With spooky season coming up, there is a wide range of Halloween events across Northern Ireland for all the family to get into the scary spirit this October.
From pumpkin patches and crafts to torchlight tours and murder mystery events, there is something to suit everyone.
Belfast
Across Belfast and the rest of the province, there is plenty on offer for you to immerse yourself in the spooky spirit.
The Strand Arts Centre is hosting a child-friendly fundraising ‘Halloween Crafternoon and Cartoons’ on Friday, October 25 and Saturday, October 26, at 11am and 2pm both days.
Kids can enjoy making badges, spooky bunting and hanging ghosts with retro Halloween cartoons being played on the big screen.
There will be prizes for the best dressed and popcorn and treats to nibble on while you work. Tickets are £15 per child and spaces are limited to booking is essential.
The RSPB NI’s Spooky Pumpkin Patch returns this year at Belfast’s Window on Wildlife (WOW) at Belfast Lough. The event will run on Saturday, October 26 and Sunday, October 27 from 12pm to 6pm each day.
For adult members it is £12 entry and a child member is £10. For non-members it is just £2 extra and a family of five (two adults and three children) you can purchase a ticket for £50.
Warming your hands by a turf fire in an 18th century fisherman’s hut, you learn of the men who once earned their living here, on this deserted island beside the precarious Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge
Co Antrim
Popular tourist attraction Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge is taking visitors’ fear of heights to new levels this October with their Halloween Fun Fest, taking place on Saturday 26 October and Sunday 27 October from 11am until 4pm.
National Trust Members and Local Pass Holders gain free access. Pre-booking is strongly recommended via the official website. This is a free event but normal admission charges apply.
The annual Halloween Hooley will take place at Larne Town Park on Tuesday, October 29 from 6pm until 8.30pm.
The night finishes with a spectacular fireworks show and the Halloween DJ will be hosting a monster mash on stage before the live band make their apparition. There will also be a “quiet time” from 5pm until 6pm. The event is free of charge.
Co Armagh
Slieve Gullion Forest Park will be home to the Footsteps in the Forest event offering the perfect Halloween adventure for all the family.
Visitors will embark on a guided, illuminated trail that traces the journey from Samhain’s origins to today’s Halloween celebrations.
Held in the evening, starting at 5pm, the event offers six guided trails running every 45 minutes, with the last tour at 8.45pm. Accessible tours will be available at 5pm and 5.45pm, featuring a brighter atmosphere and softer music. Irish language tours will be available on Tuesday, October 29.
The festival will run from Monday, October 21 to Tuesday, October 29. Family tickets go live on today at 11am, available through the Visit Mourne Mountains website. Each family ticket will admit one car, not one person (max tickets per booking is two).
A Halloween ghost tour of Armagh will tell tales of days gone by — coupled with a few surprises along the way!
An evening of Ghosts and Ghouls will take place from October 25 until October 28 for one hour.
This tour is suitable for 13-plus years of age. Those aged 13-18 must be accompanied by an adult (over 18). Tickets cost £16 and can be purchased from www.armagh-navancentre.ticketsolve.com
Castle Ward
Co Down
There are pumpkin patches aplenty across Co Down this Halloween season.
Mountpanther Farm Park just outside Dundrum is hosting its popular annual event over three weekends in October; Saturday 12 and Sunday 13, Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 and then the final extended weekend from Saturday, October 26 to Thursday, October 31.
Time slots are three and a half hours long with plenty to see and do on site, such as the haunted house, visit the animals and even pick a pumpkin and get it carved while you wait. Adults cost £14.99 for entry, a child (with pumpkin included) is £13.99. Booking is advised.
National Trust property Castle Ward, perched on the shores of Strangford Lough, is hosting a special murder mystery event ‘Whispers at the Wake’ on Saturday, October 12 from 7pm to 10.15pm in partnership with Play Dead NI.
Those taking part can enjoy a complimentary glass of prosecco in the Music Hall, before meeting the suspects in the historic rooms of Castle Ward.
Guests will then enjoy light bites and nibbles whilst deliberating over the evidence, before it is revealed who the murderer really is. This is a strictly over-18s event and tickets cost £55. Early booking is advised.
Co Fermanagh
The woodlands surrounding Fermanagh’s famous Marble Arch Caves play host to a special guided Monsters and Magic Halloween event.
The family friendly event is for children over five years of age and will run for hour-long sessions from October 26 until October 31 from 11am until 3pm. There will also be sensory-friendly sessions at 11am each day.
Tickets cost £8 for an adult, £8 for a child and £5 for children under 5.
This event is not suitable for push chairs, persons with restricted mobility or wheel chair access.
Another child-friendly Halloween event is being held at Enniskillen Castle. Spooky story time will take place on Wednesday, October 30 at 11am until 11.30am and then from 11.45am until 12.15pm. Event costs £5 per child and any accompanying adult is free.
Following the 30 minutes of story time, you can take the trail to track down all the Pesky Pumpkins hiding throughout the museum galleries (inclusive as part of the event ticket).
Suitable for children aged three years and over. All children to be accompanied by a responsible adult. Prior booking is essential.
People during the Derry Halloween parade in Londonderry. Picture date: October 31, 2022. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire
Co Londonderry
The famous Derry Halloween extravaganza has been dubbed the biggest and best in Europe and the 2024 line-up of events looks set to live up to its reputation.
The annual Halloween Festival will take place from October 28 to October 31, with most events free to enjoy.
The highlight of the festival is undoubtedly the legendary Halloween parade on Halloween night where the city’s streets are filled with fantastical floats, giant puppets, and thousands of people in extravagant costumes. Don’t miss the grand finale of a fireworks display over the River Foyle.
On the lead up to the event, The Jungle NI in Moneymore — just under an hours’ drive from the Maiden City — is putting on a special Fright Night event for 13 nights every weekend in October.
Prices start at £30 per person for the woodland trail only, but with the woodland trail and one scare attraction is will cost £40. With woodland trail access and three scare attractions tickets cost £57 per person.
The Derry Halloween Carnival and fireworks display along the banks of the River Foyle, Derry city last year. Picture Margaret McLaughlin
Co Tyrone
Todd’s Leap Activity Centre in Ballygawley has a wide selection of haunting Halloween activities to suit all ages.
Explore Granda Ben’s BOO trail which is running the whole month of October. The trail runs from 1 October to 31 October from 10am until 4pm. Prices are £7.50 for adult and £7.50 per child.
The Ulster American Folk Park in Omagh is taking you back in time with their spooky torchlight tours in The Uncanny World of Crudden Boyle.
Visitors will unearth the mysterious world of Crudden Boyle with their annual torchlight tour on Saturday, October, Tuesday, October and Wednesday, October 30. The tours will take place every 15 minutes on these dates starting from 6pm. Tickets can be bought online and cost £15 for an adult and £15 for a child.