13 Best Halloween Events in London 2026
Halloween in London is becoming an event in itself.
You don't have to wait until 31 October to find something spooky happening. Throughout October, London fills up with illuminated trails, haunted palaces, horror attractions, after-hours museum parties, Halloween cinema screenings, family activities and some seriously unusual nights out.
And in 2026, there is a lot to choose from.
Halloween falls on Saturday 31 October 2026, but many of London's biggest Halloween experiences begin from early or mid-October and continue into the first few days of November. That gives you several weekends to get into the Halloween spirit rather than trying to fit everything into one night.
From a family-friendly afternoon in Hyde Park to a genuinely frightening night at a Victorian mansion, here are 13 of the best Halloween events in London in 2026.
1. Halloween at Kew
📍 Kew Gardens
16 October – 1 November 2026
Paid | Family-friendly
If you want one of the biggest Halloween experiences in London, Halloween at Kew is an obvious place to start.
After dark, Kew Gardens becomes a 1.5km illuminated Halloween trail, with atmospheric installations, performances, characters and seasonal food and drink along the route.
What makes it particularly useful for families is that Kew has different session types. Daylight sessions are the gentlest, while Twilight and Moonlight sessions become progressively spookier. Kew says the event remains family-friendly across all sessions, although the scare level increases as it gets darker.
The 2026 event runs from 16 October to 1 November.
Entry times begin at 6pm before the clocks change on 25 October and from 4pm afterwards. Last entry is 8:30pm and the trail closes at 10pm.
Adult tickets currently start at £19.50 off-peak, with peak adult tickets from £24. Children aged 4–15 start at £14 off-peak, while under-fours are free.
The trail is outdoors, so bring suitable footwear and a waterproof layer if the forecast looks wet.
Best for: Families, couples and anyone who wants a large-scale Halloween experience.
2. The Nightmare Realm at Avery Hill Mansion
📍 Avery Hill Mansion, Greenwich
9 October – 1 November 2026
Paid | Horror experience
If you are looking for something genuinely scary, this is one to put near the top of your list.
The Nightmare Realm is making its London debut in 2026 after years of Halloween experiences in Ireland. It takes over Avery Hill Mansion in southeast London and turns the setting into an immersive horror world.
The experience includes Halloween Town, Avery Hill Asylum, Sundown Manor and five hidden immersive experiences. Rather than simply walking through a series of rooms, the organisers describe it as a world to explore, with live performers, stories and unexpected encounters throughout the venue.
The event runs on selected nights from 9 October to 1 November, with the official site recommending that visitors allow around two hours. The experience contains both indoor and outdoor sections.
The venue is at Avery Hill, Bexley Road, SE9 2PQ, with free on-site parking available for guests.
This isn't the one I'd recommend if you want a gentle family Halloween afternoon. It is designed as a proper immersive horror experience.
Best for: Adults, horror fans and people who want serious scares.
3. Halloween at the Tower of London
📍 Tower of London
24 October – 1 November 2026
Included with palace admission
There are few places in London where the history already feels like a Halloween story.
The Tower of London has been a royal palace, fortress and prison, and its 2026 Halloween programme makes use of that atmosphere with ghostly stories and theatrical experiences around the fortress.
From 24 October to 1 November, visitors can encounter the Haunted Forge, Enchanted Wishing Well and Raven's Observatory, alongside ghostly characters and stories.
The Halloween programme runs from 10:30am to 4pm daily and is included with normal palace admission. Members go free.
There is also a separate after-hours Ghost Tour from 7pm to 8pm during the Halloween period. That requires a separate ticket and advance booking.
One unusual detail to know before you go: the Tower specifically asks visitors not to wear costumes for this Halloween event, and says people arriving in costume may be refused entry.
Best for: History lovers, families and anyone who wants a spooky experience without a traditional scare attraction.
4. Halloween at Hampton Court Palace
📍 Hampton Court Palace
24 October – 1 November 2026
Included with palace admission
Henry VIII's former home has plenty of history to work with when Halloween arrives.
During October half-term, Hampton Court Palace becomes a haunted palace experience with atmospheric projections, eerie sound effects, magical spells and ghostly figures appearing throughout the historic building.
Outside, the Wilderness has a Halloween trail featuring pumpkins, scarecrows and seasonal surprises aimed particularly at younger visitors.
There are also daily storytelling sessions during half-term, with several short performances throughout the day.
The experience runs from 24 October to 1 November 2026 and is included with palace admission.
It is designed to be family-friendly, but visitors should know that there can be darkness, loud noises, flashing lights and occasional jump scares.
Best for: Families who want Halloween mixed with history.
Book Hampton Court Palace tickets
5. The London Dungeon Halloween
📍 South Bank
17 October – 1 November 2026
Included with admission
For something darker, head to the London Dungeon.
Its 2026 Halloween programme runs from 17 October to 1 November, with a special Halloween map and seasonal experiences added to the Dungeon's existing collection of shows and attractions.
The Dungeon is already built around London's darker history, so Halloween is a natural fit. Expect live actors, theatrical sets, special effects, darkness, loud sounds and occasional jump scares.
