Halloween: October 2008
Skeletons, spiders, vampires, witches, ghosts and ghouls will make this Halloween your spookiest yet!
There are loads of events and activities taking place to help all ages get into the Halloween mood.
Annual Pumpkin Festival
Saturday 11 October
12:00 noon - 5:30pm
Royal Victoria Country Park, Netley, Southampton. SO31 5GA
The venue is wheelchair accessible. Normal car parking charges apply
Tickets: Adults £1.50, Children 50p
A fun filled afternoon of family activities and autumnal foods, flowers, dance, storytelling, Big Draw art activities. Barbecue, teas, Pumpkin soup, curry pasties bread and pies. Allotment Gardening advice, BBC Breathing Places/Autumn watch info and oh yes how could we forget, Giant Pumpkins and other autumnal treasures! Last year we had the new UK champion pumpkin weighing in at 1188 lbs. Stalls inside the chapel and outside too raising money for The Jubilee Sailing Trust. Bring along your pumpkins and squashes of all sizes for the pumpkin party of the year! See you there.
Royal Victoria Railway's Halloween Special
Saturday 25 October - Saturday 1 November
From 5:30pm
Royal Victoria Country Park, Netley. Southampton. SO31 5GA
Contact the venue direct for accessibility details.
Tickets: £2.50 per person. Booking is essential. Telephone the Royal Victoria Railway on 023 8045 6546
Join our spooky customers on the railway for an evening ride. Dressing up is optional. The scariest costume gets a treat!
The train runs at 5:30pm, 6:00pm, 6:30pm and 7:00pm from the Chapel Road station.
Spooky Stuff
Saturday 25 October
10:00am - 3:00pm
Southampton Central Children's Library, Civic Centre. Southampton. SO14 7LW
FREE Admission
For further details telephone 023 8083 2664
Come and make some spooky things for Halloween in the Children's Library. Free drop-in 'make and take' session aimed at children 10 years and under and their families.
Parents/carers must stay with their children.
Halloween Trail
Saturday 25 Oct 2008 to Sunday 02 Nov 2008
From 10:00am.
Royal Victoria Country Park, Netley. Southampton. SO31 5GA
Cost: £1 per trail. For more details telephone Royal Victoria Country Park on 023 8045 5157
There have been some spooky goings on at the Park. Follow this self-guided trail to solve the clues and win a small prize. Available from the Chapel between 10:00am and 3:00pm. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Spooky Half term Holiday Club
Monday 27 - Friday 31 October 2008
8:30am - 5:30pm
Chamberlayne Leisure Centre, Weston Lane, Weston. Southampton. SO19 9SJ
Activities include arts and crafts, a spooky Halloween disco on Friday 31 October, team games, trampolining, bouncy castle, cooking, competitions, plus much more.
The Hoiday Club is Ofsted registered and has achieved the 4Children Quality Assurance award.
Prices from £17 per day; £10 half day.
For more information and to book places please contact Chamberlayne Leisure Centre on 023 8043 7668
Spooky Storytime
Monday 27 October
2:00pm - 2:30pm
Cobbett Road Library, Cobbett Road. Southampton. SO18 1HL
Get in the Halloween mood and join in the Spooky storytime at Cobbett Road Library.
Free session - no booking necessary. Parents/carers must stay with children.
For further information please telephone 023 8022 5555
Halloween Ghost Train
Monday 27 October - Sunday 2 November
Trains run from 10:45 am, last train runs at 3:45pm
Exbury Gardens & Steam Railway. Exbury. Southampton. SO45 1AZ
Tickets: £10.50 adults, £4.50 Children 3-15, under 3's go free. Booking is essential by telephoning 023 8024 5750 between 9:30am - 4:30pm. Please note that the tickets are inclusive of both entrance to the gardens and a ride on the ghost train.
With skeletons, SCAREcrows and other ghoulish characters en route, dare you ride the Exbury Ghost Train? Enter the pitch-black tunnel at your peril! Family fun. Full of interesting stories, terrible jokes, puns and visual gags, the Ghost Train is suitable for all ages. Its all aboard for a 'Halloween Phantomime! Follow the 'Spooky Tree Trail' in the Gardens and discover "The Devil's Walking Stick", "Chinese Coffin Tree", "Domesday Yew" and other spooky trees. Everyone riding the Exbury Ghost Train in fancy dress receives a free treat bag. Please note that the Exbury Ghost Train is extremely popular and pre booking is essential.
Things that go bump in the Park
Monday 27 October 2008
Royal Victoria Country Park. Netley. Southampton. SO31 5GA
Tickets: adult £1.50; child £3.5 For tickets please telephone 023 8045 5157
A magical night full of intrigue and mystery awaits you as you join the grey lady on a journey around the Park. Make an amulet at the start of your walk to protect you from strange characters lurking in the woods! After the walk have a go on a number of spooky side show stalls and activities. Join the walk in fancy dress and receive a small gift.
Walk for under 8 yrs - starts at 6pm.
For 8 yr olds & over - 6:45pm & 7:30pm.
