Soon the ghosts will come out to play, cackling witches will take to the skies, blood-craving vampires will be seeking to quench their thirst and skeletal figures will be punching their way out of the dirt. When these supernatural beings roam the streets it can only mean one thing: Halloween in Manchester is here.
Whether you’re adding the final flourishes to a year-in-the-making costume or digging out crooked cat ears from the back of your cupboard, the haunting holiday promises plenty of dastardly fun in the form of ghost tours, candlelit concerts and even a spooky silent disco. Once you’ve sorted your own décor, picked up a pumpkin and done your trick-or-treating duties you might have your heart set on keeping the celebrations going. To help you decide, we’ve rounded up the best things to do in Manchester this Halloween…
1. Seek out spirits on this Manchester Ghost Tour
Dip your toe into the astral realm on a hair-raising hunt for ghosts around Manchester. Your smartphone will play the role of the guide; supplying clues that, when solved, lead you to some of the most haunted places in the city. On the spooky self-guided tour you’ll uncover stories that will send the shivers down the spine of even the most stoic non-believer and visit historic sites such as Manchester Cathedral, Palace Theatre and Albert Square. Grab your jumpsuits and proton packs, you’re in for a bumpy ride with this Manchester Ghost Tour.
🎟️ Find tickets here.
2. Hunt down the giant monsters popping up around Manchester
If you embark on a walk through Manchester city centre anytime during Halloween week you’ll likely spy a giant inflatable monster or two. The menagerie of oddly-endearing creatures have been invading the city for the past six years and are set to do it once more. Hide-and-seek doesn’t seem to be their strong suit though, as these pop-up Halloween monsters are often spotted hunkering down behind Printworks or peering over Piccadilly Place.
For the first time ever, the epic Manchester Monsters, created by artists Filthy Luker and Pedro Estrellas will invade the city’s rooftops and buildings on the opening day of the Halloween in the City festival – available for families to explore from Saturday 25th-Friday 31st October 2025.
🎟️ No tickets needed.
3. Dare to enter a terrifying horror experience in an abandoned asylum near Manchester
Newsham Park Hospital in Liverpool could easily be mistaken for an old hotel left to ruin – its windows boarded up, perimeters overgrown. This Halloween, the haunted building less than an hour’s drive from Manchester will host a spooktacular in the form of Newsham Scream Park, a series of blood-curdling spooky attractions to get you in the gruesome spirit. Each experience will wind through the dark bowels of the building, filled with deepening dread and moments of sheer blood-curdling panic, as guests follow each nightmarish path through Newsham Scream Park.
🎟️ Book here.
4. Sneak drink behind bars at Alcotraz
If the supernatural doesn’t scare you the stone-cold glare of the Alcotraz prison warden just might. A place where breaking the rules is the only way to survive the night, this experience is not for the lily-livered, in fact a concrete liver is exactly what you’ll need when it comes to the cocktail portion of the night. Once you’ve wiggled into your orange jumpsuits and smuggled in liquor, the next step is indulging in some delicious concoctions made by fellow inmates. If a day of booze-fuelled crime sounds like something that to tick off your bucket list then head to Alcotraz Manchester.
🎟️ Book here.
5. Get on a board a Halloween ghost train
The ultimate Halloween event is not-to-be-missed in 2025, with new twists and surprises throughout the popular event, as the East Lancashire Railway launches the ‘Year of The Bat‘. Are you ready for a fang-tastically frightening time on board the Halloween Ghost Train? Count Brian the Vampire, his trusted henchman Bogeye and the whole monster squad are just dying to meet you at the East Lancashire Railway to celebrate the Year of the Bat this October!
The bat-themed haunted house walkthrough and the ghoulishly decorated footbridge will see creepy characters including Zombie Bob and his Monster Squad roaming throughout, ready to help investigate with those who dare, alongside Veronica the Witch and Vampire Brian, all before the 60 minute long interactive “scream” train ride through the Irwell Valley.
🎟️ Book here.
6. Solve a murder mystery on the steam railway
If you’re after something immersive for the grown-ups in the gang, look no further than the murder mystery events put on by ELR. Have you got the super-sleuth skills to find clues and solve a murder? The detective persona to interrogate the suspects? The judge and jury deliberation to identify the killer? All on a moving train? The murder mystery evenings on the East Lancashire Railway (ELR) are the perfect way to enjoy delicious food and an evening of murder, puzzles, questioning and solving the ultimate whodunnit.
🎟️ Find out more and book here.
