Spooktacular fun in October half term!
It’s hard to believe how quickly the year has flown by and now October half-term is just around the corner. If you’re looking for family-friendly activities close to home, Love Basingstoke has put together a ‘fang-tastic’ guide to help you make the most of the break in Basingstoke and Deane.
Free spooktacular fun!
The Love Basingstoke programme returns this half-term with lots of FREE spooktacular fun over three days. Perfect for those aged between three and 13, enjoy amazing activities with no cost, and enjoy magical moments, creative crafts, and eerie adventures. Join the Love Basingstoke team from Wednesday 28 to Friday 30 October 2026, between 11am and 3pm, across Basingstoke town centre. Please click here for more information about the Love Basingstoke Presents programme.
There will be lots of Halloween fun to join in with at Festival Place. On Saturday 24 October, take part in FREE Halloween game-show style challenges:
- Play your creepy cards right
- Spooky stop clock
- Halloween hoop challenge
- 60 second charades
Plus, spooky gift bags will be up for grabs!
And then join Festival Place again on Saturday 31 October, for Trick or Treat Street! Pick a door and discover what’s waiting on the other side. Expect characters, treats and a few fun surprises along the way. Come dressed for Halloween - dogs are very much welcome!
Join The Malls for some mischief! On Thursday 29 October, from 11am to 3pm enjoy free Halloween crafts and snap a magic photo with the Halloween witch! Throughout the week you'll also find a Halloween Trail to take part in. Pick up a trail sheet from The Works, hunt around the centre to find the missing words, then unscramble them and submit your entry into the submission box located in The Works.
More Halloween fun
Take your little ones to a Halloween-themed model miniature train rides day on Saturday 31 October in Basingstoke at Viables! Run by the Basingstoke and District Model Engineering Society, don't miss out – it's full steam ahead for family fun!
There’s a Halloween half-term spooktacular special at Four Kingdoms Adventure Park. From select days throughout the month of October, visitors can enjoy a full day of family fun with activities and spooky Halloween-themed entertainment. There will also be pumpkin picking in the Pumpkin Patch throughout October. For late night fun enjoy Dinos in the Dark, from 6pm to 9pm. There is also an experience in the dark scare maze and maize maze, with a meet and greet with Halloween characters - join them... if you dare!
Dress up in your best Halloween costume or fancy dress and take part in Hollywood Bowl's Bowloween Dress-Up Competition on Saturday 31 October, with a prize up for grabs for the winning look! Whether you're a witch, wizard, superhero, vampire or something completely unique, everyone is welcome to join in. You can also expect monster bowling games, sweet treats and halloween balloons.
Fright at the museum!
Have a ghoulishly good time at Milestones Museum this October half-term. Meet the scientists competing for the chance to work alongside Dr Jekyll himself. Each has their own field of expertise, their own extraordinary ideas and their own demonstrations to impress you. Watch them in action and decide for yourself who deserves to win. Top tip: Don’t forget, with your admission ticket you can return to Milestones Museum as many times as you like for a whole year.
On Tuesday 27 and Thursday 29 October, experience a spooky trail at Whitchurch Silk Mill, full of fun for the whole family! Make your way along the trail and find activities for the whole family. Take part in the Halloween-themed activities around the site and collect your Bag of Treats at the end.
Fa-boo-lous outdoor fun
Why not make the most of the autumnal season in Basingstoke and Deane this October, and explore some of the many parks and countryside landscapes. Read our Autumn walks guide in Basingstoke and Deane for our top autumn walks picks this year!
Halloween is not just for little ones
Spooky fun is most definitely not just for kids, so here’s some adult-focused events!
- Oktoberfest returns with live oompah music, bigger games and plenty of laughs. Tuck into great food from Son of a Bun and raise a stein with beer from Dummer Down Brewery.
- This year at Silchester Farm experience their alive after dark event on Saturday 31 October for an atmospheric evening of live music, outdoor food, cocktails, firelight and a spectacular fireworks display.
- Not your traditional pantomime, but you can expect a giant helping of innuendo as Pumpkin Pantos brings Rubbin' Wood to Central Studio Friday 23 and Saturday 24 October. As the name might suggest, this pantomime is most definitely for over 18s only.
And there's so much more! For more adult, Halloween inspiration this October read our Autumn events blogs.
Further afield
There are also plenty of places within easy reach of Basingstoke. Take a look at Beyond Basingstoke and Deane for inspiration.
If you have any other half term ideas then drop us an email: hello@lovebasingstoke.co.uk
Please note the inclusion of any business within this listing should not be seen as an endorsement of their services. While the information is considered to be true and correct at the date of publication, changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact on the accuracy of the information.
Updated September 2026
Share this article:
