The best Halloween events in London for ghost stories, films and scares

Things are getting spooky on High Street Ken for Halloween. The west London thoroughfare will play host to a Halloween trail between October 24-31, complete with ghoulishly themed workshops, seasonal treats and scary surprises (all appropriately family-friendly, it is half-term after all). Then, on Halloween itself, Holland Park will transform into a theatrical playground of spooky characters, immersive installations and interactive games and live entertainment between 4pm and 7pm. Plus, there’ll be the chance to take part in the capital's best trick-or-treating, with the neighbourhood’s houses once again putting on their legendary Halloween displays. Make a day of it by heading to the Big Kensington Vintage Flea (10am to 4.30pm), which will have a Gothic twist for the day, with stalls packed with grand candelabras, Victorian-inspired gowns, black lace and moody florals.

After a two-year hiatus, elrow's legendary Horroween festival is back. Once again, the elrow collective brings their immersive clubbing experience to Enfield’s huge 15,000-capacity venue, Drumsheds. The 10-hour daytime party will feature ‘a sprawling cinematic world inspired by classic horror stories, where monstrous characters, roaming performers and larger-than-life theatrical installations’ are soundtracked by electronic music so on-point it’s almost frightening. Part rave, part theatre and part fever dream, it’ll be a night you won’t forget in a hurry. 

Come, little children and watch your three fave witches at this concert screening of Hocus Pocus. This evening with the Sanderson sisters will see an orchestra take over the Hammersmith Apollo to play John Debney’s score live along with the film. No tricks here, all treat. 

Although not known for any Gothic leanings, the ageing princes of new-rom stage the latest chapter in their continued comeback, this time with a huge show at The O2 on Halloween night. Fans are encouraged to dress up for the occasion and look out for Halloween-themed experiences across the venue to check out before the gig, including a spooky silent disco at Up at The O2 climbs, chilling cinema screenings and surprise Halloween performances. What we definitely do know is that plenty of old hits are about to get resurrected. 

Hounslow adventure park Hobbledown Heath has had an autumnal makeover complete with a huge pumpkin patch. Great squashes have taken over an expansive meadow on the River Crane, right beside the Hounslow Heath nature reserve. Grab a wheelbarrow and wend your way through the rows of brightly-coloured gourds and take your favourites with you. Book a combined ticket and you can make your pumpkin-picking sesh into a full day out, by sticking around to enjoy Hobbledown’s ultimate adventure playground and zoo, too. Or click through for more places to select a gorgeous gourd this October.

Billed, curiously, as the most successful ‘entertainment event’ of all time, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s opus The Phantom of the Opera still works hard for its audience. Sure, chunks of it have never left 1986. But whereas describing a musical as ‘stuck in the ’80s’ is usually shorthand for cheap, thin synth orchestration, nothing could be further from the truth here: the portentously swirling keyboards and crunch of hair metal guitar that powers ‘Phantom’s title song have a black hole-like immensity, sucking you in with sheer juggernaut bombast.

It’s totally OTT – in one scene the Phantom zaps at his nemesis Raul with a staff that fires actual fireballs – but its blazingly earnest ridiculousness and campy Grand Guignol story are entirely thrilling when realised with the show’s enormous budget. And it makes for the perfect Halloween theatre outing. 

Horror movies aren’t just for Halloween. In fact, as Ari Aster’s ‘Midsommar’ proved, the summer can be just as scary as the rest of the year. There really is no bad time to settle down on the sofa and scare the bejesus out of yourself by watching something frightening. Thankfully, Netflix has loads of brilliant and bonkers horror movies available to stream, no matter whether you’re into gorefests, the paranormal or heart pounding psychological scares. From genre classics like ‘The Blair Witch Project’, to modern favourites like ‘The Conjuring’ and ‘Hereditary’, there’s bound to be something for you on our list of the best horror movies streaming on Netflix UK right now.

Recommended: The best horror films of all time.