Family Halloween Fun in the North West 2025

Half-term is just around the corner, which means it’s time for our annual round-up of the best family Halloween fun in the North West for 2025!

Here’s a sample of some of the most spooktacular events happening across the North West this October…

Halloween in Rossendale

There’s no shortage of Halloween fun happening in Rossendale this October half-term.

New for 2025, The Whitaker Museum & Art Gallery in Rawtenstall is holding a creepy craft session where you can create rock monsters and ghoulish eyeballs from conkers before pitting them eye-to-eye in a conker fight! Suitable for ages 3-11 years, the sessions will be taking place on Wednesday the 29th of October, and tickets cost £6.47 per child (adults are free).

Down the road in Waterfoot, the Horse + Bamboo has plenty of half-term fun lined up to keep everyone entertained, including spooky screenings of Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were Rabbit, crafternoons, board game sessions, and a pumpkin trail in nearby Edgeside Park! Plus, all events are either free or ‘Pay What You Can’.

After the success of last year’s event, Helmshore Scarecrow Trail is back. Head over that way on Saturday the 1st and Sunday the 2nd of November to catch a glimpse of the scary sights on display!

Meanwhile, St Mary’s Chambers in Rawtenstall is hosting LOCKT - an under-16s fancy dress dance party on Wednesday the 29th October, with free UV facepainting, confetti cannons and mocktails - perfect for teens who are a little too old for trick or treating but still want to join in with the Halloween fun.

Halloween in Lancashire

Lancashire residents are spoilt for choice with this year’s spooky goings-on.

Head to Judges Lodgings Museum in Lancaster for their free Candy Cottage Workshop, where your little horrors can create their very own witch’s cottage made from sweeties!

Blackburn is going all out to get into the spooky spirit this year, with a whole host of free events, from pumpkin carving at the mall on Saturday the 25th of October to a Trick or Treat event for all the family on Friday the 31st of October, along with a magical market stall with live performances including puppets and clownery!

Burnley is also offering a free pumpkin event at Charter Walk this Halloween. It will be held on Thursday the 30th of October from 11am until the pumpkins run out! This one’s perfect for families with little ones, as all they need to do is choose their design and it will be carved by one of the volunteers, making it a safer, less messy alternative to carving your own pumpkins at home!

One for the four-legged family members now! Horse welfare charity HAPPA in Burnley is hosting a family-friendly dog show on Sunday the 26th of October. Doggy Doo! A Halloween Fest is free if you enter your dog into two or more of the show categories. Otherwise, it’s £6 per adult and £1 per child.

Halloween in Greater Manchester

Once again, Halloween in the City is back for 2025, bigger and better than ever. A programme of free family events is being held across Manchester during half-term, including the Monsters’ Party Procession, Monster Fashion Week, a Monster Sticker Hunt across the city centre, and a live storytelling performance in the Arndale.

Salford Museum has plenty to keep the kids entertained during the school holidays this October half-term, from crafts such as making creepy cards and spooky lanterns to creating your very own characters for a haunted dolls’ house! And the prices aren’t scary either - with most events either free or low cost (just £3 per child for craft sessions).

Down in Levenshulme, the Old Library is opening its doors to ghosts and ghouls of all ages on Saturday the 25th of October with a Spooky Silent Disco for families.

Halloween in Merseyside

Head over to Blackstock Market in Liverpool for one of the Free Halloween Family Fundays being held on the 26th, 29th, 30th and 31st of October. Wear your best fancy dress or have your face painted for free on the day. There’ll also be games, giveaways, and kids’ karaoke!

Visit the historic Calderstones Mansion and catch a creepy show at Liverpool’s biggest open-air cinema. Film choices for 2025 include family favourites like Room on the Broom, Hocus Pocus and The Nightmare Before Christmas, as well as cult classics like Beetlejuice and Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window.

You’re all invited to Liverpool One’s Halloween Party 2025! Taking place on Sunday the 26th of October between 11am and 5pm, there’ll be a children’s fancy dress competition, drumming workshops, zombie dance-offs, and free face painting!

Halloween in Cheshire

It’s pumpkins-galore in Cheshire this Halloween. Knutsford Pumpkin Path is back on Friday the 31st of October, with local shops and businesses displaying pumpkin clues - find all the letters to solve the mystery and be in with a chance of winning a prize! There’ll also be live entertainment on the night, and fancy dress is encouraged!

The Pumpkin Patch at Tatton Park Farm opens on Saturday the 18th of October. Plus, Pye Ash Farm is back with its popular Pumpkin Maze, with over 40 different varieties of pumpkin to pick and prices starting at just £1. Families can also enjoy sheepdog demonstrations, face painting, tractor rides and refreshments.

Or wrap up warm and join Blakemere’s Halloween Trail, which will be running from Saturday the 18th of October to Sunday the 2nd of November.

SEN-Friendly Halloween Fun

We know it isn’t always easy to find SEN-friendly Halloween events, but children with additional needs deserve to have a spooktacular half-term holiday too!

Halloweenville in Warrington is now offering special Sensory Sessions that are designed to be more accessible for both children and adults with additional needs, including reduced capacity to minimise queuing and lower background noise levels, and daylight slots.

Head to The Trafford Centre on Monday the 27th, Tuesday the 28th or Wednesday the 29th of October for Pumpkins & Potion Crafting. These gentle Halloween craft sessions include pumpkin painting, meaning your youngster can have some Halloween fun without the pulpy mess!

On the other hand, if you have a little sensory-seeker on your hands, what about a slime-making workshop, like this one being held at Southport Market on Wednesday the 29th of October?

Happy Half-Term From Olive Branch Fostering

We hope you’ve enjoyed this round-up of family Halloween fun in the North West 2025!

At Olive Branch Fostering, we know that half-term holidays and special occasions can sometimes be a challenge for some of our children and young people. That’s why we offer our families comprehensive support and training 24/7, 365 days a year, along with fun, free family events throughout the year.

We hope all our families have a fantastic, safe half-term making new memories and we wish those of you celebrating a very Happy Halloween!