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 ‘scare skate’ ice rink. 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 that have popped 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 five 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.
🎟️ 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 2024, with new twists and surprises throughout the popular event, as the East Lancashire Railway launches the ‘Year of The Pumpkin‘. With extravagant decorations and lighting all setting the scene, this year will see the Pumpkin King and his motley crew of spooky scarecrows leave the fields of the Irwell Valley and descend on the railway encouraging visitors to solve eerie mysteries.
The pumpkin 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.
🎟️ Books 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 West’s favourite horror event, Scare City, has announced its return to the abandoned Camelot site for its fifth Halloween, promising a world of terror like no other. Scare City is the North West’s favourite horror extravaganza. Starting out as a drive-in cinema in 2020, it’s now a walk-through horror attraction based in the abandoned Camelot Theme Park.
This year’s event is set to feature a selection of terrifying zones including the Slaughter House, where Camelot’s resident cannibal lives, who has set the date for his annual dinner party. A number of familiar faces will be making an appearance with the return of Carni Valley set in the darkened depths of the huge abandoned theme park, and the launch of new zone ‘Arakhne‘, a horrifying spider experience where visitors will enter the spider queen’s web of fear with her cluster of sinister spiders.
🎟️ 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. Celebrate spooky season at this magical Halloween trail
This October, the creators of the Manchester’s acclaimed Twilight Trail will unveil The Halloween Trail, a spooktacular Halloween themed light show at Trafford Centre. Running from Thursday 17 October until Sunday 3 November, the immersive experience promises to captivate visitors of all ages this spooky season.
Featuring over 100,000 lights, the mesmerising trail is filled with captivating installations that centre around a Skeleton Village theme. Conveniently located at Manchester’s Trafford Centre, the venue offers easy access via trains, trams, and buses and benefits from the shopping centre’s free parking.
Guests will be greeted by supernatural surprises and moments of spooky delight as they arrive at the experience, with thousands of tiny laser beams coming together to create a mist-filled garden of light. Vibrant, colourful bats will illuminate the space while LED eyes watch from above, adding to the eerie ambience, and so much more.
🎟️ Book here.
11. Immerse yourself in this Halloween horror show in the city centre
This Halloween, a brand-new immersive scare experience is launching in Manchester’s city centre, five minutes’ walk from Piccadilly Station – ‘Time To Die‘, at Diecast.
From the teams behind Diecast and the award-winning Newsham Scream Park in Liverpool, and curated by the infamous masters of horror, Area 51, Time To Die is taking horror to a whole new level. Truly nightmarish, terror-filled nights await this October with two terrifying scare experiences – The Die Is Cast and The Toymaker − running from Friday 11 October to Saturday 2 November.
WARNING: These are extreme level scare attractions designed to unsettle and terrify – recommended for adults only, the minimum age is 14 years old and above.
🎟️ Find tickets here.
13. Take the family along this spooktacular lakeside trail
The Halloween Lakeside Trail takes place at Partridge Lakes in Culcheth, Warrington from Friday 4 October to Thursday 31 October 2024, and tickets are on sale now. This is the second year of the event on the 70-acre site set in the idyllic Cheshire countryside.
The Halloween Lakeside Trail is an enchanted walk where you can immerse yourself in a wickedly fun family-friendly experience. As dusk falls, embark on a magical quest through the mystical forest where you will wander through Skeletons’ Hollow, dance with friendly ghosts and journey through the woodland spider’s tunnel to the magical witches’ lair.
The captivating lakeside trail is perfectly spooky, not scary, and where Halloween magic comes to life. So, get ready for an unforgettable adventure for the whole family around the stunning dog-friendly venue.
🎟️ Book here.
14. Seek out a full house at this Old Skool Bingo Halloween Special
On Saturday 26 October, dive into Halloween excitement with Old Skool Bingo Halloween Special, a night brimming with RnB classics, thrilling bingo games, and electrifying dance competitions. From fabulous prizes to energetic dance-offs, this event promises unforgettable fun and festive vibes. Celebrate Halloween like never before and maybe even be crowned the King or Queen of RnB Bingo!
🎟️ You can book here.
15. See some Manchester music history raised from the dead at this silent disco
Following the success for last year’s spooky event, Victoria Baths will bring you all the thrills of Halloween with a spooktacular silent disco, ‘The Silence of the Baths: Back from the Dead‘, setting your heart racing and sending tingles running down your spine with a takeover by some of the best local DJs around.
Returning after a sell-out 2023 debut, the event will resurrect three of Manchester’s legendary nightclub venues for a fright night of thrills. Travel back in time to South, Jilly’s Rockworld and The Tiger Lounge with Manchester icon Clint Boon (South) who will be joined by Mikee Diablo (Jilly’s Rockworld) and Max Oblivion (The Tiger Lounge).
