Halloween

October is a great month for events in Nottinghamshire - and you’re sure to feel a shiver run down your spine with these frighteningly fun festivities happening at Halloween. There’s no better place to be as ghosts, ghouls and all things ghastly emerge from their hidey holes and the dark tales of the city's history are revealed. So get ready to scare yourself witless while discovering haunted hotspots, exploring creepy caves, and hearing terrifying tales of murder and mischief.

City Centre Capers
 

Halloween comes to the heart of the city with the Old Market Scare looming between Friday 25 - Thursday 31 October. Enjoy a live action scare maze at the Horror Hotel, take a selfie with the giant pumpkin, and enjoy a witches brew at Nottingham’s scariest bar. On the big night itself there will be live bands, giant dancing skeletons and other eerie entertainment to enjoy, so come down in your creepiest attire for a horrifically good time!

The National Justice Museum have teamed up with exquisite cocktail bar The Alchemist for a series of unique Spirit Tours on Tuesday 29 & Wednesday 30 October. Start the night with the dark art of mixology and calm your nerves with a delicious cocktail before taking a tour of the 500-year-old gaol and courtrooms. Enjoy eerie tales of the city as you are guided through the streets to the beautiful surroundings of The Alchemist to recover with a cocktail and nibbles.

On Thursday 31 October, take part in a huge city-wide trick or treat and discover more of Nottingham city centre. Pick up your free It's In Nottingham Halloween Trail map and get set to hunt out the hidden ghostly characters, collect goodies, brew up potions and take part in craft activities and games. The fun starts at Trinity Square where the Ghostbusters car ‘Ecto 1’ will be parked up and available for photos, plus the It’s in Nottingham Ghostbusters will be handing out free treat bags at 10am and again at 12 midday! Tailor your own trail, visiting as many stops as you like and joining in with various activities at each stop. You can pick up your map at participating stores.

No Halloween would ever be the same without watching at least one scary film. Get yourself tickets to Mayhem Film Festival at Nottingham's finest indie cinema Broadway taking place this year between 10 - 13 October which showcases the best in horror, sci-fi and cult cinema, through feature films, short films and special events..

Creepy Castles & Macabre Mansions

The county’s castles and grand stately homes may be beautiful and peaceful by day, but they take on an altogether creepier atmosphere at night. Even the bravest of sceptics will be feeling the fear as they encounter the exciting events happening over Halloween.

Children will love the exploring the grounds at Belvoir Castle's Family Frightfest, which offers storytelling, spell making, pumpkin carving and costumed guides south of Nottingham. If you are headed north why not wander the wild woods of Rufford Abbey and get involved in their Halloween Monster Hunt? Or check out the gothic Thoresby Park and try out their Witchcraft and Wizardry Trail.

One of Nottingham's premier clubs STEALTH is upping roots and bringing the party to the 500-year-old mansion Wollaton Hall for a grand Halloween Festival on 26 October, featuring Halloween themed cocktails, Nottingham’s best food-vendors, and spooky fancy dress. 

Join the executioner’s wife, Madame Parboiled, for a variety of tours around Nottingham's most haunted historical buildings throughout the Halloween season. Take a Torch Lit Ghost Walk of Wollaton Park or take Ghostly Tour of Wollaton Hall itself, discover the Ghosts of the gorgeous Newstead Abbey, or if you fancy staying in the city join her for her regular weekly Historical Pub Tour to hear the sometimes gory and unusual history of Nottingham's city centre watering holes.
 

Terrifying Tours & Tales

If you dare, why not book onto one of the Ghost Hunts taking place at some of Nottinghamshire's oldest and most haunted attractions, and embark on a quest to discover some paranormal activity? Starting at Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, The Original Nottingham Ghost Walk is one of the city’s most popular experiences and you are bound to be entranced by the rich tales of Nottingham's haunted history. From one spooky walk to another, join Nottingham’s ghost ‘Ezekial Bone’ as he haunts the cobbled streets of the atmospheric Lace Market, telling frightful tales of Guts & Gore.

Join Nottingham raconteurs The Woolly Tellers for two evenings of atmospheric storytelling over the Halloween period. An Evening of Ghostly Tales takes place in the old kitchens of Wollaton Hall on Halloween night itself, finishing with a walk amongst the dismal corridors, tunnels and places that lie below Nottingham’s most ancient grand old house. Then on Friday 1 November you can hear about the dark side of human nature in at Dark Tales and Dire Deeds at Nottingham's Victorian music hall The Malt Cross.

There’s certainly no shortage of horrible history smeared across the walls of the National Justice Museum, where countless crooks and criminals met an abrupt end, swinging from the gallows above the front steps. Along with their regular Ghost Tours, Fright Nights run every other Saturday from 28 September and feature an intensely immersive experience. For a child-friendly version, why not go for a Kids Ghost Hunter Tour, which take place regularly between 26 October and 1 November.

Family Frights
 

For some slightly milder Halloween fun, the Family Scream Park at Twinlakes, a Family Halloween Night at Conkers and Monster Mania at Gulliver’s Kingdom are all hosting child-friendly spooky events, including treacherous trails and trick or treating galore!

Is that bloodthirsty vampire bats you hear fluttering in the darkness? No, it’s the beautiful butterflies at The Tropical Butterfly House! At this year’s Wizard’s & Witches, wannabe witches and wizards can join a magical school of witchcraft, meet a storytelling witch, dabble in potions and meet a multitude of curious critters.

Cruise around the ice in your most awful attire at the National Ice Centre on Saturday 26 October and enjoy gloopy slime, scary face painting and horrifying photobooth filters. Halloween themed tunes will be thumping at the Halloween Club Party, or head to the earlier Scaries & Fairies party for younger children.

Finally, if you have little ones that like to get hands on, Green's Windmill are offering two Halloween themed workshops. Bake some spooky biscuits on Saturday 26 October, or decorate your own Halloween themed mask on Thursday 31 October. You can also head to see Nottingham's cutest residents at Stonebridge City Farm and get involved in a variety of Halloween activities.

Thinking of booking a family holiday this October? Book a cabin at Forest Holidays and there is plenty of fun things to sink your fangs into, including a free pumpkin and carving kit for ever cabin! After you’re done carving your Halloween pumpkin, don’t forget to snap a photo of it and post it to Twitter, Facebook or Instagram using the #HartsPumpkinArt. Your pumpkin art will be automatically entered into Hart’s Pumpkin Art Competition with two grand prizes up for grabs, including an overnight stay and dinner for two at Hart’s Hotel & Kitchen, and a family ticket to see Sleeping Beauty Pantomime this December at Nottingham Playhouse.

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With so many creepy events taking place in Nottinghamshire this Halloween, you’re sure to be quaking with fear and excitement, as the Halloween in Nottingham fun reaches a bone chilling climax.

For even more Halloween events in Nottinghamshire please see the list of events below.