What to do for Halloween in London

With its story revolving around the witches in The Wizard of Oz and thematically spot-on set pieces, the massively successful Wicked musical has been a mainstay of Halloween since first opening in London in 2006. The production’s splashy musical numbers are entertaining for adults and kids alike. The musical is permanently at home at the renowned Apollo Victoria Theatre, a stunning Art Deco venue with over two thousand seats.

Throughout October, the West End's only remaining independent cinema shows a selection of classic Halloween films from all of cinema's history. Timeless classics such as "Friday the 13th" and “The Shining” will be screened alongside newer features such as “Nope” and “The Witch”. Check out the programme online and find the right fright night for you.

Decades on, the gruesome crimes of Jack the Ripper continue to fascinate and horrify. The Jack the Ripper Tour takes you to each of the murder scenes, providing insight into the bloody crimes. Taking you back to Victorian-era Whitechapel, the walking tour has a particularly sinister note to it in October. The tours run twice daily.

Theatre Royal Drury Lane is considered to be one of the most haunted theatres in the world, and it's celebrating the scariest night of the year in style. Fans of the paranormal can join an after-hours tour that explores the hidden tales and ghost stories in the heart of Covent Garden, with a Halloween cocktail included, while those after a more sedate experience can enjoy a Halloween-themed afternoon tea.

For Halloween, the imposing Tower of London fortress by the Thames digs deep into its bloody history to bring its many scary stories to life. During the family-friendly adventure, you'll wander the grounds, encountering the roaming ghosts of this former prison's inmates, while eerie projections and sound effects provide glimpses of the spirit world.

In both name and deeds, Henry VIII sure does sound like the villain of a long-running horror film franchise. His royal home, Hampton Court Palace, leans into the scariness in October, setting up atmospheric projections and creepy sound effects throughout its dark winding corridors and courtyards to bring its infamous ghosts to unlife. The family-friendly adventure finishes off with some scary stories and a finally a comforting treat in the café.

ZSL London Zoo is calling all little monsters for a variety of fun, family-friendly Halloween events and workshops this October. Little ones can try their hand at decorating a pumpkin, navigate a graveyard of extinct species, party in the bubble boogie, attend talks and demonstrations about terrifying animals, and more.

The longest-running seasonal ice-skating rink in the city, Ice Rink Canary Wharf has visitors lacing up their skates as early as mid-October. Bringing together autumnal and winter seasonal highlights and combining the best of both worlds, the venue's Halloween Half Term Spectacular offers a spooky skating session with a scary soundtrack, spot performances, face painting, and more.

One London's last remaining 1950s-style ballrooms, the Rivoli Ballroom features a majestic preserved interior and exterior, and regularly hosts all sorts of events, from live music to salsa classes and more. For Halloween, it's setting up as a pop-up cinema and screening classic spooky films such as “The Shining” and “The Lost Boys”, as well as more family-friendly movies like “Casper” and “Ghostbusters”.

Flipper's Roller Boogie Palace is a stylish neon-lit roller-skating rink that's fun for both kids and adults, but their Halloween Skate Ball is 18+ only. Open to skaters and non-skaters alike, the ball will be led by The Jamm Society collective and features a fancy dress competition with a whopping £200 Flipper's voucher up for grabs.

Woodlands Farm Trust, a beautiful working farm on 39 acres of ancient woodland, wildflower meadows and never-ending landscapes, is home to plenty of farm animals. For Halloween, the farm is hosting a spooky scavenger hunt for children ages 4–11. The event includes creepy crafts and costumes are more than welcome. There's no booking required, making this a great last-minute option as well.

Honey & Co. opened their new branch in September 2023 and quickly set to work. The new café and deli venue also hosts weekend supper clubs by Honey & Co.'s chef owners and assorted guests. For Halloween, they'll be hosting a special themed supper club. Expect three courses of seasonal Honey & Co. delights, along with a cosy, familial atmosphere.

