By Halloween falls perfectly this year, on the last Saturday of half term. There’s a host of events marking this seasonal spooktacular, starting on 24th October and running until 1st November. Start your week with some pumpkin picking, listen to ghost stories and make some creepy crafts, before attending one of West Sussex’s centrepiece events.
There are some gentler happenings too if fright nights aren’t your thing, from Chichester’s lantern parade to Bognor Regis’s seafront laser show.
Here’s our top Halloween picks, as chosen by the White & Brooks estate agents.
Somerley Fields pumpkin picking
More than 60,000 home-grown pumpkins await you at Somerley Fields pumpkin patch in Earnley, Chichester. Walk-ins are welcome but prebook tickets to ensure entry, with dates right through October and including Halloween itself. Somerley Fields is more than just the famous seasonal vegetable. The entire family can enjoy a maize maze, barrel rides, bouncy castle, entertainment, food and drink trucks, and the Field of Frights.
Halloween and half term go hand-in-hand so there’s an entire week to fill before the big day. Our Back Garden in Westbourne near Emsworth offers a novel twist on the usual activities. There’s pumpkin painting with IHeartArt on 28thOctober and a very special twilight alpaca meet and greet on 31st October. The alpacas will be ready at 3:30pm and you can stay on for marshmallow toasting, hot drinks, mulled cider, homemade soup, spooky bakes and a mini pumpkin photo shoot.
Weald & Downland Living Museum Plages & Potions Trail
If your half term crew are made of sterner stuff, a trip to the Weald & Downland Living Museum in Singleton near Chichester is a must. The venue is running a week-long Plagues and Potions trail, where families scour the historic buildings searching for ingredients that will protect against the Black Death. Hambrook Barn will also be transformed into a spooky games hub, while there’s a full programme of special events, including ghost stories and spooky crafts.
Aldingbourne Country Centre Fright Night
Aldingbourne Country Centre in Norton near Chichester is running a special Fright Night on Friday 30th October. The star attraction is the monster maze and it’s not for the faint hearted. Alternatively, you can explore the magical pixie hollow in the enchanted woods – a family friendly attraction. Stay on to catch one of two pyro shows, with the action beginning at 5:50pm or 6:30pm. The centre will be opening its monster maze and enchanted woods throughout half term, with a host of other eerie activities including Halloween crafts, storytelling, and trick or treating.
Bognor Regis Promenade Laser Show
You can make this free event as gentle or as ghoulish as you like. Organised by Bognor Regis Town Council, a spectacular laser show will run every 20 minutes on Saturday 31st October between 6.00pm until 8.30pm. The action takes place on the promenade, with accompanying music and visual effects.
Bognor Regis Museum's Ghost Hunt
We can’t predict the weather during half term so having an indoor activity in your back pocket is vital – especially if it’s free! Bognor Regis Museum will be running a children’s ghost hunt every day between 27th and 31st October. The aim of the event is to find the ghosts hiding in the museum’s displays, with a treat at the end for the best ghost hunters. The hunt is suitable for children up to the age of 12.
Pumpkin Trail at Wildforest Falls
A family-friendly pumpkin trail is running every day of half term at Wildforest Falls in Hotham Park. The team has fiendishly hidden pumpkins around the animal-themed adventure golf course. Follow the clues and solve the mystery to unlock the secret password. If you’re successful, they will be a sweet treat at the end. Take part between 9am and 4pm every day from 24th to 31st October.
Lantern Parade and the Mayor’s Proclamation
If you want a softer, secular Halloween, head to Chichester town centre on Saturday 31st October for the lantern parade. The atmosphere starts building early, with a face painter in the portico of the Council House from 2pm to 4pm. Although the lantern making workshop is sold out, plenty of pre-made lanterns are available on the day. Gather outside Council House at 3:50pm to take part, or line the city streets if you’re a spectator. The parade stops at Market Cross at 4pm, where the Mayor of Chichester will deliver a special proclamation to mark the City Council’s 800th anniversary. The parade then winds its way to Guildhall for an approximate 4.30pm finish.
If you’ve spotted one of our homes for sale on your Halloween travels and are curious, contact the estate agents at White & Brooks. We promise the market isn’t as frightening as you might think!
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