7. Stop a ghostly menace on the Haunted Manchester tour
On a fateful (and fictional) day in Manchester a student named Loky met his watery end when he drowned in the icy depths of the canal. The act was not an isolated incident or unfortunate accident but the malicious work of a serial killer who roamed the banks of the canal, his name: The Pusher. On this Haunted Manchester tour you’ll explore the darker side of the city, solving clues and uncovering stories about the trapped spirits who fell victim to this murderer. Keep your wits about you: everything might not be as it seems…
🎟️ Book here.
8. Prepare to enter a world of horrors at this spooky abandoned theme park
The North’s most spine-chilling Halloween attraction, Scare City, is back for its sixth year, and it’s more terrifying than ever. Starting out as a drive-in cinema in 2020, Scare City is now a walk-through horror attraction and will see the gates of the long-abandoned Camelot Theme Park reopened with the ruins resurrected into a living, breathing nightmare. By torchlight and terror, thrill-seekers will descend into a haunted kingdom ruled by fear and monsters, promising a journey through darkness for thrill-seekers and horror fanatics alike.
Scare City will transform the abandoned theme park into a sprawling post-apocalyptic nightmare featuring a selection of terrifying new zones – including ‘The Hollow’, a desolate woodland, ‘Puppet Master’, the toy maker’s workshop where innocent toys hide deep dark secrets, as well as the return of several familiar faces including ‘The Slaughter House’, where Camelot’s resident cannibal lives, and ‘Carnivalley’, the madhouse that is no laughing matter. ‘Abyss’ is also set to return as ‘Abyss 2.0′, featuring a room shrouded in darkness, where thrill seekers’ bravery will be put to the test in claustrophobic conditions, unsure of what, or who, might be within reach.
🎟️ Book here.
9. Tremble with fear as you enter a terrifying virtual reality experience
Manchester’s largest virtual reality arcade, DNA VR, is giving guests the chance to live out their horror movie dreams (and nightmares!) with an array of horrifying and gruesome immersive virtual reality experiences. Visitors will find a wide-range of hair-raising virtual horror simulations to complete, such as navigating their way out of the Hospital Of Horror escape room, evading the supernatural in Manor Of Escape, or fighting off hordes of the undead in Arizona Sunshine, there is something for every horror-lover at DNA VR.
🎟️ Book here.
10. Take the family along to Halloweenville
The amazing family-friendly attraction, formerly known as the Halloween Lakeside Trail and now reimagined for 2025, is set to transform the picturesque 70-acre site nestled in the idyllic Cheshire countryside. Halloweenville is an enchanted land where you can fully immerse yourself, along the route there will be a cast of Halloween inspired characters creating a Halloween storybook setting.
This year’s theme will take visitors ‘under water‘ to the haunting depths of the Gold Lake where ghostly sea creatures, sunken secrets and the skeleton pirates spring thrillingly to life. The unmissable experience comes to Partridge Lakes in Culcheth, Warrington from Friday 3 October to Friday 31 October 2025.
🎟️ Book here.
11. Have a spooky skate in the heart of Manchester city centre
Skate Manchester is the largest ice rink in the UK that is partially powered by the grid making it the more sustainable attraction of its type in the UK. With the return of Skate Manchester for another year, Mancunians and those visiting the city can enjoy a fully covered and weatherproof rink for skaters. Skate Manchester has announced that it will be returning to Cathedral Gardens for the autumn and winter season, this year seeing the return of the hugely popular Scare Skate – providing a themed spooky skating experience for all ages.
🎟️ Super early bird tickets are available to purchase online here.
12. Try your hand at picking your own pumpkins
Whether you’re doing it for the ‘gram or just absolutely love getting your carve on, there are plenty of spots to pick your own pumpkinin Manchester. For many, picking a pumpkin straight off the shelf is enough, but for others, us included, getting down and dirty and feeling like you’ve earned this symbol of autumn is what we want.
With more pumpkin patches popping up every year, we’re spoilt for choice, and if you travel in any direction out of Manchester, you’re sure to find a farm, field or makeshift spot to pick your own, and it’s the perfect activity for all the family. See our full guide here.
13. Spook your mind at the brand new Museum of Illusions
Although not an exclusively Halloween activity, a visit to Museum of Illusions should be on the cards for a mind-bending day out, and you’re sure to leave at least a little spooked. The one-year-old 10,700 sq ft space is filled with “fascinating holograms, mind-bending illusion rooms, and astonishing exhibits intended to trick the mind and puzzle perceptions” – similarly to the other Museum of Illusions sites across the globe.
In addition to the museum’s signature, most popular and photo-worthy exhibits, such as the Walk-in Kaleidoscope, Vortex Tunnel, and Infinity Room, visitors will be treated to custom-made installations that celebrate Manchester’s unique culture and heritage.
🎟️ Book here and give it a go.
14. Catch a spooky movie at King Street Townhouse
Step into the intimate and immersive 20-seat screening room at King Street Townhouse for spine-chilling Halloween cinema screenings and delightfully wicked cocktails crafted just for the occasion. Complete with popcorn and pick’n’mix, the line-up of classic horror and new-age thrillers will keep you on the edge of your seats.
From Rocky Horror Picture Show to Practical Magic and The Exorcist, there’s a spooky movie for every taste this season. Choose from a screening only ticket (£15) with food and drink available to purchase on the night, or upgrade to Cocktail, Screening, Snacks (£30) or Afternoon Tea, Cocktail, Screening, Snacks (£65), for an unforgettable spooky season outing.
🎟️ Find tickets here.
15. Spooky fun for all ages at LEGOLAND Manchester with Brick-or-Treat
YouTube video via LDC Manchester
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Watch the LEGO 4D Movie The Great Monster Chase
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Build your own LEGO pumpkin and help us make a spooky monster garden
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‘Scarevenger’ hunt – What can you find hiding in the haunted MINILAND?
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Meet and greet with character mascots – Scarecrow and Lord Vampyre
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Bring your best monster moves and join them for a Halloween dance party!
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Brew your own LEGO potion at the Potion Kitchen
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Photo opportunities for the whole family.
The monster activities take place on weekends and in school holidays from 27th September to 2nd November.
🎟️ Find out more and book tickets here.
16. Dance the night away at Manchester’s own Warehouse Project
On both the day itself, and Saturday 1st November, Warehouse Project will be leaning in to spooky season. On Friday 31st October, WHP Halloween: Warehouse Banger sees the institution team up with cult British label Sports Banger for a one-off Halloween blowout: Warehouse Banger. This genre-defying night features live legends Leftfield, Ewan McVicar, a heavy-hitting b2b from The Blessed Madonna and HAAi, plus, salute presenting Infinite Passion, and more.
WHP Halloween: Marlon Hoffstadt’s Party of the Year on Saturday 1st November Berlin’s Marlon Hoffstadt aka DJ Daddy Trance makes his WHP debut with a high-speed and feel-good rave experience. With boundary-breaking names like HorsegiirL, VTSS, Sam Alfred, and Sedef Adasi in tow, expect a genre-smashing celebration of trance, techno, and everything in between.
🎟️ You can find tickets here, and more information on this year’s WHP season here.
17. Take a spooky stroll at the Halloween at Quarry Bank Trail
This October, the grounds of Cheshire’s historic Quarry Bank will once again be transformed by a spine-tingling illuminated Halloween trail, returning from 23rd October to 1st November with more chills, thrills, and ghostly spectacles than ever before. Step into the shadows and prepare to descend into a world where history and horror intertwine.
On the path beside the Mill, the Headless Horseman rides once more — this time accompanied by a mysterious lady roaming on foot. Inside the Mill itself, a chilling welcome awaits from the sinister Georgian Mill Owner, echoing through the darkness with a threatening laugh.
This year’s newly revealed trail highlights include:
- A field of 50 gravestones and 12 coffins, marking the passage into the underworld
- 3.5m tall giant skeletons with flickering red eyes, towering over the night
- A haunting descent past 50 Demon Eyes, glowing from deep within the forest
- The remains of bodies — bones and skeletons by the Mill wheel, with red mist rising from beneath
- A haunting procession of 10 life-size spirits, drifting through the grounds
- A Pumpkin Garden and a monstrous Carnivorous Garden, where Venus flytraps and other sinister plants seem to bite back
- 5 giant spider webs strung between trees and structures
- Spooky projections cast across the old Mill walls, bringing Quarry Bank’s darker history to life
🎟️ You can book ahead here.
18. Follow the Ivy brick road
This spooky season, take a stroll down the yellow brick road and into The Ivy Spinningfields Brasserie, Manchester as it transforms into The Ivy Emerald City. With a magical dessert, perfectly pink and gloriously green cocktails, Halloween is not to be missed this year at The Ivy.
From 25th October, The Ivy in Manchester will be serving up a wickedly delicious dessert, perfect for rounding off a meal this spooky season. Crafted exclusively for the occasion, The Emerald City Apple sees a chilled apple parfait perched on a golden blondie bed with milk foam, accompanied by a raspberry coulis. Complete with a green witch’s hand and a cloud of candy floss, the dessert is an indulgent and enchanting treat for guests with a sweet tooth.
On the day itself The Ivy in Manchester will be hosting an afternoon of fun for all the family, perfect for entertaining little ones during the half term. Guests who dine at The Ivy Spinningfields Brasserie, Manchester on October 31st between 3pm and 5pm can expect an afternoon of complimentary face painting and goody bags for kids with The Ivy team dressed for the occasion, creating a magical atmosphere for families.