The full experience takes approximately 75 minutes, excluding queues, and the attraction recommends it for ages 12 and over, although children aged five and above can enter with an adult.
If you're looking for a traditional scary Halloween attraction rather than a relaxed family activity, this is one of London's most obvious choices.
Best for: Teenagers, adults and people who actually want to be scared.
6. HorrOctober at The Prince Charles Cinema
📍 Leicester Square
Throughout October 2026
Paid cinema screenings
Not everyone wants to walk through a haunted house.
Some people would rather sit in a dark cinema and let the horror happen on screen.
The Prince Charles Cinema's HorrOctober is perfect for that.
The Leicester Square cinema is running its “31 Nights of Thrills, Chills & Blood Spills” programme throughout October, with horror classics, cult films, 35mm and 4K screenings, mystery films and special events.
The 2026 programme includes films such as Scream, Possession, The Others, Carrie, The Innocents, The Wicker Man and Cube, alongside newer horror releases and mystery screenings.
There are even Halloween-themed special events, including an 18+ Mystery Horror Movie Marathon featuring five mystery horror films.
This is one of the easiest Halloween options to fit around another London evening because you can simply pick a screening rather than committing several hours to a full attraction.
Best for: Horror-film fans and people who prefer cinema to scare attractions.
7. Halloween at the Natural History Museum
📍 South Kensington
Saturday 31 October 2026
18+ | Paid
Imagine spending Halloween among dinosaurs, skeletons and natural-history specimens.
The Natural History Museum's Halloween event takes place on Saturday 31 October from 7pm to midnight. It is an adults-only evening combining the museum's galleries with live music, a silent disco and spooky activities.
And there is a proper theme this year: the museum's regular ticket experience includes an encounter with Vampiric Lords and Ladies, with guests invited into the story of a vampiric council and its wedding.
There is also a silent disco in the Earth Hall and the opportunity to speak with museum scientists about spooky specimens.
Tickets currently start from £65 for non-members, while members can get tickets from £58.
The event is 18+ only, and valid photo ID is required.
Best for: Adults looking for a stylish and unusual Halloween night.
Book Halloween at the Natural History Museum
8. Dance of the Dead at Sky Garden
📍 Sky Garden, City of London
30–31 October 2026
18+ | £35
Halloween with one of London's best views?
Sky Garden is doing exactly that.
Dance of the Dead takes place on 30 and 31 October, turning the Sky Garden into a Halloween party 35 floors above the City.
The event includes live music, DJs, Halloween-themed cocktails, fancy dress and 360-degree views across London after dark.
Tickets are £35 per person, according to the official Sky Garden event page, and the event is strictly 18+ with physical photo ID required.
One important update: standing tickets are currently sold out, but Sky Garden says you can still attend by booking an evening restaurant table or bar table within the party.
So if this is the one you want, check availability before making plans.
Best for: Couples, groups of friends and adults who want a Halloween party with a view.
Check Dance of the Dead at Sky Garden
9. Halloween Silent Disco at London Transport Museum
📍 Covent Garden
Saturday 31 October 2026
18+ | Paid
This might be one of the most unusual places to spend Halloween in London.
The London Transport Museum is hosting an after-hours Halloween silent disco among historic trains, vintage buses and London transport vehicles.
There are two sessions on 31 October:
6:30pm–9pm
9:30pm–midnight
The current listing gives tickets from £25, with the event aimed at adults.
Expect wireless headphones, different music channels and Halloween-themed entertainment inside one of Covent Garden's most recognisable museums.
It's a very London way to celebrate Halloween especially if you like your spooky night out with a bit of transport history.
Best for: Adults, groups of friends and anyone looking for something completely different.
Book the London Transport Museum Halloween Silent Disco
10. Halloween in Covent Garden
📍 Covent Garden
October – 1 November 2026
Free to explore; individual activities vary
If you don't want to commit to one expensive Halloween attraction, spend some time in Covent Garden instead.
The neighbourhood has a full Halloween programme in 2026, including seasonal decorations, a Halloween installation on the West Piazza and Spooktacular Piazza Pop-Ups from 28 October to 1 November.
There is also a Haunting Pop-Up Bar at 9 Russell Street running until 1 November, plus Halloween food, drinks and entertainment around the area.
For families, the Halloween Trick or Treat Trail takes children through Covent Garden and Seven Dials, finishing at Halloween HQ in the Phoenix Garden.
The great thing about Covent Garden is that you can make your own evening out of it. Have dinner, see the decorations, visit a Halloween pop-up and then continue somewhere else in central London.
Best for: Couples, families and anyone who wants Halloween atmosphere without booking one major attraction.
See Covent Garden's Halloween programme
11. Hair-Raising Halloween at Hyde Park
📍 Hyde Park
27–29 October 2026
Free | Family-friendly
Halloween doesn't have to be expensive.
The Royal Parks is hosting Discovery Days: Hair Raising Halloween at Hyde Park from 27 to 29 October, between 11am and 3:30pm.
The event is completely free, although registration is required.
Children and families can investigate creepy-crawlies in the Witches' Den, follow a hair-raising nature trail, learn about bats and listen to spooky stories. Storytelling sessions take place at noon, 1pm and 2pm.