The debauched Israeli restaurant Kapara in Soho is hosting a sensuous two-day takeover for Halloween. The Haute Halloween nights features burlesque performers and live DJ music late into the night. The dress code calls for sleek, dark, and sexy outfits – think leather, lace, velvet, and high heels.

Covent Garden's multi-faceted leisure venue Stereo is embracing the dark side this Halloween with its two-day party extravaganza. On 27 October, the Damned @ The Disco event will feature live music and hair-raising performances, while the following day, Klub Kids, brought to you by RuPaul's Drag Race, take over. The dress code for both events is noir, so put on your most stylish black attire and dance the night away.

The Horniman Museum hosts an annual Halloween Fair in its gardens, featuring a Halloween disco, a costume parade led by Copperdollar the Skeleton, traditional fete games, crafts workshops and stalls, a Halloween trail, rides, and more fun things for the whole family. Food vendors will be plying their wares as well.

Mudchute Park and Farm is a community charity in the East London countryside. One of the largest city farms in Europe, Mudchute is hosting a family-friendly day of fun and entertainment for Halloween. The Halloween at Mudchute Park and Farm event includes Spooky Dressing Up and Pumpkin Carving competitions. You have to bring your own carving tools, but you can purchase pumpkins from the farm.

The Old Street branch of Bounce, the popular neon-lit ping pong palaces, is getting a scary makeover for Halloween 2023. Transformed into a haunted lair, Bounce Old Street will host a Halloween-themed bottomless drag brunch. Resident drag queen Miss Tyramissoux will guide those brave enough to attend through a playlist of Halloween smash hits, accompanied by ghoulish games and unlimited pizza, beer, and prosecco.

A recent addition to Walthamstow's growing social scene, Crate Walthamstow is hosting a fun free event on 28 October in collaboration with the Gipsy Hill craft brewery. The Spook St. Social will feature live DJ music by the Mixamatosis collective, and the first 50 people to present their ticket at the bar get a free pint of the Gipsy Hill Hepcat IPA.

NYC-style bar The 411 is hosting a Halloween party where you'll get a free pint if you turn up in fancy dress. A special guest DJ will be providing the music, the bar will have spooky on-theme decor, and there are discounts of drinks too. If you want to celebrate by dancing all night, this is the way to do it.

The Brent Cross branch of the Flip Out indoor adventure parks is hosting two fang-tastically fun events for Halloween. The After Dark Monster Bash features groovy grave tunes, monster meet & greets, a trick-or-treat trail, giveaways, and more, while The Great Monster Chase includes fancy dress competitions, arts & crafts workshops, monster hunts, and more family fun.

Covent Garden Market brings scary Halloween vibes to the very heart of the capital. At the Halloween Boo-Bash at the end of October, there will be free treat bags and cookies for the kids in the best costumes, along with live music, a bouncy castle, face painting, photo opportunities, and more. You can also grab a Halloween-themed snack from one of the many restaurants in the area, or even stop by a day early for the Fall Food Fair, with fun autumnal events such as pumpkin bowling and gourd checkers.

London's famed Natural History Museum is open after hours on Halloween, letting visitors explore the dark side of its skeleton-filled galleries. You'll be able to learn about the more misunderstood members of the natural world, sip on a cocktail and shake, rattle and roll in the silent disco beneath Hope the blue whale. For an extra creepy experience, tack on a tour of the museum's tank room, which holds millions of wet specimens stored in alcohol.

Hoxton Street Monster Supplies is a unique London store offering an array of spooky products, from bottled smog to marshmallow brain food, catering to both the living and undead since 1818. Behind its traditional façade lies a trove of quirky items appealing to both adults and children. More than just a shop, Hoxton Street Monster Supplies also operates as a charitable venture for the Ministry of Stories.

There are numerous supposedly haunted places to be found in London, from pubs and castles to cemeteries and woods. Only the bravest dare explore these mementos of London's gruesome past on the scariest night of the year, however. Our guide to the most haunted places in London can light the way if you're feeling courageous enough.