🎟️ You can book in here.
19. Zip into Heaton Park of Horrors
Heaton Park of Horrors returns to Zip World Manchester from 25–31 October, offering a spooky daytime adventure perfect for thrill-seeking families. Set high among the trees in the Treetop Nets, children can bounce, leap and dash through a sky-high maze filled with cobwebs, surprises and cheeky frights.
Mischievous ghouls lurk in the branches, and the Sinister Scavenger Hunt adds an extra layer of fun with creepy clues and ghostly discoveries hidden throughout the haunted forest. Tickets start from £10pp and include full access to the Treetop Nets and scavenger hunt (suitable for ages three and up).
🎟️ Find tickets here.
20. Indulge in Ember’s Monster Masquerade
Ember Travixen will be bringing her hugely popular ‘Ember & the Vixens‘ cabaret to the dazzling Fairfield Social Club on Saturday 1st November. The event space will become a Halloween-style cabaret den, featuring live music, burlesque, spoken word, circus and more in this cabaret spooktacular.
The show will be a love letter to all things creepy, spine-tingling and nightmarish. Expect mesmerising music, sensual burlesque, punchy spoken word, and hypnotising circus with themes to fully embrace and celebrate All Hallow’s Eve. Ember invites you to join her for a fun-filled evening of liberation, empowerment and first-class entertainment, whether you’re a Halloween fanatic – or just love a good show.
🎟️ Get tickets here.
21. Get bougie with The Cut & Witchcraft
The Cut & Craft is hosting The Cut & Witchcraft, where guests will enjoy a killer three-course menu and live entertainment throughout the evening. Enjoy a dinner experience with DJs and live drag shows from The Sanderson Sisters, Poison Apple Pudding and smoking potion cocktails from 7pm on Friday 31st October.
Dressing up is welcomed, but not vital. But let’s face it, everyone will want a bathroom mirror picture dressed as Sabrina Carpenter!
🎟️ Book here.
22. Get into the brand new CULTPLEX‘s STAB Season
The relaunch of CULTPLEX catapulted this revitalised venue straight into their annual STAB Horror Season which is always their busiest month of the year. Highlights of this year’s offering include a Q&A with acclaimed director Peter Strickland (Berberian Sound Studio), a 25th anniversary showing of Chris Morris’ JAM, a live edition of hit podcast Scarred for Life with special guest John Thomson and a screening of horror classic Deep Red with a live soundtrack.
Manchester’s many horror fans can also enjoy movie marathons including a vampire all-nighter and a Chucky all-dayer, plus a whole slew of screenings spanning slimy Oscar hit The Substance, zombie classic Day of The Dead and the cinema’s annual screening of cult-fave The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue.
🎟️ View the schedule and book here.
23. Bounce into Hallo-week at Total Ninja
From 27th to 31st October, ninjas can transform into witches and wizards for spooktacular fun at Total Ninja Manchester during the wicked Hallo-Week. For just £18 per person, families can enjoy a two hour long session, plus a ninja trick or treat hunt with special themed stickers and an activity sheet. Ninjas who successfully master their sticker sheet can show it to a crew member for a special Halloween treat.
Total Ninja Manchester tests your Ninja skills while climbing, balancing and swinging across obstacles or bouncing across giant inflatables – plus find out if you have what it takes to beat the wall!
🎟️ Book in advance here.
24. Experience Duran Duran’s Danse Macabre Halloween extravaganza
British music icons Duran Duran are summoning all Halloween enthusiasts to show up, dress up, and celebrate All Hallows’’ Eve in style in Manchester. For one night only, on Friday 31st October 2025, fans can expect an exclusive Halloween gig at Co-op Live in Manchester filled with the essential hits, alongside rarely-played songs from the Duran Duran crypt.
Now a highly anticipated annual tradition, The Danse Macabre Halloween Party was originally conceptualised at a fabled October 31st gig for the ages in 2022 at the Wynn Theatre, Las Vegas. Now that special night is immortalised across 13 songs on the band’s 16th studio album, ‘Danse Macabre’ – a spectacular record threading together new music, themed covers, and darkly reimagined versions of Duran Duran’s classic songs – and we’re definitely expecting a spot of Hungry Like The Wolf…
🎟️ Tickets available here.
25. Explore spooky goings-on at Treehouse Hotel and Pip restaurant
Treehouse Hotel Manchester is transforming into a hub of spooky and playful Halloween experiences this October, with activities across the hotel and its destination restaurant, Pip.
