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A guide to Halloween in Leeds
9th October 2023
Join the ghosts and ghouls of Leeds and prepare your coats, hats, scarves and gloves for some chilling events across the city. Have a Spooktacular Halloween with offerings of ghost walks, shows, workshops and interactive experiences. There is something for everyone, from family friendly frights for the half-term to the truly terrifying tales for our adult audience.
For family friendly frights
Combine half term fun and Halloween with many places offering a whole week of spooky goings on.
Why not join the famous ghosts of Temple Newsam for their Halloween Hauntings and Ghost Tours. Or up at the City Museum a whole week of things to do! The 31st of October will be a Fun Day complete with magic shows and face painting. The Central Library will be having an entire Spooktacular Family Day with spooky outfits encouraged. Explore the Victorian streets of Abbey House Museum decorated specially for Halloween with a toddler-friendly trail. For something a little different Kirkstall Abbey is putting on a Harry Potter magical themed panto, at what is considered one of the most haunted places in Leeds. Older children will enjoy Lotherton’s Skeleskare: Return of the Lost Souls, an interactive walk through the grounds. Watch our for the demons, ghouls and witches jumping out at every corner!
Go down to the docks at the Royal Armouries for their Pirates & Highwaymen week with great adventure stories, live combat, plus loads of fun activities to keep the kids out of mischief (and a sea shanty or two).
For more mature scares
Hold your loved ones close whilst you watch some scary movies this Halloween. Left Bank will be putting on the 1970s cult classic Suspiria with prizes for those showing up in costume! Or like your movies older? Enjoy silent movies The Cabinet of Dr Caligari at the Old Woollen Mill or Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde at Howard Assembly Room with live musical scores. Want your scares on the lighter side? Why not join The Wardrobe and paint the Scream whilst enjoying some drinks! Howl with laughter over at the City Varieties Music Hall with a Funny Girls Halloween spectacular. Or roll on to the Corn Exchange for the roller skating disco with the Roller Girl Gang. Get really into the scary side of Halloween with master illusionist David Alnwick’s show Necromancer at The Great Escape Game. Sold out at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival it is now terrifying the people of Leeds! Leeds 2023 with Ellie Harrison and Zion Art Studio, invite you to celebrate the Day of the Dead with their 9 day event All That Lives, where you can learn about Mexican traditions for Día De Los Muertos, contribute your own experiences and get help and advice with the difficult theme of life and death.
For more events over Halloween and further into the year visit our What’s On section.
Whatever’s on your Halloween hit list, Leeds has an experience to match. How about making a weekend of it and bagging a few terrifying tickets with a comfy hotel to retire to after? Find the right one for you in our guide on where to stay.