Whether you fancy pumpkin picking, ghost hunting or being chased through award-winning horror mazes, Leicester and Leicestershire are going all-in on Halloween this year.
Halloween season has officially landed in Leicester and Leicestershire, and the region’s packed programme of spooky events means there’s barely a corner of the city or county escaping the eerie festivities.
From giant inflatable monsters perched on historic landmarks and haunted pub crawls through ancient streets to pumpkin patches, horror film marathons and family-friendly trails, there’s something for everyone this half-term, whether your idea of Halloween involves magical witches or genuine nightmares.
Leading the charge is Leicester’s free Monster Trail, running until October 31, which has transformed the city centre into a playground for oversized creatures. Eight giant inflatable monsters have taken up residence at iconic locations, turning a casual stroll around town into a monster-hunting adventure.
If you’d rather be terrified than entertained, make a beeline for Xtreme Scream Park at Twinlakes near Melton Mowbray. The multi-award-winning attraction has returned with seven scare mazes packed with live actors, jump scares and enough nightmare fuel to keep even hardened horror fans awake long after Halloween night.
Pumpkin patches, witches and family fun
Families are particularly spoiled for choice this year.
At Cattows Farm, visitors can tackle the Zombie World Trail, explore Trick or Treat Street, hit the Halloween roller disco and pick pumpkins before venturing into the attraction’s dinosaur-filled Lost World.
Meanwhile, Twycross Zoo is bringing Julia Donaldson favourite Room on the Broom to life with a themed corn maze, character appearances and the chance to meet the story’s famous witch.
Over at Conkers, a ghost train and Halloween Forest Light Walk promise spooky adventures among the trees, while the National Space Centre is adding a cosmic spin to the season with Spooky Space: The Science of Magic. Think creepy experiments, hands-on activities, planetarium shows and space-themed Halloween fun.
And then there are the pumpkins.
From Broom Leys Farm and Kirkby Pumpkin Patch to Oscar’s Pumpkin Patch, Wymeswold Fruit Farm and Windmill Farm Park, Leicestershire’s countryside is bursting with opportunities to pick your perfect pumpkin, ride tractors, get lost in corn mazes and embrace your inner autumn cliché.
Leicester’s darker side
Of course, Halloween and history make a perfect match, and Leicester has plenty of both.
The city’s medieval Guildhall, widely regarded as one of Leicester’s most atmospheric buildings, becomes a focal point for ghost stories and gothic gatherings. Its Ghosts at the Guildhall event promises chilling tales in suitably spooky surroundings.
For those fascinated by the city’s murkier past, a series of Hidden Histories walking tours explore everything from local ghost stories and witches to tales of murder, betrayal and unexplained encounters.
Halloween night itself will see brave souls embarking on a Haunted Leicester Historical Pub Crawl, combining centuries of local history with stories of hauntings and mysterious happenings inside some of the city’s oldest pubs.
Elsewhere, candlelit tours at the 1620s House in Donington le Heath will reveal how people once protected their homes from evil spirits using witch marks and ancient superstitions.
The Guildhall is also embracing the strange and unusual with its first-ever Alternative Market, before hosting the Leicester Witch Festival on Halloween itself, celebrating modern witchcraft, community and alternative culture.
Horror lovers are eating well
Film fans haven’t been forgotten either.
The Guildhall is screening cult favourites The Lost Boys and John Carpenter’s Halloween, while the National Space Centre is transforming its giant planetarium into a cinema for special screenings of The Conjuring.
Meanwhile, independent cinema Phoenix is once again unleashing its legendary Frightarama horror all-nighter, featuring cult classics including Inferno, Event Horizon and Zombie Flesh Eaters.
The venue is also running a season of cult and queer horror throughout October, with screenings ranging from Hellraiser and Jennifer’s Body to Ken Russell’s controversial masterpiece The Devils.
The verdict
The biggest challenge this Halloween might not be finding something spooky to do. It might be choosing between hunting giant monsters in the city centre, wandering through pumpkin patches, delving into Leicester’s darker history or screaming your way through one of the UK’s most acclaimed scare attractions.
Either way, Leicester and Leicestershire are serving up one of their biggest Halloween programmes yet, and whether you’re six or sixty, there are plenty of ways to get your fright fix.
