Family Halloween Fun Guide - October 2018

The leaves are falling, the winds are whipping, the nights draw in as the curtains draw closed - which can only mean one thing..trick or treat? It’s that spooky season, post-summer, pre-Christmas, causing cape-covered children to spill out onto our streets in droves, on a hunt for sugary treats! Is it fright night already?! You may as well don your best Rocky Horror Show costume now and best leave it on until November, with so many prizes for best dressed on offer it's worth the school run humiliation!

You can run but you can't hide! Gather your ghosts and goblins at the ready for our web of wonderful Halloween-themed events - with magical tricks and wizard sticks a-plenty!

(Other guides, What's On This October Half Term and Half Term Holiday Clubs)

Thursday 18th - Wednesday 31st October

It doesn’t get any spookier than Halloween Land at Cotswold Farm Park! Expect cauldrons of spooky fun, bubbling and spilling over into the farm - it’s a witches brew if you voodoo! From picking your own FREE pumpkin fresh from the patch to decorate (one for every child), to fearsome face painting and critter hunting in the woodland - there’s something for children big and small! The Witches and Wizards ‘Phantomime’ follows in the hallows if you dare, or perhaps you'd prefer to face your fears in the Wonderland Maize Maze! Open 18th - 31st October from 11am - 4pm daily, all activities included in the cost of admission. Find out more.

Friday 19th - Wednesday 31st October

The ever popular Primrose Vale Halloween Trail runs again year, and it won’t fail to thrill you! Although it’s suitable for children of all ages, those between 3 - 15 will love it! The trail takes you around the pumpkin-covered farm to discover various challenges, tasks and tricks, with a treat in store at the end! Choose from the preschool trail or more challenging school age trail which ensures there’s something for everyone, with a few silly scares thrown in! Entry £6 per child on the day, accompanying adults go free. Open 19th - 31st October, 9am - 4pm daily. Find out more.

Saturday 20th - Tuesday 30th October

Little witches and wizards are welcome to explore the museum trail at The Wilson - with a spooky twist! Follow the tricky trail and spot the pumpkins designed for all school ages, a wickedly wonderful way to spend a day! A suggested donation of £2 is recommended to help support the creation of the children trail, open 9:30am - 5:15pm most days (times vary). Find out more.

Tuesday 23rd October

The Serging Ahead Halloween Craft Morning at Smokey Joe's kicks off a wickedly wonderful week, but 'witch-craft' to choose from?! Pop down to the cafe for a morning of spooky goings on; including crafting woolly bats and spiders, as well as learning how to make folded paper pumpkins! All materials and equipment are provided, drinks and snacks are available for purchase during the session. Suitable for beginners ages 5 and over, children must be supervised at all times. From 10:30am - 12:30pm, £4 per child. Find out more.

Did you know that Holst’s great-uncle, the artist Theodor von Holst was the first illustrator of Mary Shelly’s novel, Frankenstein? To celebrate 200 years since Mary Shelly wrote her book the Holst Birthplace Museum invite your little terrors to make some gruesome masks – just in time for Halloween! There will also be a special spooky trail throughout the house! Drop into the Learning Space anytime between 11am - 3pm today. Children free with a paying adult or concession (£6/£5.50). Find out more.

Wednesday 24th October

Big fish, little fish, monster munch! KlubKidz Family Rave is back with a one-off spooktacular Halloween Special, suitable for 0 - 8 year olds! Expect a full on afternoon of ‘murder on the dancefloor’, including face painting, arty activities, a candy floss machine, confetti cannons, DJ's playing live music (club classics and current chart toppers), glow sticks and bangles AND a bouncy castle! Creep over to Pittville Pump Room from 2pm – 4pm, children £5 and their grown ups £7! Find out more.

The Regent Arcade is giving Kids Arcade Club Members some ghoulish spooks-a-plenty from 11am - 4pm, with the iconic Ghostbuster Car making an appearance (something for the grown ups) and a free slime workshop, eiiw! You also get to take a pot of slime home with you post-workshop, so expect to get ‘Slimer’ed! Find out more.

Thursday 25th October

A FREE morning of Fancy spooky Halloween crafts at Charlton Kings Library? Now that sounds supernatural! From 10:30am – 11:30am. Find out more.

The Mini Monsters Disco at Gas Green has been organised by SPTM Big Local, especially for little devils aged 14 and younger living in the St Peter's, St Paul's and The Moors area of Cheltenham. Party the afternoon away from 1:30pm - 3:30pm, costing just £1 per child. Find out more.

Something wicked this way comes to Wyevale Garden Centre! Tricks and treats include a free, spooky Halloween trail and a petrifying party for the whole family (pre-paid)! Make a witches hat or hunt spooky characters for a sweet reward! Halloween Parties include a tasty hot or cold tea and a fun activity sheet for little ones, costing £10 per child and £5 per adult, pre-booking is advised. From Wednesday 24th - Friday 26th October, between 3pm - 4pm. Find out more.

