Hair-raising happenings around the capital. All of these London Halloween events are family-friendly but use your discretion if you have younger kids.
CENTRAL & WEST LONDON
Free Family Workshop: Spooky Cut & Paste at Somerset House, the Strand, WC2 (Charing Cross tube)
Get out your scissors and gloopy glue for an arts and crafts session with Yasmin Ismail making wands, witches’ hats, cauldrons, masks and anything else your imagination can conjure up. 2-4pm, FREE (Oct 27)
Mini Movies & Movie Magic at V&A Museum, Cromwell Rd, SW7 (South Kensington tube)
Make a monster or fairy with your face and body (for under 5s) in the Seminar Room, Sackler Centre. Catch a screening of The Wizard of Oz (2pm, daily) and a Halloween screening of PG-rated The Addams Family (12pm, Oct 31), both screened to accompany the museum’s Hollywood Costumes exhibition. Kids activities 11am, 1pm & 3pm, kids films’ 2pm (& 12pm on Oct 31); all FREE (Oct 27-Nov 4)
Boo at the Zoo at London Zoo, Regent’s Park, NW1 (Regent’s Park tube)
A creepy crawly programme of events including macabre makeovers of the Animal Attraction area, spooky crafts, storytelling and a 10% discount for kid in fancy dress. 10am-4pm (regular opening hours), adult £21.50/child £16/under 3s FREE (Oct 27-Nov 4)
Halloween Storytelling at London Eye, SE1 (Waterloo tube)
The Witch Academy is hosting grim storytelling aboard the London Eye, with a chance to hunt for riddles, cast spells and earn goodies. 1.30-5.30 pm hourly; adult £25.50/child £15/under 4s FREE (up to 20% discounts online) (Oct 27-Nov 4)
L’il Monsters Halloween Ball at Hard Rock Cafe, 150 Old Park Lane, London W1 (Hyde Park Corner tube)
Get stuck into some macabre mayhem including scary games with prizes and of course rewards for best fancy dress and face painting. Tickets include full American style buffet breakfast with hot drinks for adults and soft drinks for kids. 10am-12pm, adult £11.95/child £7.95. Reservations: London_reception@hardrock.com (Oct 28)
Tooth and Claw at Grant Museum of Zoology, UCL, University St, WC1 (Euston tube)
Meet Nature’s deadliest carnivores, from cobra snakes to killer sharks. 11am-5pm, FREE (Oct 29-Nov 3)
Pumpkin Carving at Fortnum and Mason, Regent St, W1 (Piccadilly Circus tube)
Annual chance to show off your carving skills, with Kids Comp (3-5pm, judging 4pm) and Adult Comp for ages 11+ (6-8pm, judging 7pm), plus wizard nibbles and libations on offer. 3-8pm, adult £10/child FREE (Oct 31)
Halloween Face Painting at Eeenymeeny Shop, 8 Campdale Rd, N7 (Tufnell Park tube)
Get your little monsters all trolled up in time for trick or treating at a special free face painting session by Kimberley of Slap London. For ages 3-10. 3-6pm, FREE (Oct 31)
NORTH & NORTH WEST LONDON
Culpeper Garden Halloween Party at 1 Cloudesley Rd, N1 (Angel tube)
Apple bobbing, magic lanterns and spooky trail in the gorgeous gardens. 5-7pm, FREE (Oct 31)
Witch Weekend at Royal Air Force Museum, Grahame Park Way, NW9 (Colindale tube)
Learn how broomsticks fly and make your own witch on a stick. Drop-in, 11am-1pm & 2-4pm, FREE (Oct 27-28)
Rumpelstiltskin at Arts Depot, 5 Nether St, Tally Ho Corner, North Finchley N12 (West Finchley tube)
Spellbinding fairytale told with puppets and music for ages 3-7. 12pm & 3pm, £8 (Oct 28)
Halloween Boat Trips at London Canal Museum, 12-13 New Wharf Rd, N1 (King’s Cross tube)
Embark on a spooky narrowboat ride through Islington tunnel. Scary face painting and treats on offer. Boat trip 50 min, departs at regular intervals from 3pm-9pm; adult £10/child £8 (Oct 27-28)
Baby Rave Halloween Ball at Pirate’s Castle, Oval Road, London NW1 (Camden tube)
Camden’s coolest family party throws a shindig to make you shudder. For babes 0-7. 3.45-5.15pm, adult £4/child £3 (Oct 28)
