There are some fantastic Halloween and half term activities for families in the North East to enjoy without breaking the bank. The events below are free (or just a few pounds) and don’t need to be pre-booked – perfect for those last minute plans. There’s fun for all ages with pumpkins, potions, mega monsters and more!
This list will be updated as more events are announced so do check back. If you have any recommendations to add to the list, please do get in touch here
You can also find more popular Halloween Events here, with pumpkin picking, wizards school, scare parks, spooky drive in cinema, circus and more!
Details are subject to change, check with organisers using the links below for the latest updates. Please note parking charges may apply.
Allensford Park Cafe – Halloween Trail
Cafe at Inn on the Park, Allensford Park, Consett, Co Durham, DH8 9BA
Fri 29th – Sat 30th Oct 2021
Find the pumpkins with spooky designs along the self-led trail, 10am-2pm and claim a spooky hot chocolate when entry form handed in. Please bring a pen.
£2 per child. No booking required. More info here.
Beamish Park Hotel – Halloween Scavenger Hunt
📌 Beamish Burn Rd, Marley Hill, Gateshead, NE16 5EG
📆 Sat 23rd – Sun 31st Oct 2021
🎃 Dine at the hotel bistro or on the outdoor heated patio and enjoy the Scavenger Hunt around the grounds for free. Open daily 10am – 5pm, approx 30 min trail (due to uneven terrain, unsuitable for buggies). You can also bring along a carved pumpkin for the pumpkin display to be in with a chance to win a £25 voucher redeemable for food at Beamish Park Hotel.
👉 Free when dining at the hotel. Reservations recommended, on 01207 230 666.
*£3.95 per child if not dining, no booking required
Brockwell Farm Garden Nursery – Pumping Picking Brockwell Farm, Lanchester, Co Durham, DH7 0TQ Sun 10th-Sun 31st Oct 2021 Grab a wheelbarrow and pick a pumpkin from the pumpkin field. Pumpkins also available from the front of the shop, including extra large pumpkins £7 each. Open 10am-3pm, 7 days a week. Dog friendly. Pumpkins prices vary. No booking required. Info and updates here.
The Cock Crow Inn – Halloween Disco Mill Lane, Hebburn, South Tyneside, NE31 2EY Fri 29th Oct, 5-7pm Kids Halloween disco, prizes for best fancy dress costume and best pumpkin! Free entry. No booking required. More info here.
Discovery Museum – Street Scientists
📌 Blandford Square, Newcastle, NE1 4JA
📆 Wed 27th Oct 11am-2pm
🎃 Newcastle University’s very own science buskers bring science to life through interactive sound demonstrations as part of our Making Waves: A Festival of Sound. Event also taking place on 11am-3pm Sat 6th & 20th Nov & Sat 4th Dec 2021.
👉 Free. No booking required.
Suitable for all the family and all ages
East Boldon ‘Halloween Haunts’ Scarecrow Trail
📌 Blandford Square, Newcastle, NE1 4JA
📆 29th – 31st Oct
🎃 Spooktacular self-led trail hosted by Friends of East Boldon Parks, with spooky scarecrows made by residents to be found around the village. Visitors are encouraged to walk, cycle or use public transport, or to park responsibly in the car park next to East Boldon Library, the Metro station or behind the Grey Horse.
👉 £2 per trail map when ordered here by 6pm 28th Oct, £2.50 thereafter.
Gateshead Children’s Centres – Halloween Play Time
📌 Centres across Gateshead
📆 Selected dates Mon 25th – Fri 29th Oct 2021
🎃 Play Time session with Halloween themed fun including messy play, stories, songs and more. Sessions run 10am-2pm and you can drop in anytime for 1 hour.
👉 £1 per child. No booking required but places may be limited. More info here.
Suitable for children under 5 years. Older siblings welcome.
Hamsterley Forest – Halloween Happenings Trail Bishop Auckland, Co Durham, DL13 3NL 22nd – 31st Oct 2021 Self-led trail around the 1km family-friendly Viking play trail to find the witches cats. Leaflets available from the info point, includes a hot chocolate drink from the cafe. £3 pp. No booking required. More info here.