Hubble, bubble, toil and trouble! Our community's cosiest cafe, Smokey Joe’s, is hosting a frightfully fantastic Halloween Disco (with a wizard theme for all those Harry Potter fans)! Dance to spooky sounds and party tunes, get your face painted, try your hand at creepy colouring and play on the free retro video games in the 80's Games Room! This family party is perfect for children ages 4 - 10 years old and their adult accomplices! Fancy dress if possible - there's a prize for the best dressed too! Tickets cost £5 per child which includes a witches brew and cake. From 5:30pm - 7:30pm. Find out more.

Friday 26th October

This year's Halloween Hoot at Crickley Hill is a little less spooky and a little more playful, so scaredy cats needn’t fear! Enjoy a morning of family-friendly, frightfully fun crafts and wildlife-themed activities from 11am - 2pm, with a windswept walk optional! The craft morning is free to attend but there may be a small charge for some activities. Find out more.

It’s a monster’s ball at the London Inn! Are you ready to party round the tombstone at the infamous Children's Halloween Party?! Suitable for ages 3 - 11 years old, the wickedly wonderful party includes party time, fancy dress prizes, pinatas and games, party food and party bags! From 5:30pm - 7:30pm, tickets £7.50 per child. Find out more.

Dust off your Monster Mash at the Mini Monsters Disco bash! Cheltenham Borough Homes and Oakley Community Resource Centre join forces to host this special event from 2pm - 4pm, with games, prizes, dancing, snacks and spooks a'plenty! Bring your wigs, sheets and spandex - oh yes, fancy dress is encouraged! Tickets Cost: £2 per child, registration is required. Find out more.

Saturday 27th October

Yaaaay!! It’s the Showtime Shane Halloween Mega Party! Spooky magic tricks, a puppet show, Halloween games, crafty competitions and music - what a treat! Refreshments will also be available throughout the day, and bring lots of energy to play! Tickets £8 per child, doors open at 12:30pm with magic moments from 1pm! Find out more.

The Halloween Family Day at The Plough offers a ghoulish ghost hunt around the garden, a crafty cake sale, face painting, a fancy dress competition and more - KHB Foley Gifts is bringing some spooky sand art! Entry is free with some activities payable on the day and proceeds going to the Sue Ryder charity. All are welcome but the event would best suit ages 10 and under. From 3pm - 5pm, free entry! Find out more.

More dancing? It’s something like a scene from Hocus Pocus - has someone put a spell on us?! The Stoke Orchard Halloween Family Disco offers something for the whole Adams Family! Where else can you feel ‘normal’ dressed as Catwoman whilst tucking into a hotdog and chips (except a hen night)?! There’s a tuck shop for kids, a hot food van and plenty of chart hits to groove to! Tickets £5 each with under 1’s free, this is a ticketed event and all children must be accompanied by an adult, why would you want to miss out on this?! From 6pm - 11pm. Find out more.

Grab your glow sticks, UV paint and all things bright and glowing, whilst you run for your lives in the dead of night! The Devil Glow Run takes you through tunnels, crawlers, small climbs, water pits and trails into the dead forest and some of the scariest terrain in the county! This fun trail run is perfect for individuals daring to face the devil's playground, explore the dark and mysterious hills for a medal at the finish line! Suitable for only the very brave and children aged 10 and over! From 5pm - 10pm. Standard price for ages 10+ £28, group discount available. Find out more.

Sunday 28th October

TEE-RRIFYING HALLOWEEN at Mr Mulligans. Our scary golf course awaits! Between 4-8pm, there's 50% off golf for any child scarily dressed, glow stick lit golf course, face painting, competitions to win prizes plus Halloween pizzas and drinks! Find out more

Tuesday 30th October

Bibbity bobbity boo! Join Bishops Cleeve Bumps, Babies & Beyond for their special Halloween Party! The library will be getting decorated for day, with a spooktacular twist to the ‘witch-crafts' corner! Little ones are encouraged to come along in fancy dress, along with their grown ups too! Expect tasty cupcakes for mums and dads! From 10:15am - 11:30am, oh and it’s free! Find out more.

Wednesday 31st October

Do you dare delve into what lies beneath Sudeley Castle? Then the Halloween Children's Wednesday is for you! A team of archaeologists need help to unravel the gruesome secrets of their bone boxes and concoct a Medieval cure! Get devilishly crafty with arts and crafts inspired by skeletons and bones, and hide from Denzel the Dinosaur as he roams the grounds! Find out more.

The Shurdington Preschool Pumpkin Party is perfect for little ones who scare easy! From 12pm - 2:15pm enjoy a host of sensory and messy play activities, scrumptious food, terrifyingly terrific themed crafting, ghostly games, dancing and lots more! Come along and enjoy the party with the group! Find out more.

Cotswold Farm Park is bringing all the scares - for one night only! Halloween Land becomes ‘Fright Night’, a one-off ticketed event for ages 12+, with thrilling maze and live actors looking very lost! Make sure to bring your torch and that attendees aren't too afraid of the dark to attend before booking - and don’t mind staying up past bedtime! From 6:30pm - 10pm, standard entry £10 per person. Find out more.