It’s cosy season in Britain. From haunting walks to fireworks festivals, autumn brings a whole host of festive experiences. Get spooked on a Halloween trail, or start November off with a bang with our Bonfire Night celebrations.
Whether you go searching for poltergeists or watch our skies come alive with vibrant firework displays, join Britain’s Halloween and Bonfire Night celebrations for timeless traditions, fun and revelry.
22 October – 1 November 2026
The spooky trail at Blenheim Palace takes visitors on an eerie walking tour from dusk into darkness. Come face to face with all your Halloween favourites, with all the special touches you’d expect from Blenheim Palace. Keep warm with autumnal treats like hot chocolate and toasted marshmallows.
7 – 8 November 2026
Leeds Castle bursts into colour with its annual Bonfire Night celebrations. Spend the day at the castle enjoying the festivities with live music and street food, before the display kicks off at 5:30pm. The fireworks combine with lights, lasers and projections to create an unforgettable spectacle.
24 – 31 October 2026
Any good at monster spotting? Keep your eyes peels for hundreds of ghoulish eyes dotted around this Halloween in Manchester. Plus, dress up and get involved in the Walk the Plank Monster Party Procession.
25 October – 2 November 2026
For a spooktacular family-friendly time, head to Halloween at Tatton Park. Pick a pumpkin at the farm and head into the gardens hunting for skeletons on the Skellies and Wellies trail. Previous years also involved broom stick flying at the Old Hall, which once featured on the television show ‘Most haunted’.
26 September – 1 November 2026
For some adrenaline fuelled spine tingling moments look no further than Scarefest at Alton Towers. Dare to ride the Wicker Man in the dark and plunge into the abyss of Oblivion. Choose to escape from creepy live characters or opt for family friendly activities that bring Halloween to life.
24 October – 1 November 2026
For a haunting time, Muncaster Castle – said to be one of the most haunted castles in England – has a spooktacular line up for all ages. Details of the Halloween Family Festival will be announced soon, with previous years including arts and crafts, spooky woodland walks, and nighttime owl shows. For those aged sixteen and over, the late night Scarecaster promises to bring spine-tingling chills.
9 October – 1 November 2026
With the eerie Welsh woodlands as your backdrop get ready to be scared at Zip World Betws-Y-Coed’s Ffear Fforest. Trundle through the maze of net walkways as creepy clowns stalk you, or stand atop a trapdoor that’s set to plunge you into darkness.
23 October – 1 November 2026
Glasgow’s Botanic Gardens are dressed in their Halloween finery for GlasGLOW, a family-friendly adventure trail. Afterwards, warm up with some street food and a hot chocolate at Marshmallowland.
October 2026 (TBC)
Get ready for a spooktacular series of evenings at Glamis Castle, inspired by ghoulish goings-on at the property. Embark on an indoor tour with scares and haunted tales around every corner.
28 – 31 October 2026
Take a spooky trip around this award-winning “un-living” museum this Halloween, where spirits come out to play after dark. Meet its ghostly new inhabitants and enjoy spine-tingling entertainment.
2 October – 1 November 2026
It’s all-out terror at Thorpe Park’s Fright Nights, with Scare Mazes, Scare Zone and spooky live shows. To up the exhilaration, take to the rides at night and experience the rollercoasters like never before. Can you make it out of the Survival Games, or escape the creepy maze?
22 October – 1 November 2026
Blenheim Palace’s spooktacular dusk to darkness Halloween trail offers fun for all the family. Pass the spider tunnel, marvel at fire performers and look out for the faceless horseman. Pick up sweet treats and enjoy a hot toddy or hot chocolate along the way.
3 October – 1 November 2026
Prepare for a spooky takeover of LEGOLAND with the Monster Party. Celebrate the festivities of Halloween with a Monster Jam show and Monster Street – exclusively for the brave! From live shows to thrilling rides, explore Halloween at LEGOLAND.
