Firebug will be full of the spooky spirit (and spirits) on Friday 31 October for their main Halloween party night with fancy dress prizes from midnight until 4am. The night kicks of with the Glitterbug Burlesque Show before their free Primal club night upstairs until 4am.

At Bitsys Emporium on 1 November get dressed up for their Trashoween party. Running from 5-9pm there’s a spooky disco, Cocktails, Makers Market, Tarot Reading and Cinema! And it’s free entry too!

There’s a Halloween Disco on the 31 October at Rothley Court Hotel. At Coalville’s Emporium on 1 November there’s the Insomniacz House of Horrors Halloween Rave celebrating their 26^th anniversary or Leicester’s Athena is hosting the Solstice UKG Halloween Special rave, also on the 1 November. If the late nights aren’t your thing, then no worries, as on 1 November Quarter 25 is hosting an Over 30s Halloween Day Party.