From pumpkin picking and potion-making to ghost walks and zombie hunts, there are plenty of spine-tingling thrills and chills this Halloween in the Cotswolds. Whether you’re looking for family-friendly fun for the kids or after something a bit scarier, we’ve picked 18 of the best events and activities taking place around the Cotswolds over Halloween and October half-term 2023.
Halloween in the Cotswolds 2023
Cotswold Farm Park
Adam Henson’s Cotswold Farm Park is embracing all things autumnal this Halloween. Visit the Pumpkin Patch (dogs welcome) to choose a prize specimen, which you can decorate in their pumpkin carving sessions. There’s also free face painting for kids, a selfie station, a maize maze and tasty treats like pumpkin-spiced lattes and homemade cakes in the coffee tent.
The Pumpkin Patch is open 6–8, 13–15, 20–22 and 26–31 October 2023 | Find out more
Fairytale Farm
Pirates meet pumpkins this Halloween in the Cotswolds at Fairytale Farm near Chipping Norton. You can meet the pirates, pick and carve pumpkins, search for treasure and take part in craft sessions at the Pumpkins n’ Pirates event. Or see the park lit up after dark at their Illuminated Evenings, with twinkling lights, colourful characters and dancing fountains.
Pumpkins n’ Pirates runs from 21–29 October 2023, and the Illuminated Evenings on Saturdays and Sundays from 7 October–26 November | Find out more
Cattle Country Farm Park
Choose from thousands of colourful pumpkins in the Pumpkin Patch at Cattle Country Farm Park near Berkeley in Gloucestershire. You’ll also find Pumpkin Patch photo booths around the farm where you can take the perfect autumnal family photo. Entry to the patch is included with park tickets, so you can meet the animals and enjoy indoor and outdoor activities too.
The Pumpkin Patch is open 7–8, 14–15, 21–22 and 25–31 October 2023 | Find out more
Over Farm
Dress up in your spookiest costume for a frighteningly fun day out at Over Farm near Gloucester’s Spookyard Halloween Festival. This family event includes a maize maze, tractor trailer and quad train rides, jumping pillows and mini golf. There’s also pick-your-own pumpkins, and fire jugglers, live music and street food on selected evenings for Pumpkins After Dark.
Pumpkin picking runs from 30 September–31 October 2023, with Spookyard from 28 October–5 November and Pumpkins After Dark on 13–14, 20–21 and 26–31 October | Find out more
Primrose Vale
At Primrose Vale Farm Shop in Shurdington, south of Cheltenham, you can pick your own pumpkin from their pumpkin patch, or follow the Halloween Farm Trail during October half-term. There are two trails for different age groups – one for pre-school kids and one for older children. They take you around the farm to complete challenges, tasks and puzzles to earn a treat.
Pumpkin picking takes places on 7–8, 14–15, 21–22 and 24–28 October 2023, and the Halloween Farm Trail runs between 24 October–5 November | Find out more
Hayles Fruit Farm
This Halloween at Hayles fruit farm northeast of Winchcombe there’s a spooky trail running through the orchards. You can also pick your own pumpkin, with a big selection of pumpkins large and small ready to carve for Halloween. And visit the farm shop and café on site to stock up on fresh produce or treat yourself to a tasty ploughman’s lunch or bowl of warming soup.
The Halloween at Hayles trail runs from 20–31 October 2023, excluding Mondays | Find out more
Sudeley Castle
With 1000 years of history, Sudeley Castle near Winchcombe has plenty of spooky tales to tell. And there’s a host of family-friendly activities taking place at the castle over October half-term for Halloweek. Learn about the secret power of plants from the Wise Woman, join Dig and Delve in the mud kitchen, or concoct your own magic potions in the Silly Science sessions.
Sudeley’s Halloweek events run from 28 October–5 November 2023 | Find out more
Blenheim Palace
This year’s Halloween at Blenheim Palace promises new thrills and chills in the grounds of one of Britain’s most impressive palaces. Follow the Halloween trail through a spider’s web tunnel, with fire performers and werewolves, scarecrows and vampires appearing out of the mist. There’s hot chocolate to warm up with or you can indulge in a Halloween-themed afternoon tea.