Halloween at Lauderdale House, Waterlow Park, Highgate Hill, N6 (Highgate tube)
Don’t miss the hottest tickets in North London, including spooky workshops (Oct 29-30, 2-4pm) and ever popular spooky trail (Oct 31, 45 mins sessions from 5-7.15pm). £6.50, everyone over 2 needs a ticket. (Oct 29-31)
Spooky Secret Garden on Parliament Hill, Hampstead Heath, NW3
Ghoulish goings on at this popular annual event for toddlers and up. 3-5pm, FREE (Oct 30)
EAST & SOUTH EAST LONDON
Witches & Warlocks at Cutty Sark, Greenwich, SE10 (Cutty Sark DLR)
Enjoy freaky tales of Nannie, Cutty Sark’s original witch, along with scary singsongs and prizes for best fancy dress. 11am-4pm, £10 (Oct 28)
Time Travellers Go… Ghosts and Ghouls at Eltham Palace, Court Yard, Eltham, Greenwich SE9 5QE (Eltham rail)
Get scared silly with creepy crafts and ghost hunting galore. 11am-4pm; adult £9.50/child £5.80 (Oct 28-31)
Experience Cinema: Halloween Screamings at The Round Chapel, Powerscroft Rd, E5 (Hackney Central overground)
The team behind Rooftop Cinema presents freaky flicks for kids and adults, with ET and Shaun of the Dead (Oct 30) + Ghostbusters and The Lost Boys (Oct 31). Kids shows from 4pm, adult shows from 7.30pm; adult £10/child £8.50 (kids films); adult £12.50 (adult screenings) (Oct 30-31)
Live Canon’s Halloween Poetry at Horniman Museum, 100 London Rd, SE23 (Forest Hill overground)
Come along for a poetry party of horrible haikus, witching words and more from Britain’s best-loved poets. For ages 3-8. 11.30am-12.15pm & 2.30-3.15pm; £3 (Oct 31)
Halloween Masks at Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, SE10 (Greenwich DLR)
Make some scary decorations and masks to terrify friends and family. Ages 5+. 12-3pm, £2 per child (Oct 31)
SOUTH & SOUTH WEST LONDON
Halloween Fun Run at Battersea Park, SW11 (Sloane Square tube)
Put on your scariest costume and run to raise funds for the Stroke Association. 6pm registration, 7pm start; £15 registration fee (Oct 25)
Wonder Hill Market Halloween Monster Mash Tooting Tram & Social Club, Mitcham, SW17 (Tooting Broadway tube)
A ghastly feast of live bands, tea parlour, stitch a body workshops and Thriller dancing! 12-5pm, FREE (Oct 28)
Eddie Catz Halloween Party in 68-70 Putney High St, 1st floor, SW15 (Putney Bridge tube)
Typically a sell-out event, this year stars Twitch the Witch and Count Dracula, plus DJs and fancy dress catwalk. 5.30-7.30pm; adult £4/child £13 (adult ticket includes wine, child ticket includes meal)
Halloween Half-Term Fun at Ham House and Garden, Ham St, TW10 (Richmond tube)
Explore the ghostly garden trail and enjoy themed crafts. Kids in fancy dress go free with a paying adult. 11am-4pm, £1 (Oct 27-Nov 4)
OUT OF TOWN
Pumpkin Festival at Willows Farm Village, Coursers Rd, London Colney, St Albans, Hertfordshire, ALF
Escape to the farm for pumpkin hoopla, young driver’s zone, animal challenges and loads of family activities. 10am-5.30pm; adult £13.50/child £14.50 (Oct 27-Nov 4)
The Secrets behind the Dark Arts at Warner Brothers Studio, Studio Tour Drive, Leavesden, WD25 7GS on satnav (London Euston to Watford Junction rail)
Go behind the scenes of Harry Potter this half-term, explore potions, discover make up techniques and come face to face with Death Eaters. 10am-6.30pm; adult £28/child £21/under 4s FREE (Oct 28-Nov 4)
Look at your utterly gorgeous boy! I want to pull those cheeks!
lol They are very pinchable and kissable too. I miss my cheeky bubbas out here on the other side of the world! Hope you’re well x
Great round-up. Didn’t realise there were so many Halloween events. And yes those cheeks are immensely pinchable! Too cute x
Hey there, glad you like. And I can’t believe I’m missing it all! I recommend the Secret Garden party in Hampstead. Also there’s a BLD Halloween boogie today in my Weekend Guide :-)