All children must be accompanied by an adult. Booking is essential.
Spooky Fun
Tuesday 28 October
2.00pm - 3.00pm
Bitterne Library, Bitterne Road East. Southampton. SO18 5EG
Tickets: Booking is necessary and a £1 deposit paid, which will be refunded on arrival for activity. Please telephone to 023 8044 9909 for further information.
Join in with this special Halloween activity and have lots of spooky fun. Suitable for children 4 - 8 years old. Parents and carers must stay with children during the session.
Free Halloween Family Fun Day
Wednesday 29 October
10:00am - 2:00pm
Tudor Merchants Hall, Westgate St, Southampton. SO14 2AJ
There is no wheelchair access to the venue.
Tickets: Free drop-in event for all the family. No pre-booking required. Telephone 023 8063 5904
Want to have a go at all things ghoulish during the half term break? Come and create your own spooky Halloween puppets, monster masks and listen to some chilling tales specially told by Southampton Library Service. You are all welcome to come dressed in your creepiest costumes. All children under 12 years old must be accompanied by an adult throughout the day.
Spooky Special - Halloween make and play.
Wednesday 29 October
10:00am - 12:30pm
Bitterne Leisure Centre, Dean Road, Bitterne. Southampton. SO18 6AQ
Suitable for 2-10year olds
Activities include Mallow munching, spider making, spooky stories, pin the nose on the pumpkin, apple bobbing and monster puppets.
Come inyour favourite Halloween fancy dress costume! (Optional).
Cost is £3.50 per head.
Places are limited so please book by telephoning Bitterne Leisure Centre on 023 8043 7647
Bats, Moths & Owls
Wednesday 29 October
11:00am – 4:00pm
The Hawthorns. The Common. Southampton. SO15 7NN
Family Activity day with trails, crafts, games & quizzes for all ages.
Booking is not required and activities repeat throughout the day so you can turn up anytime.
Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult. For further information telephone 023 8067 1921
Don't forget while you are there to take a well deserved break at the newly opened café at the Hawthorns. It offers a range of high quality drinks and freshly made sandwiches, fresh fruit and New Forest Ice Cream. If you haven’t got time to stop they can also offer a take out service using compostable cups and cup holders.
The Café is open every week-day between 10am – 4.30pm (4.45pm for take out) and week-ends from noon – 3.30pm (3.45pm for take out)
Halloween Crafts
Wednesday 29th October
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Portswood Library. Portswood Road, Southampton. SO17 2NG
Come and join in the spooky fun and make Halloween crafts.
It is a drop in session so no tickets are needed in advance.
Suitable for children aged 4 - 12 years, under 8's need to be accompanied by a carer during the activity.
The session is free and further details can be obtained from Portswood Library 023 8055 4634.
Trick or treat Night
Wednesday 29 and Thursday 30 October 6:00pm
Manor Farm Country Park,Brook Lane, Botley, Southampton, SO30 2ER
Tickets: Child £6.50 (inc goody bag etc.) Adult £3.50 telephone 01489 772813
Meet witches, warlocks and things that go bump in the night on these light-hearted evening farm tours for children. Children will each be given a 'goody bag', which they fill with treats along the way. They will also be able to take part in various Halloween-themed activities, including broomstick flying lessons in the schoolyard.
Suitable for children aged 6-12 years. No unaccompanied children - all children must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Tours at 6:00pm, 6:45pm & 7:30pm. Admission strictly by advance ticket only. Tickets available from farm reception during normal opening hours, or telephone 01489 772813.
Spooky Sacks (Family Workshop)
Friday 31 October
10:30am-12:30pm OR 1:30pm -3:30pm
Education Room, Southampton City Art Gallery, Civic Centre. Southampton. SO14 7LP
The Art Gallery is fully accessible.
Tickets: £5.50 per child. Booking in advance is necessary and must be done through the Art Gallery shop on 023 8083 2705
Get ready to wow people this Halloween with your fantastically ghoulish Trick or Treat bag. Whether you like ghosts or goblins, skeletons or spiders, make and take home a spooky sack to put all your sweeties in. Why not come dressed up for extra fun!
This is a family workshop suitable for children aged 5+.
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
'Orrible 'Ampton's Hard Times -Halloween Ghost Walks
Friday 31 October and Saturday 1 November
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Departs from Holyrood Church, High Street, Southampton SO14 2DF
Tickets: £4 available from the Tourist Information Centre, Civic Centre Road, telephone 023 8083 3333
Sarah Siddons Fan Club is a Southampton street theatre group who present the city's history in an entertaining and off-beat way.
The walk, which is the same for all four performances, starts at the ruined church of Holy Rood in Southampton's High Street and ends in the lower part of the Old Town. Each walk takes about one and a quarter hours. The performers are in costume and the walk is led by a character from Southampton's past. On the walk other characters from different times of Southampton's history will be met and tell their stories. The walk is suitable for children as well as adults. Please contact Southampton Tourist Information Centre for more information
If you would like to contact someone about this page, please send an email to: events@southampton.gov.uk