Guests and locals alike can enjoy:
- Swizzels Trick-or-Treat Station (1 – 31 October)
- CityCo Halloween Monster Trail (25 – 31 October)
- Halloween Flix Film Club (27 – 31 October)
- Murder Mystery Dinner at Pip (1 November)
🎟️ Book in advance and find out more here.
26. Enjoy the Carnevil at Bongo’s Bingo
Bongo’s Bingo is transforming into a twisted circus of chaos, confetti and carnage this Halloween at the Albert Hall – on Friday 31st October and a double whammy on Saturday 1st November. The Carnevil is a night of madness and mischief under the big top, where the clowns are creepy, the prizes are freaky and the surprises are more bonkers than ever before.
The spooky season is being amped up to the max, so expect the usual antics and surprises on top of some seasonal frights packed in to the magic and mayhem. And as always for Bongo’s Bingo’s themed events, dressing up is encouraged to help set the terrifying tone this Halloween. So whether it’s a killer clown, a wicked witch or the pure horror of a scary ex – the spookier the better this Halloween at Bongo’s Bingo The Carnevil.
🎟️ Get tickets here.
27. Get dressed up for Hard Rock Cafe’s spook-tacular Lil’ Monster’s Ball
Hard Rock Cafe Manchester is summoning a spine-tingling treat this Halloween season with limited time menu items and a ‘fa-boo-lous’ breakfast feast for their popular Lil’ Monster’s Ball event.
Between 21st October – 2nd November, guests can thrill their taste buds with the devilishly delicious BOOberry Smash Burger, curated with Applewood Bacon, Creamy Brie Cheese, Crispy Shoestring Onions, and a Blueberry Chipotle sauce; and quench their thirst with the BOOberry Zombie Beverage, made with blueberries, Barcardi superior rum, triple sec, pineapple juice, lime juice and simple syrup.
Collectors and Hard Rock fans can also get their hands on a limited edition Halloween-themed pin from the on-site Rock Shop.
🎟️ Book ahead here.
28. Sip on dramatic and spooky cocktails at The Alchemist
When it comes to Halloween, The Alchemist proves once again that no one stirs up the spirits quite like them. This October, guests can experience all things theatre, including a limited edition Halloween serve: the striking jet-black Midnight Zombie, available exclusively from 27th October till 2nd November.
A limited-edition twist on the beloved Dead Red Zombie, the Midnight Zombie blends Appleton Estate Rum, Wray & Nephew, Grand Marnier, citrus, pineapple, pomegranate, blood orange and mango. Finished with a theatrical zombie syringe adding that Alchemist flair.
Guests can also try some of The Alchemist’s other spooky favourites, including:
- Flash AF: A bold and fiery serve combining Seven Tails Spiced, Martini Rubino and Appleton Signature Rum with strawberry and marmalade, topped with a theatrical ginger foam that ignites the senses (literally)
- The Mad Hatters (best shared between two): A whimsical and interactive potion of Ketel One Vodka, St Germain, Grand Marnier, citrus and summer fruits, presented with a touch of The Alchemist’s signature science for a curious, otherworldly experience
- The Zombie Apocalypse (best for a group): A dramatic and shareable showstopper featuring Bacardi Carta Blanca, Wray & Nephew, Grand Marnier, citrus, pineapple, cranberry and a bespoke zombie mix, brought to life with signature Alchemist theatre for the ultimate Halloween spectacle
🎟️ Book a table here.
29. Tuck into Flight Club’s Spooky Brunch Special
Flight Club Manchester – the lively Social Darts and cocktail bar – is serving up a bottomless Halloween brunch this October that’s so good it’s scary. The two-hour Halloween Brunch Weekender is available on Friday 31st October through to 2nd November, so whether you’re a Friday night ghoul or a Sunday-funday spirit, you won’t miss out.
Expect some Halloween themed tunes from the resident DJ, a devilish cocktail on arrival, a bottle of prosecco for every guest, frighteningly good bottomless pizza paddles and an hour at the oche throwing sharp pointy things (otherwise known as Social Darts!). Come dressed up and be in with a chance to bag some treats!
🎟️ Book here.
30. Explore the spooktacular goings-on at the Trafford Centre
This October, the Trafford Centre will transform into a realm of thrills, chills and family fun with a packed programme of Halloween events guaranteed to send shivers down the spine. From spooky crafts to hair-raising rides and eerie evening entertainment, there’s something for every brave soul.
Halloween Fair, 25 October – 2 November, 2-8pm daily
Step right up… if you dare. Nerve-shredding rides, spine-tingling atmosphere and carnival vibes outside The Great Hall. Rides and attractions include Terror Towers, Jumbo Circus, Magic Mouse, Rock Rage and loads more!
🎟️ Book here.
