October half term and Halloween events in Bristol

All kinds of spooky shenanigans are taking place in the city to help you entertain your little monsters this spoooooky season! Bristol Halloween events range from pumpkin festivals, an illuminated lantern parade, ghostly trails, zombie takeovers and freaky theatre to less scary autumn walks and performances. So if you’re stuck for what to do for the school holidays or Halloween this year, here’s a round-up of October half term and kids’ Halloween events in Bristol 2024.

*Please let me know if you’d like me to feature your Spooky Halloween events for kids Bristol and I’ll add them to the list.

Pumpkin picking patches in and around Bristol

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Halloween events in Bristol – Pumpkin patches

Autumn is here, and what better way to celebrate the season than by heading to a muddy field and picking your own pumpkin? Whether you’re after a cute pumpkin for carving or a gnarled one for spooky decor, Bristol has plenty of fantastic patches nearby, offering pumpkins and lots of festive autumn fun. Here’s where to go for pumpkin picking in Bristol:

15 best patches for pumpkin picking Bristol

Halloween things to do with kids in Bristol

October half term, Brunel’s SS Great Britain

2024 dates: 26 October to 3 November

Climb aboard Brunel’s SS Great Britain for family fun and eerie activities for all ages. Back by popular demand, ‘Woeful Wounds’ returns with a botanical twist, ‘Plants Crossing Continents’. Special effects artists will recreate gruesome symptoms from poisonous Victorian plants, giving brave young sailors realistic wounds to flaunt.

Explore the Haunted Ship and encounter ghostly apparitions of past crew members and passengers. For a spine-chilling experience, gather your family for Victorian Ghost Stories, where a costumed storyteller will share eerie tales from bygone eras.

Follow the Terrifying Turnip Trail around the dockyard, lit by glowing turnips, and discover fascinating facts about Victorian Halloween traditions.

Tickets give you unlimited returns for a year, so you can return for Victorian Christmas Weekend.

Brunel's SS Great Britain Terrifying turnip trail — Terrifying Turnip Trail, Image courtesy of Brunel’s SS Great Britain

Spooky Inflatable Funday, Emersons Green Village Hall

2024 dates: 1 November

Under 3 soft play area, disco, diddi cars, inflatables and more. No over 12s.

It’s a Hoot, Avon Valley Railway

2024 dates: 26-27 October

Go on a steam-hauled train ride and be entertained by Gizmo the Magic Wizard. Then, back at Bitton, see birds of prey from Pitcombe Rock Falconry and enjoy the autumnal trail around the station. Kids who go in Halloween fancy dress travel FREE. Check times and book tickets here.

FEARless at Avon Valley

FEARless at Avon Valley is back for 2024, running on select nights: 11, 12, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, 31 October and 1-2 November. Designed for 11-15 year olds, this immersive, family-friendly experience offers four scare attractions with just the right amount of fright.

The evening includes epic fire shows, spooky street performers, funfair rides, and side stalls. For adults, there’s the FEAR at Avon Valley Scream Park, plus a licensed bar, and delicious street food.

Halloween parties

Spooktacular Family Dance Party, Bristol Beacon

2024 dates: 31 October, 10am-11am, 11.30am – 12.30pm

Enjoy an hour of music, dance, and movement games led by two artists, with props, lights, and loads of fun. Designed for ages 3-8, but enjoyable for the whole family. Fancy dress encouraged!

Check ticket availability

Soft Play Halloween parties

The Curious Play Cafe Halloween Party – 26 October 2024
Be Weird Be Wild Be Wonderful Halloween Party for under 5s – 27 October 2024
Halloween Disco, The Play Shed – 30 October 2024
Halloween Party with Bubble House Bristol/Soft Play Heaven, Imperial Sports Ground – 31 October 2024
Witches & Wizards Family Fun Party Drama with Hannah Rose. Pavey House, Clifton – 26 October 2024. Ages 2-6
Costume Halloween Party, Imagination Fascination, Weston-super-Mare – 31 October 2024
Magical Moon Halloween Party with Wednesday & Weird Barbie, Kingswood Community Association – 26 October 2024

