11 of England's top fright nights this Halloween
If being scared silly is your idea of a good time, you're in for a treat (and perhaps a trick or two), because we've rounded up this year's best Halloween events.
Whether it's terrifying takeovers of our favourite theme parks or standalone fright night attractions, which are the stuff of nightmares here's where to up the fear factor this Halloween.
Nothe of the Living Dead, Weymouth, Dorset
For a truly terrifying coastal escape, head to Weymouth. Zombie Week will take place between 26 October and 2 November, and horrifying highlights include a Zombie Treasure Hunt on 26 October and a Zombies, Ghouls and Witches Parade on 2 November.
One of the town's most popular Halloween events is the Nothe of the Living Dead, a fright night event at the town's (supposedly haunted) Nothe Fort on 26 and 27 October.
If joining in, you must save the world from a zombie takeover as you explore the fort, avoiding zombies and being scared out of your wits by monsters who emerge from the castle's darkest corners.
Primevil, Norfolk
Every year, Primevil takes over the Roarr dinosaur park in Lenwade, near Norwich. But trust us - rampaging dinosaurs have nothing on the horrors you'll experience at this annual event.
The fun (or frights) kick off on 17 October and last until 2 November, and the scare fest kicks off at 6 pm every day. There will be multiple haunted and zombie-filled buildings to explore (brave the freak-filled Circus of Terror at your peril) but for a different kind of fear factor, there's also one of England's largest high ropes courses; if you manage to escape the haunted houses, that is.
Fright Nights at Thorpe Park, Surrey
Get set for some serious scares at Thorpe Park's annual Fright Nights, which start on 4 October and last until 3 November in 2024.
We're especially excited about the five scare mazes including new-for-2024 Deadbeat, although the various scare zones, such as Lucifer's Lair with its truly terrifying soundtrack are certain to spook you silly.
Other new attractions for this year include IT: The 4D Experience, guaranteed to appeal to (or terrify) fans of Stephen King's famous clown, and visitors will also be able to ride Hyperia, the park's scariest ride, in the dark.
Gulliver's Fright Fiesta, Warrington, Cheshire
Let's face it: while nothing beats a good scare, not all of us want to be left wondering if we're going to make it home alive. And for younger scare-seekers, the annual Fright Fiesta at Gulliver's World in Warrington offers the ideal scare session.
Visitors are encouraged to don Halloween-themed fancy dress, and daily events include Gilly's Halloween Dance Party. Many of the park's most popular rides get a Halloween-themed makeover, and the Haunted Mansion is the perfect spot for ghostbusters-in-training. Keep an eye out for the marauding scare actors, too. The Fright Fiesta kicks off on 21 October.
Brick or Treat, Legoland, Windsor, Berkshire
Brick or Treat* is another great option for younger visitors (although if we're honest, we reckon it will be a hit for LEGO-loving adults, too).
LEGOLAND Windsor* does a fantastic job of giving its park a Halloween-themed makeover and this year visitors who drop by between 27 September and 3 November can expect supersized LEGO skulls, themed rides, fearsome frolics at the Monster Jam show and the chance to watch the 4D Great Monster Chase movie.
There are plenty of Halloween-themed LEGO builds to get involved with, and one of the spookiest spots will be Monster Street, where visitors can meet and greet (or run away from) LEGO's scariest characters before grabbing some free LEGO treats during regular giveaway sessions.
Fiesta of the Dead, Blackgang Chine, Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight becomes the Isle of frights between 25 and 31 October, largely thanks to the Día de los Muertos-inspired Halloween Fiesta of the Dead events at Blackgang Chine, the UK's oldest amusement park.
It's all about interactive fun (or frights) here during the spooky season, when visitors can practice their potion-making skills in the Rumpus Laboratory, bash out some dastardly dance moves on the Rumpus Lawn or confront their deepest, darkest fears in the spook-filled Rumpus Mansion.
We'd rank the fear factor as low to medium, making this particular event perfect for those who might not be able to stomach the scariest of fright nights.
