Simply spooky… Halloween events in NI that will provide plenty of spooks

From pumpkin patches and crafts to torchlight tours and murder mystery events, there is something for everyone.

Belfast

There are plenty of opportunities to get into the spooky spirit across Belfast and the rest of the province.

The Strand Arts Center will host a kid-friendly “Halloween Crafternoon and Cartoons” fundraiser on Friday, October 25, and Saturday, October 26, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Kids can have fun making badges, spooky bunting and hanging ghosts while retro Halloween cartoons play on the big screen.

There are prizes for the prettiest outfit as well as popcorn and treats to snack on while you work. Tickets cost £15 per child and places are limited. A reservation is essential.

The RSPB NI’s Spooky Pumpkin Patch returns this year to Belfast’s Window on Wildlife (WOW) on Belfast Lough. The event will take place on Saturday, October 26th and Sunday, October 27th from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Entry costs £12 for adult members and £10 for children. For non-members it costs just £2 extra and a family of five (two adults and three children) can buy a ticket for £50.

Co Antrim

Popular tourist attraction Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge is increasing visitors’ fear of heights this October with its Halloween Fun Fest, taking place on Saturday October 26th and Sunday October 27th from 11am to 4pm.

National Trust members and Local Pass holders receive free access. Advance reservation via the official website is strongly recommended. This is a free event, but standard admission fees apply.

The annual Halloween Hooley takes place at Larne Town Park on Tuesday October 29th from 6pm to 8.30pm.

The evening ends with a spectacular fireworks display and the Halloween DJ will perform a monster mash on stage before the live band shows up. There will also be a “quiet period” from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. The event is free of charge.

Co Armagh

Slieve Gullion Forest Park hosts the Footsteps in the Forest event, offering the perfect Halloween adventure for the whole family.

Visitors embark on a guided, illuminated trail that traces the journey from Samhain’s origins to today’s Halloween celebrations.

The event takes place in the evening from 5:00 p.m. and offers six guided hikes every 45 minutes, with the last tour taking place at 8:45 p.m. Accessible tours are offered at 5:00 p.m. and 5:45 p.m., offering a brighter atmosphere and softer music. Tours in Irish will be available on Tuesday 29 October.

The festival takes place from Monday, October 21st to Tuesday, October 29th. Family passes are available online and via the Visit Morne Mountains website from 11am today. Each family ticket accommodates one car, not one person (limit two tickets per booking).

A Halloween ghost tour of Armagh tells stories of days gone by – with a few surprises along the way!

An evening full of ghosts and ghouls will take place for one hour from October 25th to 28th.

This tour is suitable for ages 13 and over. People aged 13 to 18 must be accompanied by an adult (over 18). Tickets cost £16 and can be purchased at www.armagh-navancentre.ticketsolve.com

Co Down

There are plenty of pumpkin patches in Co Down this Halloween season.

Mountpanther Farm Park, just outside Dundrum, hosts its popular annual event over three weekends in October. Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th, Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th and then the final long weekend from Saturday 26th October to Thursday 31st October.

The time slots last three and a half hours and there is plenty to see and do on site, such as the haunted house, visiting the animals and even picking a pumpkin and having it carved while you wait. Admission is £14.99 for an adult and £13.99 for a child (including pumpkin). Reservation is recommended.

The National Trust estate Castle Ward, on the banks of Strangford Lough, is hosting a special crime thriller event, Whispers at the Wake, in collaboration with Play Dead NI on Saturday October 12th from 7pm to 10.15pm.

Attendees can enjoy a complimentary glass of prosecco in the Music Hall before meeting the suspects in the historic Castle Ward rooms.

Guests then enjoy light bites and nibbles as they ponder the evidence before it’s revealed who the killer really is. Only people aged 18 and over are allowed to take part in this event. Tickets cost £55. Early booking is recommended.

Co Fermanagh

A special guided Halloween ‘Monsters and Magic’ event is taking place in the woods surrounding Fermanagh’s famous Marble Arch Caves.

The family-friendly event is aimed at children aged five and over and will take place in one-hour sessions from October 26th to 31st from 11am to 3pm. There are also sensory sessions every day at 11am.

Tickets cost £8 for an adult, £8 for a child and £5 for children under 5.

This event is not suitable for strollers, people with limited mobility or wheelchair users.

Another kid-friendly Halloween event takes place at Enniskillen Castle. The spooky story time will take place on Wednesday, October 30th from 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and then from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. The event costs £5 per child and all accompanying adults enter free.

Following the 30-minute story time, you can set out to track down all the pesky pumpkins hiding in the museum galleries (included with the event ticket).

Suitable for children aged three and over. All children must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Advance reservation is essential.

Co Londonderry

The famous Derry Halloween extravaganza has been dubbed the biggest and best in Europe and the 2024 event offering looks set to live up to that reputation.

The annual Halloween festival runs October 28-31, with most events free to attend.

The highlight of the festival is undoubtedly the legendary Halloween parade on Halloween night, where the streets of the city are filled with fantastic floats, huge puppets and thousands of people in extravagant costumes. Don’t miss the grand finale of a fireworks display over the River Foyle.

Ahead of the event, The Jungle NI in Moneymore – just under an hour’s drive from Maiden City – is hosting a special Fright Night event for 13 nights every weekend in October.

Prices start at £30 per person for the forest trail only, but with the forest trail and a spooky attraction it costs £40. With access to the forest trail and three spooky attractions, tickets cost £57 per person.

Co Tyrone

Todd’s Leap Activity Center in Ballygawley offers a wide range of immersive Halloween activities for all ages.

Discover Granda Ben’s BOO Trail, running throughout the month of October. The trail runs from October 1st to October 31st from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Prices are £7.50 for adults and £7.50 per child.

The Ulster American Folk Park in Omagh takes you back in time with its spooky torchlight tours into the eerie world of Crudden Boyle.

Visitors will discover the mysterious world of Crudden Boyle on their annual torchlight tour on Saturday October, Tuesday October and Wednesday October 30th. The tours take place on these dates every 15 minutes from 6 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online and cost £15 for an adult and £15 for a child.