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10 ways to spend your Halloween weekend in 2023, including family activities and adult-only parties

Halloween weekend is almost here, so it’s time to dress up in your scariest costume and paint the town devil-red.

Whether you want to spend Halloween together as a family or have an adults-only night out, we’ve got some great ideas for a wicked Halloween weekend…

Want to make the most of the Halloween weekend? We've got you covered! Picture: Hever Castle and Gardens
Want to make the most of the Halloween weekend? We've got you covered! Picture: Hever Castle and Gardens

DREAMLAND, Margate

Alternative club night Totally Wired is throwing a birthday bash to celebrate its 17th year. The team’s Halloween-themed party Rock the Dead returns to Margate with a night of rock, punk, emo, indie and metal tunes, all set against a spooky backdrop. The DJs will be playing head-banging floor-fillers, complete with fancy dress and party games, all night long.

Details: Saturday, October 28 at the Roller Disco inside Dreamland at Margate. Tickets start from £15. Book online here.

Jack Nicholson stars in the 1980 horror The Shining. Picture: Warner Brothers/Getty Images
Jack Nicholson stars in the 1980 horror The Shining. Picture: Warner Brothers/Getty Images

GULBENKIAN, Canterbury

What’s better than watching a scary film at Halloween? Watching it on the big screen, of course. The Gulbenkian is showing a selection of horror films over the weekend, starting with a relaxed screening of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. The heart-stopping thriller will be shown with subtitles, audio description headsets and no trailers so that all audiences can enjoy the cinema experience. There will also be a family screening of Disney cult classic Hocus Pocus, starring Bette Midler and Sarah Jessica Parker, and a 50th anniversary showing of The Exorcist on Halloween night.

Details: The Shining on Saturday, October 28, Hocus Pocus on Sunday, October 29 and The Exorcist on Tuesday, October 31 at the Gulbenkian Arts Centre in Canterbury. Tickets start from £5. Book online here.

Students from the Hazlitt Institute will perform The Addams Family in Maidstone this Halloween. Picture: Parkwood Theatres
Students from the Hazlitt Institute will perform The Addams Family in Maidstone this Halloween. Picture: Parkwood Theatres

HAZLITT THEATRE, Maidstone

On the Saturday before Halloween, Maidstone will be bursting with ghastly goings-on. The team at the Hazlitt Theatre will be putting on a screening of 1980s classic An American Werewolf in London in the Maidstone Museum’s ‘haunted’ library, with a cocktail and visit to The Moon exhibition included in your ticket. On the same evening, in the theatre itself, the creepy and kooky Addams Family Musical will be coming to town. All your favourite characters, including Wednesday Addams, Gomez and Morticia and Uncle Fester, will be inviting you to visit their humble abode for a night of eerie entertainment.

Details: Saturday, October 28 at the Maidstone Museum and Hazlitt Theatre in Maidstone. Film tickets cost £15, musical tickets cost £18. Book online here.

Hever Castle will be lit up for its spooky after-dark tours. Picture: Hever Castle and Gardens
Hever Castle will be lit up for its spooky after-dark tours. Picture: Hever Castle and Gardens

HEVER CASTLE, Edenbridge

Uncover the gruesome side of Hever Castle’s history with a nighttime tour. From the Tudor illness that nearly killed Anne Boleyn to the castle’s most haunted nooks and crannies, this guided tour, which lasts for around 90 minutes, will reveal secrets you never knew about the historic landmark. There will also be a glass of prosecco or soft drink on arrival to help you settle in - before the truly unsettling ghost stories begin.

Details: Saturday, October 28 and Tuesday, October 31 at Hever Castle near Edenbridge. Tickets cost £30. Book online here.

KENT AND EAST SUSSEX RAILWAY, Tenterden

Grab your ticket to the Fright Night Express and join a terrifying train ride through the Kentish countryside. There will be hot food, such as hot dogs and burgers, to enjoy before you step aboard the train and embark on an after-dark journey to Northiam Station. There will be live entertainment on the train, a trick-or-treat goody bag of snacks and, when you reach your destination, you can ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ at a spectacular fireworks display.

Details: Friday, October 27 at the Kent and East Sussex Railway, departing from Tenterden Town Station. Tickets cost £20. Book online here.

The Magic of Science will be wowing audiences at The Malthouse in Canterbury. Picture: Top Secret
The Magic of Science will be wowing audiences at The Malthouse in Canterbury. Picture: Top Secret

MALTHOUSE THEATRE, Canterbury

If you’re not a fan of blood-curdling thrills but still want to see something mind-boggling, the Magic of Science could be just the ticket. Audiences will be immersed in the mystery of magic and the wonders of science with imaginative illusions, real-life tricks, laboratory experiments and have-a-go moments. It’s suitable for the whole family and is a great alternative for those who aren’t ready for a full-on Halloween fright.

Details: Saturday, October 28 at the Malthouse Theatre in Canterbury. Tickets start from £11.25. Book online here.

MARLOWE THEATRE, Canterbury

Paranormal investigator Danny Robins will discover Canterbury’s supernatural spirits in an action-packed live show. The comedy writer behind BBC Radio 4 podcasts the Battersea Poltergeist, the Witch Farm and West End play 2:22 A Ghost Story will be bringing Uncanny: I Know What I Saw to life on stage. The show is a fun-filled look into the unknown and will leave audiences questioning whether these ghostly entities really exist.

Details: Sunday, October 29 at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury. Tickets start from £23. Book online here.

The Reindeer Centre is putting on lots of family-friendly Halloween activities this month. Picture: Reindeer Centre
The Reindeer Centre is putting on lots of family-friendly Halloween activities this month. Picture: Reindeer Centre

REINDEER CENTRE, Bethersden

Meet friendly farm animals including donkeys, lambs, guinea pigs and llamas before heading into the Tunnel of Terror and the Halloween Witches Path. There’s also a pumpkin patch, selfie stations, fancy dress competitions, arts and crafts, a pirate ship and bouncy castle, a themed obstacle course and a chance to do the monster mash on stage with the Reindeer Centre crew.

Details: Daily until Tuesday, October 31 at the Reindeer Centre in Bethersden, near Ashford. Tickets start from £13.50. No need to book.

REUTHE’S THE LOST GARDEN, Sevenoaks

Kick off the weekend with a not-so-scary party that will help your kids get into the Halloween spirit. There will be a disco with family-friendly tunes, fancy dress competitions, themed games and lots of Halloween fun. Plus, there’s a chance to meet the garden’s live-in alpaca who will be popping into the party throughout the afternoon.

Details: Friday, October 27 at Reuthe’s The Lost Gardens in Sevenoaks. Tickets start from £2. Book online here.

Whether you like heart-stopping scares or family fun, Kent’s Halloween activities have something for everyone. Picture: Reindeer Centre
Whether you like heart-stopping scares or family fun, Kent’s Halloween activities have something for everyone. Picture: Reindeer Centre

ROMNEY, HYTHE AND DYMCHURCH RAILWAY, New Romney

This light railway will be full of ghoulish games and activities over the Halloween weekend. There will be staff members dressed up in their creepy costumes to take you along the railway line, where you can spot spooky characters and get stuck into mask decorating, stomach-churning sandwich-making and much more.

Details: Friday, October 27 to Sunday, October 29 at the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway. To make the most of your day, start at the Hythe station. Tickets start from £18. Book online.

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