There will of course be food, drink and a whole load of fancy dress, plus a Mini Monster Mash in the daytime for the kids, which you can book here.
🎟️ Find tickets here.
16. 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.
17. 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 brand new 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.
18. 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.
19. Keep the family entertained at Stockport’s HALLOWGREEN
This Halloween, families are invited to swoop into Stockport as the town transforms into a realm of magical mischief with HALLOWGREEN, a spectacular event bringing a blend of wickedly good fun to Merseyway Shopping Centre and Redrock Stockport on Saturday 26 October. From 12pm – 3pm, families can make their way to the glittering Emerald City in the undercover mall at Merseyway and enjoy sparkling performances from the most popular oz-some characters.
The enchantment continues from 5pm – 7pm as Redrock Stockport is transformed into Greenrock for an evening of captivating entertainment. Kicking off with thrilling performances by The Emerald Singers, families are guaranteed to be ‘dancing through life’ and singing along to this hour-long set of Halloween pop tracks. Visitors are encouraged to come along dressed in their most enchanting green outfits, and the whole family is welcome.
🎟️ Entry is free with no tickets required.
20. Load up on Flight Club’s spooky brunch special
Lively and fabulously eccentric social darts bar Flight Club is adding an eerie-sistible twist to its bottomless brunch this Halloween, with a two-hour Spooky Brunch Special, available on 26 and 27 October.
Expect Halloween-themed tunes from the resident DJ, a devilish cocktail on arrival followed by 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!
🎟️ Tickets are £30pp here.
21. Immerse yourself into the work of STAB film season at Cultplex
2022 at Cultplex saw the birth of STAB, a weekend long celebration of horror movies, and it was such a wild success that they’re doing it all again. This time, it won’t just be a weekend worth of Halloween treats but a whole month of some of cinema’s best horrific output. Kicking off with the local horror classic Living Dead at Manchester Morgue on Wednesday 2 October, the season is set to be broader than ever, with absolute classics like The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari, right up to the double bill of the recent Shiva Baby and Bodies Bodies Bodies.
The now synonymous Scream marathon will screen at Cultplex on October 6, with a mammoth four Scream films, and throughout the season you can catch the likes of Death Becomes Her, The Exorcist, Alien, The Slumber Party Massacre and so many more hair-raising flicks. The zombie all-nighter will also be making a return, so all you undead fans can be delighted and frightened all night long.
🎟️ You canfind tickets for the entire STAB season at Cultplex here.
22. Sing along to your Rocky Horror favourites with bottomless drinks and pizza at Fairfield Social Club
On 25 and 26 October, embark on a strange journey at Fairfield Social Club, as they screen The Rocky Horror Picture Show with bottomless drinks and a party atmosphere. Sing the night away and be chilled, thrilled and fulfilled – bottomless fizz, mimosas, beer/cider or non-alcoholic equivalent is offered throughout with tables reserved from 90 minutes before the screening begins, with 100 minutes of bottomless drinks starting at the beginning of the movie. Of course, fancy dress is very much encouraged, as is always the motto for Rocky Horror, nevermind Halloween.
🎟️ Grab tickets here before they go.
23. Halloween Ducie Brunch Party
Celebrating Halloween, the restaurant at Ducie Street Warehouse will be hosting a special Halloween-themed Ducie Brunch Party on Saturday 26 October. Available for this Ducie Brunch Party only, a rum-based raspberry mojito ‘Blood Moon’ will be added to the bottomless drink menu. Hosted on the last Saturday of the month, Ducie Brunch Party is the venue’s ultimate brunch party with DJs.
🎟️ Book a table for Ducie Brunch Party here.
24. Have a tipple with the backdrop of a spooky film at Ducie Street Warehouse
Bringing the warehouse to life, the Lounge will host a series of spooky films projected on a large screen. Available for all guests to enjoy, the spacious Lounge is the perfect space to sit back and enjoy a film whilst having direct access to the main bar for drinks and nibbles. A back-to-back screening from 5pm on Thursday 31 October will show Hocus Pocus (1993), Get Out (2017), and Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) – quite the marathon, if we do say so.
🎟️ Just pop by Ducie Street Warehouse anytime this month, and see what’s playing.
25. ‘Scary Fish’ take over at Sexy Fish Manchester
Sexy Fish – renowned for its extraordinary evenings and immersive dining- has announced a spell bounding ‘Scary Fish’ take over in celebration of Halloween. Set to be one of Manchester’s biggest Halloween parties, the venue will be transformed for one night only on Saturday 2 November with a selection of fire performers, mystical ‘Scary Fish’ creatures, jellyfish dancers and more – creating a symphony of the seas.