Hardwick Park – Day of the Dead Trail
📌 Hardwick Park, Sedgefield, Stockton-on-Tees, Co Durham, TS21 2DN
📆 Sat 23rd – Sun 31st Oct 2021
🎃 Look around the park to find hidden items inspired by the Mexican festival the Day of the Dead and to learn more about the special traditions involved. Purchase a trail sheet from the café 10am-4pm. Plus download the Love Exploring App here for free for a virtual Dinosaur Safari or Space Walk.
👉 £1 per trail sheet. No booking required.
Land of Oak and Iron – Pumpkin Trail & Spooky Potions
📌 Spa Well Road, Winlaton Mill, Blaydon, Gateshead, NE21 6RU
📆 Sat 23rd – Sun 31st Oct 2021
🎃 Pick up a trail page from the Heritage Centre between 10am-4pm, complete the trail to find and name the spooky hand painted pumpkins. Plus, from Tues 26th-Thurs 28th Oct drop in anytime 11am–3pm to make a Halloween potion and write a spooky spell using a quill pen and ink.
👉 Free, donations welcome (for Spooky Potions, suggested donation £3 per child). No booking required.
Metrocentre – All Treats And No Tricks Dunston, Gateshead, NE11 9YG Sat 23rd – Sun 31st Oct Visit LEGO store in Lower Red Mall for a free Trick or Treat Treasure Hunt event. Plus from 25th-31st Oct, 12-5pm, the Metrognomes will be roaming the malls in their spookiest costumes giving out treats to those dressed in their best Halloween costumes! Look out for Halloween themed food, drink and products from various retailers. Free, info and updates here.
Neighbourhood Pumpkin Trail
🎃 Get the kids involved in some spooky crafts and pumpkin carving to help make your house and garden look the part for Halloween, then take a walk around your neighbourhood to spot the best decorations. Last year there were loads of incredible spooky streets to see around Gateshead, from crafty window displays to downright terrifying Halloween houses. Take a look at our Ghoulish Gallery here for inspiration, and for more craft ideas and resources join the popular ARTventurers Pumpkin Trail group here.
North Tyneside’s BIG Halloween Pumpkin Trail
📌 Various North Tyneside locations
📆 Sat 9th – Sun 31st Oct 2021
🎃 Find the 30 giant pumpkin caricatures on pavements in and around town centres using the free ‘North Tyneside Pumpkin Trail’ app. Each pumpkin is individually named with their own character and fun story, and can be found in Tynemouth, Wallsend, Whitley Bay, North Shields, Cullercoats, Killingworth, Forest Hall and more. Organised by North Tyneside Council and supported by the Welcome Back Fund, ERDF action.
👉 Free. No booking required.
Northumberlandia – Halloween Trails
📌 Blagdon Lane, Cramlington, NE23 8AU
📆 Sat 23rd-Sun 31st Oct 2021
🎃 Two self-led trails around the woodland, with a pumpkin trail for ages 3-5 to discover the pumpkins and the hidden codes, and a bat trail for ages 5-9 to learn all about these amazing creatures. Claim a little treat at the end from the Northumberlandia café, plus special spooky hot chocolates on sale.
👉 £3 per participant, trail sheets available online here.
11:30am-3:30pm each day, no booking required.
The Orangery – Halloween Events
📌 Whickham Hermitage Community Garden, Hermitage Lane, Whickham, NE16 4JL
📆 Sat 23rd – Sat 30th Oct 2021
🎃 Find hidden skulls, pumpkins, and bats in the Halloween Garden Trail and collect a prize. Collect your kit to make a Halloween Door Wreath. Either make it in the cafe or take it home with you. Plus, delicious Halloween treats available from cafe!
👉 Trail: free. Wreath kit: £2.50. No booking required. More info here.
Poacher’s Pocket – Halloween Family Fun Day Market Lane, Whickham, Gateshead, NE16 4TJ Sat 30th Oct 2021, 12pm Fancy dress competition, pumpkin carving competition, apple dunking, fun games, glow sticks and sparklers on sale. Food served from 12pm. Free entry. No booking required. Info and updates here.
Riverside Delight – Halloween Fair
📌 Dunston Community Centre, Collingwood Terrace, Dunston, Gateshead, NE11 9EB
📆 Sun 24th Oct 2021, 2.30-6pm
🎃 Games, workshops, face painting, raffle, costume competition and music from a local DJ, plus stalls from local businesses where you can pick up some horrifyingly amazing Halloween items!