Fright Night, 30 October – 1 November, 7.30pm – 9.30pm
For three terrifying evenings, the Halloween Fair gets turned up to screaming level with creepy characters roaming the grounds (strictly for over 12s).
🎟️ Book here.
The Big Wheel, open daily from 25 October
Ascend into the misty night sky, high above Trafford Centre for eerie night time views!
Gandeys Spooktacular, 10 October – 2 November
Under the big top, expect death-defying stunts, illusions and a macabre finale that will stalk your dreams.
🎟️ Tickets and more info available here.
31. Get sheet-faced at Electric Shuffle‘s Halloween Brunch Weekender
Electric Shuffle – the stylish high-tech shuffleboard and cocktail bar – is adding an eerie-sistible twist to its bottomless brunch with a two-hour Halloween Brunch Special, available Friday 31st October through to 2nd November – because only basic witches settle for just one day of fun!
Expect a spooktacular cocktail on arrival, followed by a bottle of prosecco for every guest, frighteningly good bottomless pizza paddles, an hour at the shuffleboard table and live DJs playing all the Halloween classics. Come dressed up and be in with a chance to bag some treats!
🎟️ Book ahead here.
32. Get a first look at the launch of Tangerine with its Halloween Weekender
A leading collective of Manchester’s hospitality creatives have joined forces to unveil a new arthouse, music hall and canteen destination, located quite literally between the tracks of Salford Central Station and between the cities of Manchester and Salford, called Tangerine.
Tangerine officially opens to the public on Friday 31st October with a huge Halloween weekender, inviting the city to explore its maze of spaces and be part of its first chapter. The programme will feature live music, DJ sets, pop-up performances, and exclusive food and drink offerings from the Cantina Collective. Entry to the Tangerine Halloween weekender launch is free via advance sign-up on their website, and tickets are expected to go quickly.
🎟️ Sign up here.
33. Feel the surrealism of Ex Machina at the Chotto Matte Experimnent
This Halloween, Chotto Matte Manchester invites guests to step out of the ordinary and into the ‘Chotto Experiment‘, a thrilling, futuristic lab inspired by the sleek surrealism of Ex Machina, the pulse of Japanese tech futurism, and the atmosphere of neon dream blurring the lines between science and horror.
Taking place across the Halloween weekend (31st October-1st November), the Chotto Experiment will transform the 20,000 sq. ft venue into a glowing, otherworldly lab, where the lines between cuisine, performance and sci-fi fantasy blur.
Guests can indulge in a selection of Halloween exclusive specials including ‘Blue Matter‘, and experimental cocktails ‘Serum X‘ and non-alcoholic mocktail, the ‘Chotto Experiment‘ – available from 31st October-2nd November. Two live DJs will perform, while for one night only on Saturday 1st November, lab performers will bring the space to life with hyper-chic ‘mad’ scientists and robots there to test their subjects…
🎟️ Book ahead here.
34. Immerse yourself in ‘The Inferno’ at Sexy Fish
This Halloween, Sexy Fish Manchester invites guests to step beyond the veil and descend into ‘The Inferno’ – a one night only experience unleashing a molten-coral underworld where abyssal myth collides with volcanic fantasy, in partnership with Don Julio 1942. On Friday 31st October, the Manchester restaurant will be reborn as a submerged oasis of volcanic fantasy and deep-sea myth, with ‘The Fish are Hungry’ becoming the night’s call as Sexy Fish Manchester becomes an immersive aquatic inferno.
Guests can expect a night of complete transformation with an ‘immersive dreamlike’ world created – with spellbinding live performances and a DJ set from Martin Costa, interactive theatrical moments with mysterious sea-born characters and visuals, cinematic sounds and viral installations creating share-worthy photo moments. The ‘Inferno Dessert Platter‘ will also launch for Halloween, featuring an array of spine-tingling treats such as Chocolate & Chilli Truffles, Charcoal Donuts with a Raspberry and Chilli Jam and a Pumpkin and a Yuzu Koshu Ice-Cream.
🎟️ Booking is essential here.
35. Sample the new Evil Dead 2025 brew at Rivington Brew Co
Nestled in the gorgeous countryside of Rivington, Rivington Brew Co is throwing its annual spooky celebration, with live music, food specials from vendors and of course, the Evil Dead 2025 beer selection to try. Alongside all three brand new beers pouring on keg, and cans to take home with you, Rivington Brew Co will also have on offer:
- Official 2025 Evil Dead glassware
- Holographic Evil Dead ’25 stickers for the first 100 Evil Dead drinkers
- Live DJ set from @billybeedee
- Food specials from Bun Chicken Bun, Char & Meld
- Prizes for the best fancy dress
- Exclusive keg pouring from Burial Beer Co from Asheville, North Carolina
Evil Dead 2025 beers will be available from 12pm on Friday 31st October.