Halloween at Blenheim Palace takes place from 20–29 October 2023 | Find out more
Berkeley Castle
Train the kids to become perfect little monsters this October half-term at Ghoul School at 12th-century fortress Berkeley Castle, just west of the Cotswolds. This self-led, interactive audio trail takes students around the castle for lessons from vampires, witches, skeletons and werewolves. There’s also face painting on selected dates, and spooky storytelling from the Monstrous Minstrels.
Ghoul School takes place from 22 October–5 November 2023, with face painting on 22 and 29 October, and storytelling sessions on 23 and 31 October | Find out more
Woodchester Mansion
Head down into the Spooky Cellars at Woodchester Mansion this Halloween in the Cotswolds… if you dare. This Victorian Gothic mansion near Stroud was left unfinished partway through construction and is now home to rare horseshoe bats. Look out for pumpkins, skeletons, ghosts and ghouls – and follow the Golden Pumpkin trail around the mansion to win a prize.
Spooky Cellars runs from 27 October–5 November 2023 | Find out more
Corinium Museum
Go back in time for Halloween at the Corinium Museum in Cirencester. For the kids there’s the Dem Bones, Dem Bones children’s trail through the galleries and a Creepy Corinium Cupcakes workshop where you can make (and eat) your own monster. And Haunted Cirencester walking tours for the grown-ups explore the town’s urban legends and ghostly happenings.
The children’s trail takes place on 28 October, cupcake making is on 31 October and Haunted Cirencester walks run on 16, 26 and 31 October 2023 | Find out more
Wilson Art Gallery and Museum
Cheltenham’s Wilson Art Gallery and Museum is hosting a special Night at the Museum Halloween Party family event. The lights will go down for a Halloween trail through the museum’s galleries. And there’s lots of hands-on fun with activities, crafts and games, including making Halloween decorations, art projects, face painting and dancing to some spooky sounds.
The Night at the Museum is on 28 October 2023 | Find out more
American Museum and Gardens
Bath’s American Museum and Gardens puts a US twist on a traditional Halloween in the Cotswolds this year with its American Halloween Trick or Treat event. You can follow a potion trail through the museum and an autumnal trail through the gardens. There’s also colouring, crafts and puzzles in the stables, a LEGO exhibition and American Halloween treats to eat.
Trick or Treat takes place from 21–29 October 2023 | Find out more
Painswick Rococo Garden
Admire the autumn colours and spot the hidden scarecrows at Painswick Rococo Garden’s Great Scarecrow Hunt. Local organisations and groups have created scarecrows which are dotted around the gardens – find them all and you can win a prize. Dogs on short leads are welcome, and there’s lots to see around the gardens too, including the maze and woodland play area.
The Great Scarecrow Hunt runs from 28 October–5 November 2023 | Find out more
Birdland
The birds at Birdland in Bourton-on-the-Water get their own Halloween celebration at the park’s Trick or Tweet Weeks. Treat-filled pumpkins are used to provide enrichment activities for different species, with cassowaries, kea parrots and hornbills showing off their foraging skills. There’s also a family-friendly pumpkin trail around the gardens and special keeper talks.
Trick or Tweet Weeks take place from 21 October–5 November 2023 | Find out more
Gloucester Prison
Join in a zombie hunt in the creepy setting of former HMP Gloucester for the Salvation Z Halloween Scarefest. This interactive fright night covers four acres of prison buildings as you hunt down the undead after a lethal virus has taken over the world. Regular events are suitable for ages 14+, and there’s a less gory ‘not so nasty day’ on 28 October for younger visitors.
Halloween Scarefest takes place on 20, 21, 17, 28 October and 3, 4 November 2023 | Find out more
Oxford Castle and Prison
There’s another chance to be locked up for Halloween at Oxford Castle and Prison’s Ghost Fest. Take a spooky tour featuring ghosts and gruesome details from the prison’s 1000-year history (suitable for ages 12+). And kids aged 5–12 can join in a Potion-Making session during October half-term and concoct magical brews with help from the castle’s resident warlock.
Spooky Tours take place on 16–31 October 2023 and Potion-Making sessions from 21–28 October | Find out more
Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein
Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein in Bath is open late this Halloween for its After Dark – Nights to Die For, an intense multi-sensory horror event not for the faint hearted (or anyone aged under 15). Explore five floors of this 300-year-old building, with sounds, sights and special effects designed to scare you as you try to solve the puzzles and find your way to safety.
After Dark runs from 20–31 October 2023 | Find out more
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