👉 Free entry, no booking needed, More info here.
Royal Quays – Carn-Evil Royal Quays Shopping Centre, North Shields, NE29 6DW Sat 30th Oct, 11am-3pm Old S-ghoul carnival games with a spooky twist. Fancy dress optional but encouraged. Raising funds for Young lives vs Cancer. Plus look out for lots of Halloween products and goodies from stores. Free but donations welcome. No booking required. More info here.
Souter Lighthouse – Trail & Crafts
📌 Coast Road, South Shields, South Tyneside, SR6 7NH
📆 Sat 30th – Sun 31st Oct 2021
🎃 Follow a spooky outdoor trail and pick up a pack of creepy crafts. Collect both from the admissions desk between 11am-3pm.
👉 Trail free, crafts £3. No booking required.
Sunderland BID – Lights Out Festival Sunderland City Centre 22nd – 31st Oct 2021 A week-long Halloween event, with the popular Mackem Monster Hunt trail to find 6 giant inflatable monsters across the city centre, along with virtual monsters on the Sunderland Experience App. Plus Halloween Community Parade from 5.30pm Fri 29th Oct, Little Monsters Disco on 30th Oct, Sunderland Spooky Stories competition and more. Free trail & parade, no booking required (fees/booking apply for select events).
Bridges Sunderland – Halloween Events
📌 Blandford Square, Newcastle, NE1 4JA
📆 Mon 25th-Sun 31st Oct 2021
🎃 As well as being part of the Mackem Monsters trail, there’s a Halloween Grotto situated between Hotel Chocolat and Clarks, a free Halloween Trail with a Halloween “baddy” bag prize, and drop-in crafts and workshops including:
📆 Fri 29th, 10am – 2pm: make your own goblin doors and enjoy spooky story telling in the Halloween Grotto.
📆 Sat 30th, 10am – 2pm: make your own ‘Screamcatchers’ and enjoy spooky story telling.
10.30am, 11.15am, 12noon, 12.45pm, 1.15pm: The Bridges Broomstick Academy for wizardly wicked broomstick training in the Crowtree Mall.
👉 Free. No booking required. More info here.
Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens – Spooky Museum Trail
📌 Burdon Road, Sunderland, SR1 1PP
📆 Sat 23rd Oct – Fri 19th Nov 2021
🎃 Follow the spooky trail to reveal mysterious tales of ghost trains, glowing rocks, strangling figs and twisted snakes. Pick up your trail from reception, then hand in your completed trail to claim a themed prize. Other Halloween events (with booing required) include Creepy Creatures, The Haunted Museum and Ghost Whisperer theatrical performance.
👉 £2.50 per trail. No booking required.
Wharton Park – Gallery of Monsters Trail
📌 Wharton Park, Durham City, DH1 4FJ
📆 Sat 23rd – Sun 31st Oct 2021
🎃 Find the monster portraits around the park. Purchase a trail sheet from the café 10am-4pm. Additional activities selected dates throughout the half term, including Halloween Craft Packs, Monstrous Makes Workshops, Monster Mash Carnival (fees and pre-booking required, more info here).
👉 Trail sheet £1 (cash only, correct change required). No booking required.
Wheelbirks Parlour – Halloween Events Stocksfield, Northumberland, NE43 7HY Sat 23rd – Sun 31st Oct, 10am- 5pm (closed Mon 25th) Scavenger hunt – haunted orchard with new spooky areas to explore, find all the items to receive an ice cream in a special Halloween collection cup. Ghost Train – The “Not So Ghastly Ghost Train” with the entire railway dressed with spooky decorations, running Wed 27th-Fri 29th Oct, 11am-4pm. Trick or Treat Sweethunt – special sweet hunt on Sun 31st Oct 11am, includes a Halloween collection bag with sweets. Train: £2 per child each ride OR £3 unlimited use.
Scavenger hunt: £5.95 per child. Sweethunt: £6.95 per child.
More info here. Booking recommended for Sweethunt only here.
There’s plenty on Gateshead Mumbler to help keep little ones (and big ones!) busy, check here for more ideas and info for playgroups, classes and fun days out from tots to teens!
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