🎟️ No ticket required – first come first served.
36. Get into character with A Gotham Halloween – Supper Club at Louis
Instagram post via @louisrestaurants
For one night only, Manchester becomes Gotham. This Halloween the Penguin hosts his gathering – an affair as decadent as it is dangerous. Draw back the curtains, because tonight the stage belongs to Gotham’s villains. Come as you are, or as who you dare to be. In Gotham, everyone wears a mask.
Dine at Louis from 9.30pm for Supper Club (Dining & Drinks), and from 11pm for The Club (Drinks only) – fancy dress welcome, of course.
🎟️ Book in advance is essential, here.
37. Bring to kids to House of Spooks & Fiends for a spooky drawing workshop
Instagram post via @houseofbooksandfriends
House of Spooks & Fiends invites all little ghosts and ghouls to let their creepy creativity crawl! House of Books & Friends is over the full moon to welcome back Catherine Booth — a published children’s illustrator and storyteller — for Halloween themed Drawing Workshop designed especially for young imaginations. Little bookworms will sketch, scribble, and dream up their own eerie artworks, perfect to get in the spooky spirit of Halloween!
Fancy dress is most definitely encouraged, a special children’s Haunted Hot Chocolate will be available on the day, and as always, plenty of story books will be available to keep folks feeling frightful.
🎟️ Book a place here.
38. Visit Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly with the whole family
A gigantic new monster installation will be making its debut at Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly as part of the legendary MCR Monsters trail. From Saturday 25th – Friday 31st October 2025, visitors will be greeted by Spookadilly perched dramatically across the hotel’s Piccadilly-facing canopy.
The hotel will also be joining in the city-wide activities by lighting up its front steps in eerie green, ensuring the Halloween spirit shines brightly in Piccadilly. Adding a touch of indulgence to the spooky season, the Marriott Manchester Hotel Piccadilly is unveiling its “Mummies & Mini Monsters” spa package, designed as a perfect Halloween treat for families or duos looking for both relaxation and fun.
🎟️ Book the Mummies & Mini Monsters spa package here.
39. Halloween Afternoon Tea at The Lowry Hotel
This October, embrace the spirit of spooky season with a wickedly wonderful treat at The Lowry Hotel. For a limited time only, the iconic five-star hotel is inviting guests to experience a spine-chillingly sophisticated twist on their award-winning tradition – the Halloween Afternoon Tea.
Hosted in the elegant setting of The River Restaurant, overlooking the River Irwell, this enchanting afternoon tea is the perfect indulgence for lovers of all things eerie. With autumnal touches, and a menu that delights both the eyes and the palette, guests are truly in for a devilish delight.
Your dark journey begins with a series of savoury bits, each with a frightful flair. Highlights include:
- Ghoul’s Bite – a wicked twist on a pizza choux bun filled with spicy pepperoni, arrabbiata sauce, Gruyere cheese, and a touch of basil gel
- Phantom Pork Bao – a fluffy bao bun stuffed with slow-cooked pork and ghostly seasoning that will haunt your taste buds
- Witches’ Harvest – a vibrant creation featuring a pumpkin and feta tart, silky pumpkin puree, whipped feta, and crispy seasonal vegetable crisps.
The sweet tier of the experience will feature a magical medley of devilishly delightful desserts such as:
- Vampire’s Kiss – a sharp and zesty lemon tart with a blood-red glaze
- Midnight Crypt – a dark chocolate cocoa sponge with pistachio and a cookie crumble
- Jack-o-Lantern Gateau – an autumnal spiced ginger cake with a pumpkin mousse
No afternoon tea would be complete without freshly baked scones and this Halloween, The Lowry Hotel will be serving up its All Hallows’ Scone warm, accompanied with Cornish clotted cream and strawberry jam.
🎟️ Book here.
40. Hop-tu-naa and Halloween at The Pankhurst Museum
The Pankhurst Museum in Manchester will be getting into the Halloween spirit with Hop-tu-naa-themed open days during October (including half term) and the return of Nightmare on Nelson Street, back for its third and biggest instalment yet on Thursday 30 October.
Hop-tu-naa
Hop-tu-naa is a Celtic festival, celebrated on the Isle of Man, and is believed to predate modern Halloween. The Pankhurst Museum has looked across the Irish Sea for inspiration – not only because Emmeline Pankhurst’s mother, Sophia Goulden, was born there, but also because the Isle of Man holds a significant place in women’s history as the first national parliament in the world to grant women the vote.