Best soft plays in Bristol

Halloween Discos Bristol

Halloween Disco at The Park Centre, Kingswood, ages 2-11, 2-4pm, 27 October 2024
Wednesday Adams Halloween SPOOKTACULAR Dance Party Zion Bristol: 2-3pm, 31 October 2024
Halloween Silent Disco Redcatch Community Garden, 9.45am-11am or 11.30-12.45pm, 31 October 2024
Happy Halloween Disco, Emersons Green Village Hall – 2 November 2024

Halloween events near Bristol

Halloween Light Trail, WWT Slimbridge

2024 dates: 11 & 12, 18 & 19 October and half term: 25 October – 3 November

Discover the Marsh Witch and her potions, pumpkins, shipwrecks, scarecrows, bats, and broomsticks. Make a wish in the pond zone, unleash your creativity in the arts and crafts area, or toast marshmallows by the firepit. Tuck into terrifyingly tasty street food at the Kingfisher Kitchen, until 8 PM.

Check ticket availability on the WWT Slimbridge website

Halloween half term trail, Tyntesfield

2024 dates: 26-31 October

As the nights draw in, things are getting spookier at Tyntesfield. Gertrude, the witch of Tyntesfield’s woods, is having a bad day—her cat, Whiskers, tore her Book of Spells! Help her by exploring seven activity stations along the trail. Return with the ingredients, and you might win a prize! The trail runs from Home Farm to Kitchen Gardens.

Don’t miss the stunning harvest display in the Orangery.

American Halloween, American Museum & Gardens

2024 dates: 26 October-3 November

Celebrate Halloween at the American Museum & Gardens near Bath with festive activities like the Halloween Creature Garden Trail, Bat Search, and Monster Mask Trail. On Halloween Day (October 31), there’ll be trick-or-treating (11am–1pm), a dog costume competition (12:30pm), and a kids’ costume parade (2pm).

Don’t miss Halloween Evening Theatre (October 28 & November 3) and Pumpkin Painting (November 1–3). Trails cost £2 each or £3.50 for both. No booking required.

American Museum and Gardens — American Museum & Gardens

A Grand Halloween at the Grand Pier, Weston-super-Mare

2024 dates: 26 October-3 November

Enjoy unlimited rides and meet the Wicked Witch with the Grand Pier’s Halloween Wristband. Includes entry to The Grand Pier, meeting the Wicked Witch of Weston (with a free gift and two adult admissions), unlimited rides for kids on attractions like House of Horrors and more, plus a Broomstick Flying Lesson for your little witch or wizard.

Enjoy a Family Rave, with Party Peeps On The Pier Halloween Party on 31 October. With games, challenges, amazing lighting effects, foam, bubbles, and confetti. Featuring live DJs, interactive hosts, prizes, character appearances, and photo opportunities. Plus, access to the pier, a licensed bar, sweet shop, face painting, and festival glitter stalls.

Halloween Activities for kids at The Helicopter Museum, Weston-super-Mare

2024 dates: 27 October

The Helicopter Museum’s hair-raising kid-friendly Halloween event involves live giant bubble shows, costumed characters and a haunted graveyard. Climb into helicopter cockpits, meet Frankenstein’s Monster, try face painting, take photos in the stocks, and enjoy a Halloween-themed menu in the café. FREE entry for all children in Halloween fancy dress.

Dragons and Wizards at Berkeley Castle

2024 dates: 27-30 October

This Halloween at Berkeley Castle, stop by wizarding school, meet baby dragons, learn their origins, and test your skills at taming the giant dragon—don’t forget to snap a photo of your legendary adventure!

Berkeley Castle South Gloucestershire — Berkeley Castle

The Harry Potter Potion Class, Coalpit Heath, Bristol

2024 dates: 31 October, 3.30pm

Join the Professor and all the other witches and wizards in a spooky-themed Potion Class, finishes in time to get home for some trick or treat fun.

Halloween Family Ball, Chipping Sodbury Town Hall

2024 dates: 26 October, 7pm

Fancy dress is highly encouraged for Chipping Sodbury’s Hocus Pocus Spook-tacular! Tickets include: live show featuring The Sanderson Sisters and Beetlejuice, meet & greet, themed decor, DJ, prizes and a few surprises too.

Book tickets (£12 adults / £8 children)

Halloween at Wookey Hole

2024 dates: weekends from 5-26 October, 26 October–3 November

What better time of year to visit the Witch of Wookey than Halloween? Once you’ve explored the caves, join in the Giant Pumpkin trail, 4D cinema, to see a new adventure with the crazy characters of Happy Family: Next Level 4D, watch a Halloween circus show, check out the vintage attractions, and take part in the daily best-dressed competition at 2.30pm in the Theatre. The Halloween adventure continues in the Circus, where you’ll enjoy a spooky 30 minute original show, ‘Ghost Pirates’.