Dressing up is encouraged, so children can turn up as ghosts, witches, spiders or whatever else they fancy.
It is also a nice reminder that Halloween in London doesn't have to be about horror attractions and expensive parties. Sometimes a few creepy stories and a nature trail are enough.
Best for: Families looking for a free Halloween activity.
Register for Hyde Park's Halloween Discovery Days
12. Hobbledown Heath Halloween & Pumpkin Patch
📍 Hounslow
25 September – 1 November 2026
Paid | Family-friendly
For a more relaxed Halloween day out, head west to Hobbledown Heath.
Its 2026 Pumpkin Patch runs from 25 September to 1 November, with real pumpkins, seasonal games, photo spots, food and entertainment.
There is also a Trick or Treat Trail from 17 October to 1 November, included with the Hobbledown Heath day ticket during October half-term.
And for something after dark, Pumpkin Nights take place on selected evenings from 16 October, including every night from 23 to 31 October. These sessions run from 6pm to 8pm and include lantern-lit pumpkin picking, fire performers, a festival bar, street food, stilt walkers and selected fairground rides. Tickets currently start from £10.
Daytime Pumpkin Patch tickets currently start from £7, while Patch + Park tickets start from £20. Pumpkins and some rides are charged separately.
Best for: Families, pumpkin picking and a more relaxed Halloween experience.
Book Hobbledown Heath Halloween experiences
13. Spooky Half-Term at London Museum Docklands
📍 London Museum Docklands
24–31 October 2026
Many activities are free
For families looking for something affordable during October half-term, London Museum Docklands has a surprisingly good Halloween programme.
The museum is free to enter, and its 2026 half-term programme includes spooky and supernatural-themed activities such as Superstitious Sailors, Eerie Animals of London, Make a Mythical Creature, Fairy Tales Gone Bad and Beastly Bookmarks.
There is also a Spooky Silent Disco on 29 October.
Unlike the adult silent disco at London Transport Museum, this one is designed for families. Sessions last 30 minutes, are free but ticketed, and are suitable for children aged five and over.
Because London Museum Docklands itself is free, it is particularly useful if you're trying to put together a Halloween day out without spending a fortune on admission tickets.
Best for: Families with younger children.
See London Museum Docklands' October half-term programme
Which Halloween event should you choose?
With so many different styles of Halloween events in London, the best one depends on what you actually want from the night.
For the biggest all-round Halloween experience: Halloween at Kew.
For serious scares: The Nightmare Realm or London Dungeon.
For a historic Halloween: Tower of London or Hampton Court Palace.
For horror films: HorrOctober at The Prince Charles Cinema.
For an adult Halloween party: Sky Garden or London Transport Museum.
For a museum after dark: Natural History Museum.
For families: Hobbledown Heath, Hampton Court or London Museum Docklands.
For a free Halloween activity: Hyde Park.
For Halloween atmosphere without committing to one attraction: Covent Garden.
When is the best time to experience Halloween in London?
You don't necessarily have to visit on Halloween itself.
In fact, if you want more choice and potentially smaller crowds, visiting earlier in October can make sense. Several major events begin by mid-October, including Halloween at Kew, The Nightmare Realm and the London Dungeon's Halloween programme.
The final weekend is obviously the biggest one.
In 2026, Halloween falls on Saturday 31 October, so Friday 30 October and Saturday 31 October are likely to be particularly popular for adult parties and evening experiences.
The period around 24 October to 1 November is also October half-term for many London schools, which means family attractions are likely to be busier.
If you are flexible, an earlier weekday evening can be a much calmer way to experience some of the bigger attractions.
Do you need to book Halloween events in London?
For the major ticketed attractions, yes booking ahead is strongly recommended.
Some events have timed entry, some have limited capacity and some are already selling out on popular dates.
Sky Garden, for example, currently says its standing tickets for Dance of the Dead are sold out, although restaurant and bar-table options remain available.
The Nightmare Realm also specifically recommends advance booking because weekends and dates close to Halloween can sell out.
For Halloween at Kew, the organisers also warn that they do not control ticket sales through third-party websites, so using the official booking page is the safest option.
That is why the links in this guide take you directly to the relevant official event or booking pages wherever possible.
Final Thoughts
Halloween in London has become much bigger than one night of costumes.
You can spend the afternoon learning about bats in Hyde Park, walk through a haunted royal palace, explore a Victorian mansion filled with horror performers, watch a classic horror film in Leicester Square or dance among historic London buses.
And the best part is that these experiences are completely different from one another.
You don't have to be a horror fan either. There are family trails, pumpkin patches, free nature activities and atmospheric places to simply enjoy the season without being chased by anyone in a mask.
If you are planning your Halloween in London, book the experiences you really want early, especially for Friday 30 October and Saturday 31 October.
Because once Halloween weekend arrives, the only thing more difficult than finding a ghost in London might be finding a last-minute ticket.
Planning your next London day out? Discover more neighbourhood guides, hidden gems, food spots and things to do on LondonYaar.com.
Follow @rohan.londonyaar for more London places, stories and things worth knowing before you visit.