October – 1 November 2026
Fun for all the family, enjoy wild rides and spooky stays for little ones, plus the Vampire and Dragon’s Fury rides in the evening for the bravest of adventurers at Howl’o’ween at Chessington World of Adventures. Explore the underground town of Enchanted Hollow and meet its resident animals.
16 October – 1 November 2026
Once the sun has set, make your way down the eerie light trail at Kew Gardens this Halloween. Surrounded by illuminated trees, look out for Dracula, the Headless Horsemen and other creepy goings on as you weave your way through the gardens. How about some hot chocolate with monster marshmallows or a hot toddie? Yes please.
October – November 2026
With it’s dark history of dungeons, torture and strange goings on, you’ll find a generous helping of Halloween experiences in London. Try the London Ghost Bus Tour or enjoy a bang-on-theme musical like Wicked. And we’ve not even started on the city’s most haunted landmarks (we’re looking at you Tower of London…).
For Halloween 2026, Chessington World of Adventures Resort will transform into a spooky wonderland for its Howl’o’ween event. Expect ghoulishy glorious live entertainment, spooky photo opportunities, fancy dress competitions, and the immersive live action Enchanted Hollow - Trick or Treat event.
LEGOLAND Windsor Resort celebrates with its Brick or Treat event, where you can explore Monster Street, watch the Monster Jam Show, and receive a special invitation from Lord Vampyre himself to explore the Haunted House Monster Party.
SEA LIFE will be celebrating the spooky season nationwide with Ascarium: Tricks & Treats, at each of their UK aquarium locations. Little ones can complete magical challenges around the aquarium in order to help the sea sorcerers protect their ocean home. You can also enjoy fun photo spots, visual games and themed activities.
Bring the kids along for pumpkin-picking fun at farms across Britain. Choose from thousands of pumpkins at Maxeys Farm Shop in Nottinghamshire, where you can also take a Halloween-themed tractor ride through the fields and go scarecrow-spotting. In northern England, check out Tweddle Farm’s popular pumpkin patch near Hartlepool or Keynon Hall Farm’s Pumpkin Festival near Warrington. If you’re in Scotland this Halloween, you’ll find the nation’s biggest pumpkin patch at the Balgone Estate in East Lothian, while Gower Fresh near Swansea is home to one of Wales’ biggest pumpkin festivals.
The ever-terrifying Fright Nights at Thorpe Park Resort will return in 2026, with scare mazes, eerie zones, and live shows guaranteed to send chills down your spine. You can even brave Hyperia, the UK’s tallest and fastest rollercoaster, and plummet into total darkness at over 80mph.
Scarefest at Alton Towers Resort features experiences for all the family, but their intense attractions are great for those in search of more savage scares. Don’t miss their live-action mazes, packed with intense scares in claustrophobic settings.
Of course, we can’t forget the London Dungeon, York Dungeon and Edinburgh Dungeon, all of which will be making their classic attractions even more terrifying for Halloween 2026, with live action experiences, immersive performances and eerie encounters every step of the way.
Yes, Britain does celebrate Halloween and has a range of related traditions. During Halloween, which takes place on October 31st, children often go trick-or-treating, knocking on residential doors in receipt of treats such as candy. Apple bobbing is another tradition, which involves trying to grab an apple from a bucket of water using your mouth. Pumpkin carving is also common, with these and other spooky decor being placed outside homes.
There are many parties, celebrations, and ghost tours for adults too, offering an opportunity to dress-up and take part in the fun. Many cinemas will also run horror movies for those looking for a quieter experience.
Halloween has been a tradition in Britain for over 2,000 years and stems from the Celtic festival Samhain. Samhain marked the beginning of winter and people believed at the time that the veil between the living world and the dead thinned, allowing spirits to roam among the living.
Yes, Halloween is very widely celebrated in England with many shopfronts and residential homes displaying decor just for the occasion. If visiting during October, you’ll find many themed foods, events, and occasions to fully immerse you in what’s affectionately dubbed “spooky season”.