Throughout the evening, guests can dine a la carte, or on one of Sexy Fish’s omakase menus, highlighting a selection of chef’s choice Japanese-inspired dishes and starting at just £48. The Hiro Omakase ( £48pp) and the Sekushi Omakase menu, priced at £86pp, with wine pairings to accompany – highlight dishes include the likes of Tuna Tataki, Glazed Pork Belly Skewersand Spicy Yellowtail Maki.
🎟️ Book your table here.
26. Discover spooky happenings at the Pankhurst Centre with ‘Nightmare on Nelson Street 2’
With a tongue in cheek nod to what is considered to be the greatest ever Halloween film franchise, Nightmare on Nelson Street 2 returns to the Pankhurst Museum for its suffragette inspired sequel …. Emmeline’s Revenge. In this case it’s all about seasonal fun, with a walking tour of the area around the Pankhurst Museum on Thursday 24 October (6.30pm to 8.30pm), followed by spooky suffragette stories shared over hot drinks.
There will be a glimpse into a bygone world and the history of some other local landmarks, including Manchester Royal Infirmary, St Mary’s Hospital and Manchester University. There will also be stories that raise some ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’, with tales of bodysnatching, disorderly houses and an unexpected link between suffragettes and werewolves to be revealed.
🎟️ Book your tickets here.
27. Have a browse of the ‘Little Print Shop of Horrors’
The Little Print Shop of Horrors is back for its 13th year, turning the unlucky date into a memorable night for the city. On October 24, Creative Spark brings together the city’s creative and horror-loving community for an annual charity poster shop and fundraising event, hosted at Seven Brothers Crafthouse, with all proceeds supporting Humans MCR, a local charity committed to tackling food poverty in Greater Manchester.
For the 13th year, a new concept graces the Manchester-founded special, this year’s theme is ‘If Words Could Kill.’ Each artist was challenged to take an iconic or lesser-known quote from horror films or TV shows and reimagine it in their own style. Each poster promises to transform a memorable horror line into a piece of art, blurring the lines between typography and graphic design. Previous years themes include Classic Horror, Twisted Disney, Classic Hitchcock, 666, and Netflix & Kill.
🎟️ No tickets required, just turn up on the night – find out more about Little Print Shop of Horrors here.
28. Have a furry spooky day with some canine creatures
Say *boo* to the official Corgi Cafe experience by doggy experts, POP+BARK, coming to Revolution in Parsonage Gardens on Sunday 20 October. Enjoy some *fangtastic* fun at their event as part of their big Halloween tour where you can let your dog run wild during the 80-minute, off-lead *paw-ty* at Revolution bar. Zombies, pupkins and *ghosted* exes, get ready to vibe to ghoulishly good tunes, off-lead pups and an amazing atmosphere, along with the Pupuccino Bar where you can watch as real zombie blood is injected into their pup cup. Snap those *boo-tiful* moments with the doggy pumpkin patch and spooky props, and enjoy the gorgeous pups running around you.
As well as Corgis, POP+BARK will also be welcoming other breeds, too! The whole day will be a doggy takeover and the day is organised into breed specific time slots:
- 10am – Cavaliers
- 11:20am – Corgis
- 12:45pm – Golden Retrievers
- 2:05pm – Labradors
- 3:25pm – Cockapoos & similar poodle mixes
- 4:45pm – Pomeranians
🎟️ Book a slot here.
29. Putt up a storm at Treetop Golf
From 21 October to 3 November, Treetop Golf at the Printworks invites families to don their best Halloween costumes for a chance to win a £50 voucher, along with free face painting on select dates. Explore the Tropical Trail or the crumbling surrounds of the Ancient Explorer, and scare family and friends silly with your golf skills.
🎟️ Book a session here.
30. Get your freak on at the Lil Monsters Ball at Hard Rock Cafe
On 27 October, Hard Rock Café will host the Lil Monsters Ball, featuring a fang-tastic breakfast, creepy face painting, and a Halloween-inspired menu that includes the delicious BOOberry burger and the spooky BOOBerry Zombie cocktail. From 9am-11am get ready for spooky fun, ghoulish games and so much more – and costumes are a MUST!
🎟️ Find tickets here.
31. Grab a vampire bite to eat at O’Neill’s
O’Neill’s at the Printworks is set to host a Halloween weekender from 31 October to 2 November, offering special discounts for students and hospitality workers, along with themed cocktails, prizes for the best fancy dress (bottle of fizz), and live music to keep the party alive. The weekend will be structured as follows:
- Thursday: 2 for £12.50 cocktails
- Friday: Live music 7-9pm and all the hits from 9pm
- Saturday: Live music 7-9pm and fab DJ at 9pm
🎟️ Book a table here.