Halloween 2026 near Timperley, Altrincham and Sale: what's on this half-term

£3 a child, Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 3.30pm. Batilda the witch has fallen off her broom and scattered her potion ingredients around Bramall Hall, and children hunt through the Tudor rooms to find them, with a small prize at the end. For ages 3 and up. Book a time online, or buy on the day at the visitor centre if there’s space; adults pay normal hall admission. It’s indoors, so it suits a wet day.

Daily, 10.30am to 3pm, with Lyme admission. Ten decorated doors across Lyme’s gardens, woods and park, each telling a local ghost story or piece of folklore, like the legend of the White Lady. Get the map at the Chapel, then knock, peek through and scan the code at each one. Seeing them all is a 6km walk with some climbing, on paths too rough for buggies.

Free, daily while the shops are open. Download the map and follow the clues to pumpkins and gargoyles in the windows of Wilmslow’s shops and cafés. An easy walk at buggy pace for younger children, and simple to fit round a coffee.

Ten minutes away, until Saturday 31 October. Pick your own pumpkin straight from the field at this family farm near Dunham Massey; pumpkins are priced one by one. No booking and free parking, and the parlour serves homemade ice cream, pizzas and hot drinks from 12 to 5pm. It’s a separate site from the National Trust hall.

Free to get in, pumpkins from £2. Four acres and more than 25 kinds of pumpkin. From Monday to Friday there’s a Golden Pumpkin Hunt (10am to 5pm), on Friday it opens in the evening too, and Saturday is its last day. Wellies and waterproofs are a must, and there’s a covered carving area if it rains.

Free to get in, Wednesday to Sunday. Grab a pink wheelbarrow and choose a home-grown pumpkin from a secret corner of the corn field, paying £1 to £15 for what you take. There’s also a maize maze (a separate ticket), marshmallow toasting and Halloween ice creams. Closed on Monday and Tuesday; the field gets muddy after rain.

Thursday 3 to 5pm, £7 a child, adults free. A two-hour Halloween party at Nell’s Pizza in Altrincham, hosted by the Sanderson Sisters: disco lights, Halloween songs, spooky games and prizes. Pizza and treats are on sale on the day.

Friday 4 to 6pm or Saturday 11.30am to 1.30pm. Two Halloween parties at Adventure Forest in Trafford Park, with face painting, a pumpkin hunt, a fancy-dress contest, a UV disco with glow sticks, a spooky gift and time on the soft play. Both sold out last year; book the party package for your day.

Saturday, 11am or 2.30pm, £5. The Warehouse at Aviva Studios fills up with face painting, lantern making, carnival games, a glowing potion station, a ghoul disco and a bubble and magic show. Two-hour sessions; babies under 18 months go free, and grown-ups are encouraged to dress up too.

Saturday 2 to 4pm, children free. A volunteer-run community party with a kids’ disco, games, face painting, crafts, mini golf, a tombola and home baking. Over-16s pay £6.50 on Eventbrite, and parking is free.

Thursday 5.30 to 7pm, £10 for a family. Pumpkin carving at GRUB in Stretford: the ticket comes with two small pumpkins and a medium one, so everyone gets a face to carve. Expect mess.

Free, Friday 1 to 3pm, drop in. Make a colourful sugar skull mask at Stockport Museum, best for ages 5 and up. That morning there’s a free ghost-puppet craft from 10am, and all week the museum runs a gruesome trail to the grimmer objects on display.

Free, Saturday 1.30pm or 2.30pm. Make a pumpkin-patch headband in a 45-minute session in Market Walk, Sale, for ages 3 and up with a grown-up alongside. Reserve a free ticket for each child; costumes welcome.

Free, Saturday 5 to 7.30pm. The Urmston Partnership’s evening walk round Golden Hill Park, with more than 20 spooky exhibits along the way and prizes for the best fancy dress. Treats rather than tricks, the organisers promise.

Free, Saturday 5 to 7.30pm. A warm stop partway round a trick-or-treat route, run by two Altrincham churches: old-fashioned party games, a bouncy castle and sausage sandwiches. Everyone’s welcome.

Saturday 5.30 to 7pm, free ticket. A glow-themed party at St Mary Magdalene in Ashton on Mersey, with a silent disco, bouncy castle, crafts and glow-in-the-dark pumpkin bowling, for nursery and primary ages. Bright clothes, and friendly costumes rather than frightening ones; there’s a suggested donation of £4 a child and a quiet space.

Daily, with LEGOLAND entry. Brick or Treat adds Halloween build challenges, glow-in-the-dark workshops and a monster-chase 4D film to the usual rides and play areas at the Trafford Centre. Entry is by timed slot and cheaper online, and every group must include a child.

Until Sunday, shows at 12pm, 2.30pm or 5.30pm (times vary by day). Gandeys’ Halloween circus in a big top at the Trafford Centre: thrill acts and circus skills with ghostly characters and comedy, about an hour and three-quarters. It’s a family show, though a few moments may be too much for the very young; under-twos sit on a lap free.

Daily, with Quarry Bank admission, ages 6 and up. A costumed guide shares the ghost stories of the Apprentice House, where the mill’s child workers once lived. Tours can’t be booked and places are limited, so go to Visitor Reception early on the day for a ticket.

Thursday to Saturday, 10.30am or 1.30pm, £15 each. For ages 7 to 11 at Tatton’s Old Hall: a picture hunt about Samhain, broomstick practice, wand making, potion mixing with old herbs and a ghost story by the hearth. Every adult and child needs a pre-booked ticket, which includes parking. The building is unheated, so dress warmly.

Selected evenings, from £25, ages 9 and up. Zip World’s tubing slides in Heaton Park after dark, through lit-up trees with costumed monsters in the woods: an hour of unlimited rides. Riders must be at least 1m tall, under-18s need an adult, and expect proper jumps and frights.

Friday 7.30pm. A live band plays spooky hits from Monster Mash and The Time Warp to Thriller, with a prize for the best costume. A late night out for older children and teenagers rather than little ones.