Pumpkin picking, spooky screenings and family-friendly frights
No matter how old you are, with little ones in tow, it’s hard not to get swept up in the Halloween spirit. And, akin to most things with kids, you’re far better just leaning into the madness. So whether you’re planning a wholesome family day out pumpkin picking or you’ve got your eye on a spooky screening, we’ve got you covered with a whole host of kid's Halloween activities across Manchester this October.
For Halloween activities for adults, check out What's on in Manchester: Halloween 2024.
Kenyon Hall Pumpkin Festival
28 September - 31 October
Tickets from £2.95
Home to over 20,000 pumpkins, Kenyon Hall Farm is the place to go for this year's jack-o-lantern. With plenty of photo opportunities and a carving tent packed with design ideas, there's everything you need to create your own Halloween friend. Plus there's an on-site farm cafe for you to grab a hot chocolate (or two) once you're done.
Halloween Pumpkin Festival
12-31 October
Tickets from £10.50
From vampire archery to petting baby goats, giant bouncy outdoor pillows and a ride on the Spooky Express, Reddish Vale Farm has it all. With a dedicated pumpkin carving station for you to craft your own spooky creations, there's plenty to keep little hands busy.
The Trafford Trails
Trafford Centre
17 October - 3 November
Tickets from £9
Join the team behind The Twilight Trail for a spooktacular journey filled with family-friendly scares. With over 100,000 lights and immersive installations, The Trafford Trails will transport you to a sensory Halloween adventure. Perfect for children of all ages.
SPOOKFEST
Trafford Centre, outside The Great Hall
19 October - 3 November
Tickets from £3
Boasting a five-metre pumpkin tower, haunted house and plenty of treats, Spookfest is back. With a dedicated fun fair complete with ghost train and plenty of options for snacks, Spookfest is the perfect day out.
Ghost Train
24-31 October
Tickets from £12
All aboard! Join forces with the Monster Squad and help them squash a host of ghoulish villains along the East Lancashire Railway. You'll enjoy a haunted house walkthrough, a 60-minute steam train ride, spooky entertainment and a goody bag for each child.
Manchester Science Festival: Arachnobot
19-20 October
Free
Get ready to meet the unforgettable Arachnobot as it takes over the Manchester Arndale just in time for Halloween. An incredible giant spider created by Artistic Director Tim Davies, Arachnobot will both terrify and enchant passers-by in a high-impact spectacle controlled by a single puppeteer. In partnership with Manchester Science Festival 2024, you can also get involved in special spider science activities, finding out about how spiders use vibrations to locate their prey.
Wizard & Fairies Cruises
Manchester River Cruises
21-27 October
The Wizards & Fairies Cruise is setting sail from Salford Quays! Bring your little wizards and fairies along for a 1-hour magical cruise that promises endless fun for children aged 2-10. With live actors on board to keep the kids busy, you can sit back and take in Manchester’s waterways.
Halloween at Quarry Bank
Quarry Bank
25 October - 3 November
Spend an evening at Quarry Bank Mill and watch out for flickering flames in fiendish fire pits, daring fire performers and grinning pumpkins aglow. Plus, you can skip dinner. There are plenty of fiendishly good options available.
Manchester Halloween Monsters
Across the city
25-31 October
Free
Manchester knows how to do Halloween. And if you're looking for something free to do in Manchester city centre this October then the Halloween monsters are a great place to start. The inflatable street art by Filthy Luker and Pedro Estrellas has been a Halloween staple in Manchester for the past few years and everyone's favourite monsters will be cropping up again in 2024.
Museum of Illusions
Market Street
Available throughout October, pop into the Museum of Illusions for a mind-bending day out. Whether exploring mind-tricking holograms, getting lost in the kaleidoscopic Infinity Room, or feeling disoriented in the famous Vortex Tunnel, there’s something magical for everyone.
HALLOWGREEN
Merseyway Shopping Centre and Redrock Stockport
26 October
Free
Make your way to the glittering Emerald City at Merseyway and enjoy sparkling performances from the most popular oz-some characters. Armed with a magical map, little witches and wizards can find the yellow brick road on the trick-or-treat trail. Then, from 5pm Stockport will transform into Greenrock for an evening of wicked games and a mini disco outside Redrock.
The Halloween Spooktacular
Freight Island
26 October
The Halloween Spooktacular is back at Freight Island for 2024, and it’s going to be bigger and better than ever! From a kid's disco, School of Wizards Halloween Trail to face painting, there's plenty to keep little ones busy. Got the tweens on tow? They can try their hand at the Hula Hula circus skills workshop and marvel at the Cequin Circus Fire Show.
Mini Monster Mash
26 October
Tickets from £4
Head down to the historic Victoria Baths for a one-of-a-kind day of activities. With a silent disco for mini-monsters to boogie along to, crafts to get stuck into and a Halloween-themed ‘Miles of Tiles’ activity trail, there's plenty to enjoy.
Want to loop us in on the best things happening this Halloween for kids? Email Charleym@confidentials.com
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Read next: What’s on in Manchester: Halloween 2024
Read again: What's on in Manchester: October 2024