To bring a flavour of Hop-tu-naa to the Pankhurst Museum, the former home of the Pankhurst family, there will be a Family Friendly apple-themed trail with clues to discover around the house. And in true Hop-tu-naa tradition, the house will be decorated with carved turnips, rather than pumpkins!
Nightmare on Nelson Street 3
You are also invited to an after dark guided walk through some of Manchester’s most historic and atmospheric streets, where chilling whispers of the past set the scene for tales of spooky suffragettes, witches and mummies – stories that, surprisingly, are more rooted in fact than fiction. The walk will pass some of the city’s most iconic Victorian and Edwardian Gothic landmarks, including Manchester Royal Infirmary, St Mary’s Hospital, and Manchester University.
🎟️ You can book onto any of the activities here.
41. Alternative, Camp & Creepy Halloween at Fairfield Social Club
Manchester’s most mischievous venue is going all out this spooky season, from drag slumber parties to bottomless horror singalongs, haunted rodeos to family mosh pits. Fairfield Social Club is turning October into a fright fest packed with chaos, cocktails, camp and cobwebs, including:
- Halloween SFX Makeup Masterclass (with UCEN Manchester)
- Baby Mosh – Halloween Special
- Red Rodeo Club – Space Cowboy Halloween Special
- Molly & Paul Try Heron Foods – Halloween Special
- The Rocky Horror Picture Show – Bottomless Singalong Screening
🎟️ Book separate events here.
42. Dance the night away at Night of the Living Bass at YES
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Instagram post via @yes_mcr
Get ready for Night of the Living Bass, a Halloween rave of dead good garage, UKG, speed garage, bassline and breaks. Get down to YES Pink Room for a free drink on entry, free shot for anyone in fancy dress, plus top three costumes win £25 YES bar tabs! The Pink Room rises from the grave for one night only… fast tunes, undead energy, bad behaviour encouraged.
🎟️ Find tickets here.
43. A hauntingly good bottomless brunch at The Lawn Club
It’s time to gather the ghouls and raise your spirits at Manchester’s The Lawn Club this Halloween for a frightfully fun edition of its famous bottomless brunch. To mark spooky season, the venue has transformed into a frighteningly fabulous haunted house, featuring eerie decor and haunting tunes to set the mood.
Expect eerie décor, haunting tunes, and all the fang-tastic vibes as The Lawn Club becomes Manchester’s most chillingly chic Halloween hangout. Costumes are strongly encouraged – whether you’re going full scream queen or keeping it boo-tiful.
🎟️ Book your slot here.
44. Win big along Stretford’s spooky Halloween trail
A spooktacular Halloween trail is taking over Stretford town centre. Running from 25th October until 2nd November 2025, visitors can expect a spooky and interactive activity, as well as a chance to win a £50 bundle at Home Bargains.
To take part in the Halloween table, simply collect a trail map from inside the doors to Stretford Mall on King Street and head off on a terrifying adventure through the town centre. The checkpoints can be found in the windows of the Stretford retailers, where a sticker will spell out a hauntingly wicked spell to unscramble.
Once all checkpoints have been completed, trick or treaters can upload their map via the QR code on site, to be in with a chance of winning a £50 bundle at Home Bargains.
🎟️ Free to enter, just turn up.
45. Dance the night away at The Pen and Pencil’s Halloween party
Spooky season has arrived at The Pen and Pencil, as the team will be celebrating with a Halloween party on Friday 31st October. Expect happy hour all night from 4pm and free trick or treat shots to the first 50 people from 7pm! There will also be music from DJ Emma from 7pm-1am, with free entry.
🎟️ No tickets required.
46. Hunt ghouls and goals at the National Football Museum
The National Football Museum is bringing together a series of fiendishly frightening festivities this October Half Term. Through spine-tingling storytelling, ghoulish games, and eerie exhibitions the NFM is embracing all things spooky in a programme packed with imagination and creativity.
You’ll find:
-
The ghosts of football past, present, and future
- Frankenstein’s Mascot
- Alchemist’s Attic
To add to this spooky smorgasbord, throughout the holidays, there will be a Halloween-themed twist to the penalty shootout activity, frightening photo opportunities, and perplexing puzzles dotted throughout the museum.
🎟️ Find out more and book individual activities here.
47. Treats only at the Science and Industry Museum
Whether you’re looking to get into the Halloween spirit with some spooky science or prefer to swerve a scare in favour of family favourite experiences, the Science and Industry Museum is offering something for everyone this Halloween half term (Saturday 25 October – Sunday 2 November).
Choose from:
- Power Hall: The Andrew Law Gallery
- Mob-style movement sessions by dancers from Company Chameleon
- Operation Ouch: Brains, Bogies and You
- Power Up
- Experiment Gallery
- Textiles Gallery
🎟️ Book a general access ticket here.