Check ticket prices for Wookey Hole halloween 2024

Halloween events in bristol and nearby - Wookey hole

Halloween Zombie Outbreak at Mendip Activity Centre

2024 dates: 4 October-3 November

Are you brave enough to join Mendip’s Zombie Outbreak Response Team? Halloween activities will be taking place at Mendip Activity Centre throughout the month of October – expect spooky decorations, zombie targets, Halloween-themed tobogganing and more! All archery, air rifle, axe throwing, archery active, and tobogganing sessions will have a spooky Halloween twist.

Book now!

Mendip Basecamp — Mendip activity centre tobogganing

Zombie Archery at Brocks Outdoor Adventures, Bath

2024 dates: 4-6, 11-13, 18-20, 25-29, 31 October-1 November

Zombie Archery is back this Halloween season! Under the guidance of a GB Archery qualified instructor, you’ll learn to shoot a bow and arrow before the thrilling zombie-themed games commence. At the end of your session, test your skills in a challenge to shoot a headshot on a moving zombie torso for a chance to win a Halloween prize!

Check ticket prices and discover more info on the Brocks Outdoor Adventures website

Half term events Bristol

Circus Vegas, Durdham Downs

2024 dates: 27 September – 20 October

Half term halloween cinema

Hocus Pocus, Arnos Vale Cemetery

2024 dates: October 16, 2024, 5.30pm-7.30pm

Head to Arnos Vale Cemetery for spine-tingling cinema in the stunning Anglican Chapel. Kicking off our Halloween season is Hocus Pocus, featuring the iconic Sanderson sisters!

Tickets and info

Free things to do in October half term

Storytale festival, M Shed

2024 dates: 26 October

Storytelling events and activities for the children of Bristol at M Shed. See the Storytale website for more info.

Halloween half term early years day, RWA

Puppet and musical percussion activities for 2-4 year olds throughout the morning in the Family Activity Space, 31 October 2024. More info

Luke Gerram’s Gaia, Bristol Cathedral

From 15 October-9 November 2024, a 7-metre Earth artwork by renowned Bristol-based artist Luke Jerram, takes centre stage in Bristol Cathedral. Free to visit during usual Cathedral opening hours.

Don’t miss the Crafty Cathedral Gaia Special themed around Earth and climate.No booking or charge required, but donations are appreciated. Sessions run on 28, 29, and 31 October, 10am-12pm & 1.30pm-3;30pm.

Autumn walks and Halloween trails in Bristol

Get the kids outside to burn off those Halloween treats by getting outdoors and making the most of this colourful season. Here are some of the best autumn walks in Bristol for finding horse-chestnuts, brightly-coloured foliage and tree-dominated views.

Easy family-friendly autumn walks in Bristol

Bat trail at National Trust’s Dyrham Park

2024 dates: 26-31 October

There will be clues, facts and activities about our favourite upside-down friends to tie in with the half-term holiday and halloween. The trail sheet will be £2.50 each which will include a prize at the end.

More info

Spider Trail, Prior Park National Trust

2024 dates: 26 Oct – 3 Nov

Follow a spider trail around Prior Park with clues and facts about our favourite eight-legged friends. Complete the trail and get a prize at the end!

Family autumn trail at Westonbirt

Late autumn is one of the best times to visit Westonbirt Arboretum – the fiery trees and changing leaves are quite breathtaking. Combine your leaf-peeping with an October half term family autumn trail (until 30 Nov).

Free after paying admission to the arboretum, pre-booking is strongly advised over autumn.

Medieval Halloween at Sudeley Castle & Gardens

From 26 October to 3 November 2024, kids can seek out five mystical monsters and a Monsters Ball, in the daytime Medieval Monster Trail.

On 27, 29, and 31 October, the castle grounds will be transformed into a spooky trail between 3-5pm. As the afternoon light begins to disappear, smoke and spectacular special effects will bring a special atmosphere to the ancient castle grounds!

And adult spook-seekers shouldn’t miss the new spine-tingling lantern-lit ghost tours on 29, 30 and 31 October.