As All Hallows’ Eve approaches and minds turn to ghouls, ghosts and spooky goings on, here are a few fun activities and events to enjoy this hallowe’en in and around Bury St Edmunds
Whether you’re young, old or somewhere inbetween, you’re sure to find something to appeal to your ghoul-ish side this hallowe’en.
For harvest vibes on overload, check this one out. Undley Farm’s pumpkin patch is celebrating its 20th birthday with a maize maze event, running throughout October. Pick your own pumpkins, watch marvellous magic shows by Wayne Goodman, get your face painted, take a donkey ride and investigate an inflatable obstacle course. There’s even a pumpkin-shaped bouncy castle. Refreshments available too.
The Pumpkin Patch in Beck Row is open on weekends and throughout half-term.
Visit undleyfarmevents.co.uk.
If you can’t get enough of the pumpkin patch action, here’s another one for you – and it’s for a brilliant cause. The GeeWizz Charity Pumpkin Patch and Maize Maze is a fun day out where kids can run free and pick their own pumpkins, plus learn about how pumpkins are grown while getting their faces painted and sipping on refreshments. All while raising awareness and funds for GeeWizz, the Suffolk and Norfolk charity which supports children and young adults dealing with disability and life-threatening illness.
All proceeds from the event, at Hall Farm, Bury St Edmunds, from October 19-27, 11am-3.30pm, goes to the charity.
Visit geewizzcharity.com.
An event for young children and their families, the St Nicholas Hospice Care’s Pumpkin Parade features a 1km pumpkin-themed route around the hospice’s Bury St Edmunds grounds.
The route will be lined with pumpkins, and children are invited to dress up in pumpkin-themed outfits.
The price for the event on Saturday, October 6, is £5 and includes one child admission, medal and sweets. All proceeds go to St Nicholas Hospice Care. You can also get sponsorship if you want to.
Online booking is essential and closes at 9am, Thursday, October 24.
Visit stnicholashospice.org.uk.
All aboard for the Hallowe’en Express at Audley End Miniature Railway for a frighteningly fun time.
Visit the coven of witches and their pumpkin friends, create a creepy craft, listen to spooky tales, have your face painted and test out your thriller dance moves.
And don’t forget the witches do love seeing you kitted out in your spooky finery.
Spooky but not scary, the event runs from October 26 up to and including November 3, with trains running from 10am to 4.40pm. Booking is required. Tickets will not be available to purchase on the day.
Visit audley-end-railway.co.uk.
Grab your broomstick and head to Audley End House and Gardens for a bewitchingly brilliant day. Expect creepy crafts, a witch-themed quest, a fancy-dress competition and come face to face with real snakes, spiders and other creepy crawlies. If grown-ups fall under the spooky spell too, they can join the (adults only) Ghost Tour of the main house, looking for ghouls by candlelight. Spook-tacular.
Visit english-heritage.org.uk.
Another event for the family is the Kentwell Hall Hallowe’en Family Festival held between October 19 and 27, when you can experience various spooky zones – School for Sorcery, Werewoods, the Witches Walk, Scare Castle, Fairie Garden and the Zombie Village – have fun on the Unfairground, meet Gunpowder Gertie, Sir Scarealot and Dragon Keepers and join in at the magic shows, plus lots more. . .
Visit kentwell.co.uk.
But it’s not all about the children, adults can test their bravery at Scaresville at Kentwell Hall, October 2-November 2.
Locals whisper of an old village that appears in darkest Suffolk every year. Ghosts, ghouls and other creatures stalk the night and are said to be able to cross through from the Other Side. They talk of it as a haunted village. They call it Scaresville. Some say these are just stories, others won’t say anything at all – are you brave enough to investigate?
Visit scaresville.co.uk.
To enjoy an added dose of spine-tingling fun, head to Go Ape! in Thetford Forest to take on crazy crossings in the dark!
Devillish thrills are promised as you take on this hour-long adventure course at either 6pm, 6.15pm or 6.30pm.
Visit goape.co.uk/locations/thetford.
Head to Stonham Barns for a spooktacular show, The Carnival of Screams! taking to the stage from October 24 to 27.
Meet acrobatic skeletons, dancing zombies and much more on a creepy adventure to see if Alex and Robbie are able to scare away the ghosts.
Stonham Barns is also putting on a Fireworks and Hallowe’en Spectacular on Friday, October 25 at 7pm, with free face painting, a competition for best-dressed pumpkin and a prize for the best hallowe’en costume.
Visit stonhambarns.co.uk.
Head over to Brandon Country Park between 11am and 3pm on Friday, October 25 and join the fun of Pumpkin Fest 2019.
Try your hand at pumpkin carving, watch a magic show, take part in crafts, watch dance demonstrations and explore the spooky woodland trail. Enter the halloween dress-up competition, have your face painted and enjoy a variety of stalls around the walled garden and beyond.
Visit PumpkinFest19.
Catch a marathon of horror as Horrorthon returns to The Quay theatre in Sudbury with seven classic frighteningly good movies showing on the big screen for almost 14 hours on Saturday, October 26.
Accompanied by horror trailers, prize giveaways, a licensed bar and with food available, settle in to watch Poltergeist, Cannibal Holocaust, Audition, The Fly, Halloween, The Wicker Man and Demon.
The thrills start at midday and runs until early the next morning.
Visit quaysudbury.com.
Join the Craft Foxes at The Apex in Bury St Edmunds for an afternoon of fun on October 23, making lanterns and monster window decorations. You get juice and a biscuit and feel free to dress up, but make sure you’re wearing clothes you don’t care too much about as you’re expected to leave in a big ol’ monstrous mess. For ages 7 and over.
Visit theapex.co.uk.
This one at Moyse’s Hall Museum in Bury on October 31 is just for grown-ups, so cover the children’s ears as you prepare for an evening of spooky stories from across England. Arrive at the ex-Victorian prison, a Norman building lit with candles, before a Victorian gentleman will lock the doors and errr. . . you can relax for the evening? Drinks and nibbles are included and booking is essential.
Call 01284 758000 to book.
Big Fish Little Fish Family Rave at The Maltings in Ely on October 26 is a family friendly rave with a Hallowe’en twist. DJ Trax and Countmonkula will be throwing on the classic old school tunes, providing the soundtrack for themed crafts, giant balloons, glitter cannons, bubble machines, amazing lighting (no strobes), face painting and optional fancy dress.
To book, visit eventbrite.co.uk tickets-63375307250.
If you go to dinner at Oliver Cromwell’s House, in Ely, keep your wits about you as one of the diners will be harbouring a terrible secret. Dinner at OC’s is typically ruined by the announcement of a murder, and then you must follow the clues to figure out whodunnit.
If that’s a bit too scary for the whole family, why not book onto the Cromwell Quest and search for ancient treasure? Or try a Family Escape Room session and see how well you can work together when trapped in a room?
Visit olivercromwells house.co.uk.