On and around 5 November, be wowed by fireworks displays and towering bonfires around Britain. Bonfire Night, or Guy Fawkes Night, commemorates the failure of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605, when Guy Fawkes attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament.
7 November 2026
Held at the Broadway West Playing Fields (Gosforth Sports Association), the Gosforth Fireworks Extravaganza is said to be the largest in the area, with all profits going to local charities.
Autumn 2026 (TBC)
With live music, fun fair and food to boot, the Highland Centre will host a day full of festivities at the Fawkes Festival. After dark, the bonfire will be lit then expect and explosion of colour with the pyrotechnics.
Autumn 2026 (TBC)
The largest fireworks display in Cardiff, the Sophia Gardens Stadium, Cardiff, is set to go off with a bang for Bonfire Night. The event normally has entertainment for all ages, including live music, street food and a fun fair.
Autumn 2026 (TBC)
The skies above Chester will light up at The Lord Mayor’s Fireworks Extravaganza. Taking place at the Chester Racecourse, there’s normally not only one but two professionally choreographed fireworks displays, catering for younger audiences or those who might prefer a quieter experience.
7 – 8 November 2026
It’s all-out entertainment at Leeds Castle’s Fireworks Spectacular in Kent. Expect live music, adventure golf, street food and a firework extravaganza equipped with dazzling lasers and projections. A celebration for all the family, just remember to wrap up warm!
30 – 31 October 2026
Join in the family fun as Chatsworth House in the Peak District hosts a bonfire and fireworks festival, complete with exciting entertainment. Enjoy seasonal dishes at the pre-bonfire dinner, cooked with local ingredients, and warming drinks like mulled wine.
7 November 2026
In Warwickshire, the historic grounds of Kenilworth Castle are aglow for its Fireworks Spectacular. Wander round stalls, pick up warming food and enjoy music as you explore this unique setting and its Elizabethan gardens.
7 – 8 November 2026
See the skies of south London come alive with bursting lights and plenty of ‘oohs and aahs’ as Battersea Park celebrates Bonfire Night. Plus, there’s warming winter food and drink on offer, too.
7 – 8 November 2026
It goes off with a bang at Alexandra Palace’s firework extravaganza in London. Expect live music, tasty street food, a bonfire, and all-out fireworks. Previous events included a German Bier Festival with its very own Oompah band.
Bonfire Night is a celebration of a failed plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London. Back in 1605, a group of plotters had planned to destroy the buildings, with members of parliament and King James I inside. Their plan was thwarted when one of the plotters, Guy Fawkes, was discovered in a cellar beneath the Palace of Westminster, alongside 36 barrels of gunpowder. Fawkes was promptly arrested and tortured until he gave up the names of his co-conspirators. He was then tried for treason and sentenced to death.
Bonfire Night is celebrated on 5 November each year to mark the anniversary of the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605. A popular children’s nursery rhyme, also commemorates the event:
“Remember, remember the 5th of November,
Gunpowder, treason, and plot.
I see no reason,
Why gunpowder treason,
Should ever be forgot…”
Bonfire Night is usually celebrated with fireworks, bonfires, and sparklers. Traditionally, a dummy person is placed on top of a bonfire to represent Guy Fawkes. However, the practice is also thought to date back to the 13th century when it was seen as a way of driving away evil spirits.
The Yeoman of the Guard still search the cellars of the Houses of Parliament before it opens each November, a tradition dating back more than 400 years. One of the biggest bonfire celebrations is in the Sussex town of Lewes. However, one of the most spectacular events takes place in Ottery St Mary, in Devon, where village folk race around its narrow streets carrying flaming barrels of tar.
Bonfire Night is sometimes referred to as Guy Fawkes Night, taking the name of one of the plotters who attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605.
There are many ways to celebrate Bonfire Night in Britain. You can find firework shows and bonfire displays across the country, from larger festivals to local events. Celebrations are mostly outside so it is best to wrap up warm with hats, scarves, and gloves. Pick up a delicious hot chocolate or choose to toast marshmallows for a tasty way to stay warm.