Journey to Hell Freak Nights, Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Lancashire
The terrifying name of Blackpool Pleasure Beach's scare-fest is a reminder that these fright nights aren't for toddlers or those of a nervous disposition.
Visit Blackpool Pleasure Beach between 11 October and 31 October and you'll be scared silly by roaming monsters, evil clowns, crazed carnival dwellers and the theme park's resident ghost, Cloggy.
Journey to Hell is a terrifying, experience-led event, featuring live actors through themed areas of Pleasure Beach Resort, immersive scare zones and unlimited riding after-dark, guaranteed to leave adrenaline flowing and hearts thumping.
Thrillseekers are invited to challenge their worst fears this October and come face-to-face with the gruesome undead, sinister clowns, ghostly apparitions and more. New for 2024, you can experience nine terrifying rides engulfed in darkness, if you're brave enough.
The best bit? If ghouls and zombies don't do it for you, you can ramp up the thrills on one of the six terrifying new rides which will be part of this year's Freak Nights.
Visiting Blackpool this Halloween? Don't miss the range of ghoulish events at The Blackpool Tower Dungeons* and The Blackpool Tower*.
Scare Kingdom, Mrs Dowson's Farm, Blackburn, Lancashire
For most of the year, Mrs Dowson's Farm is a place where visitors go to cuddle cows, perfect their downward dog during goat yoga sessions and generally learn about life on the farm.
But this year, between 4 October and 9 November, the farm becomes Scare Kingdom, a hellish playground with five mazes, 130 themed spaces and 80 roaming scare actors.
And trust us, when it comes to the mazes, getting lost is by no means the scariest prospect, because with names like Sickness, Gothica and Body Snatchers, these are mazes you'll want to spend minimal time in.
Scarefest, Alton Towers, Staffordshire
Rides such as Nemesis Reborn, Wicker Man and The Smiler are some of the reasons Alton Towers* is regarded as one of the UK's most terrifying theme parks, irrespective of the time of year, but its annual Scarefest, which takes place between 11 October and 3 November this year, certainly takes things up a notch.
The park's terrifying Scare Zones will include The Attic: Terror of the Towers, a scare maze presided over by an evil governess, and the Burial Grounds, where you'll come face to face with the undead.
Younger visitors will love (or possibly hate) the frightful Haribo Trick or Treat Town and the CBeebies Land Monster Ball where they can take to the dancefloor in their finest Halloween garb.
Howl'o'ween, Chessington World of Adventures, Surrey
Howl'o'ween* is Chessington World of Adventure's Halloween takeover, and it takes place between 5 October and 3 November.
It ticks all the boxes: there are spooktacular shows such as the Wild Witches (expect plenty of spell-binding acrobatics), late-night access to rides such as Vampire, and meet-and-greets with characters like Wilf the Werewolf and Violet the Vampire Bat.
Venture into the Wild Woods area of the theme park at your peril; this is where Chessington's fearsome Vile Villagers hunt for their next victims.
Fear Scream Park, Bristol
This is one of the UK's most terrifying fright night attractions. We're not sure what's scarier: the immersive experiences such as Exorcism - the Suffering of Evelyn Grace or the sheer detail of sets like X4, a series of zombie-filled tunnels created by a mysterious research company.
Then there are the scare actors who haunt experiences such as Malefica, where you'll explore the cellars of a haunted church with a research team tasked with unravelling its gruesome past.
Need a breather? Head to Fearless, a frightfully fun zone designed for under 16s (and those who simply need some time out) where you can explore four (toned down) scare attractions while sipping a Halloween-themed mocktail.
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The above guide shows the climate in London. Find out more about conditions year-round across the country in our complete guide to the climate in England.
Looking to save on Halloween fun? Don't miss the latest deals with the Merlin Pass*, which includes entrance to multiple Merlin attractions, and the Kids' Pass*, specially designed to help you cu the cost of theme park entry fees for juniors.
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