October Half-Term and Halloween Events – 10 Free & 10 under £10

Get Ready for a Spooktacular Halloween in Essex 2024!

Is your family prepared for a hauntingly good time this Halloween in Essex? You’re in luck! We’ve put together an updated list of thrilling events happening throughout October that are perfect for creating unforgettable memories. Whether you’re seeking eerie Halloween trails to send shivers down your spine, or you’re more into pumpkin picking and creative crafting sessions, there’s something for everyone to enjoy in Essex this Halloween season.

But wait, the spooky fun doesn’t end there! We’ve also gathered a selection of family-friendly activities just right for younger witches, wizards, and little monsters during the October half-term holidays. Plus, we’ve found 10 free Halloween events happening across Essex in 2024, from lively costume parades to exciting trick-or-treating adventures. Your kids will love dressing up in their spooky best, collecting sweets, and having a blast all October long!

1. Monstrous Medieval Trail

Venue: Colchester Castle
Town: Colchester
Organiser: Colchester Museums
Time: 10:00 AM – 05:00 PM
Price: £5.00
Description: Join us for a spine-tingling journey through Colchester Castle, where tales of medieval life and eerie legends come to life. Take on the trail as a family or individually and uncover hidden secrets and surprises at every turn. The Castle’s ancient walls, steeped in history, amplify the sense of the monstrous medieval period, making this a fun Halloween experience for those who dare to enter!
Website: Colchester Museums


2. Halloween on the Pier – Southend Pier Monster Hunt

Venue: Southend Pier & Railway
Town: Southend on Sea
Organiser: Southend Pier & Railway
Time: 10:15 AM – 04:00 PM
Price: £2 per child (plus usual pier admission prices)
Description: The monsters have taken over the pier head! Come along from Saturday 26 October – Sunday 3 November to take part in the frightfully fun Monster Hunt! Explore the pier head to discover our fun monster characters! Simply collect your activity sheet, priced at just £2 per child (plus usual pier admission prices) when you arrive at the pier. Once you have completed your activity sheet, head over to the Royal Pavilion to collect your prize!
Website: Southend Pier & Railway


3. Halloween at The Museum of Power

Venue: The Museum of Power
Town: Maldon
Organiser: The Museum of Power
Time: 09:30 AM – 03:00 PM
Price: £8 Adults, £7 Concessions, £5 Children (5-15), Under 5s Free
Description: From Wednesday 30th October to Sunday 3rd November 2024, enjoy arts & crafts activities and Crafty Cabin Workshops. On Thursday 31st October ONLY, join Professor Dean the Steampunk Scientist and Magician for some spooky science fun, and enjoy ‘Let’s Get Crafty’ walk-in activities. The Miniature Railway and Astaria Model Village will also be open on select days.
Website: Museum of Power


4. Hadleigh Suffolk Fireworks Display

Venue: The Hadleigh Millfield
Town: Benfleet
Organiser: Hadleigh United Football Club
Time: 07:45 PM – 10:00 PM
Price: £6 Adults, £5 Under 16’s, Under 5’s free
Description: Hadleigh Fireworks, organised by Hadleigh United Football Club, will offer a fully insured event with a professional display team, a licensed bar, and hot food stalls. Get ready for a fantastic fireworks night!
Website: The Hadleigh Millfield


5. Maldon Annual Firework Display 2024

Venue: Promenade Park
Town: Maldon
Organiser: Star Fireworks
Time: 06:00 PM
Price: £7 Child, £9 Adult
Description: Award-winning display team Star Fireworks presents the Maldon Annual Firework Display. Gates open at 5:30 PM, with music starting at 6:00 PM. The bonfire will be lit at 7:00 PM, followed by a fireworks display at 7:30 PM. Winter warmers and food concessions will be available throughout the evening.
Website: Maldon Fireworks


6. The Bell Inn Firework & Bonfire Night Extravaganza

Venue: The Bell Inn
Town: Maldon
Organiser: The Bell Inn
Time: 06:00 PM
Price: £5 – £7.50
Description: The Bell Inn Firework & Bonfire Night Extravaganza is back with live music from Tony Way4Ward, fabulous food, and a fantastic fireworks display. There will be an outdoor bar, children’s rides, a hog roast, BBQ, pizza, and cookies to enjoy throughout the night.
Website: The Bell Inn


7. Battlesbridge Annual Firework Spectacular

Venue: Battlesbridge Antiques Centre
Town: Chelmsford
Organiser: Battlesbridge Antiques Centre
Time: 05:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Price: £10 per ticket, Under 2’s free
Description: Get ready for a night of sparkling fun and excitement at the Battlesbridge Annual Firework Spectacular. The event promises a perfect family evening out with plenty of fireworks and entertainment.
Website: Battlesbridge Antiques Centre


8. Langham Fireworks 2024

Venue: Langham Fireworks
Town: Colchester
Date: 2 November 2024
Time: 5:30 PM
Cost: £6.50 Adults, £3.50 Child (4-15)
Description: Come and join us at the Langham Fireworks Display on Saturday 2nd November 2024. Spectacular Fireworks. Ample Free Parking on field. Fair Ground Rides, Stalls and Games. Live Music, Bar & food trucks.
Website: Langham Fireworks


9. Cockaynes Neurodivergent Forest Fun

Venue: Essex Wildlife Trust
Town: Colchester
Date: 29 October 2024
Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Cost: £7.69
Description: A morning of play and exploration in the peaceful Cockaynes Woods awaits! Explore the reserve as we take a nature walk from the parking site to our woodland area (paths are slightly uneven but wide enough to accommodate pushchairs). At our woodland area, we will look for mini-beasts, swing in the hammock, build dens, climb trees, create natural crafts, and discover more!
Website: Essex Wildlife Trust


10. Langdon Autumn Family Forest Fun

Venue: Essex Wildlife Trust
Town: Basildon
Date: 1 November 2024
Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Cost: £7.73
Description: An adventure full of fun in our wonderful woodland setting! Enjoy swinging in the hammock, be creative with our craft, dig in the mud kitchen, look for minibeasts, and so much more! We will finish the session around the campfire (weather permitting – we will send an email of food suggestions for toasting after booking).
Website: Essex Wildlife Trust


11. Halloween at Markshall with Percy’s Adventures

Venue: Markshall Estate
Town: Colchester
Date: 26 – 27 October 2024
Time: 10:00 AM – 05:00 PM
Cost: £4 – 9
Description: This October half term we have a spooktacular week of activities for all the family to get involved with. As well as wicked witch hazel trail and fish food to feed our monster fish in the lakes, there is so much more for those booked on to Percy’s Adventures to get involved weekdays during half term.
Website: Markshall Estate


12. Southend Halloween Parade

Venue: Southend
Town: Southend on Sea
Date: 26 October 2024
Time: 06:00 PM – 07:30 PM
Cost: FREE
Description: Get ready for another night of spooky fun when the Southend Halloween Parade returns to the seafront! Join us for a free evening of music, dancing, amazing costumes and huge light-up puppets at our spooktacular Halloween parade!
Website: Southend Events


13. Southend Seafront Free Fireworks Display 2024

Venue: Southend
Town: Southend on Sea
Date: 26 October 2024
Time: 08:00 PM – 08:15 PM
Cost: FREE
Description: Fizz, Pop, Bang, whooo! The free Southend Seafront Free Fireworks are back this autumn! Wrap up warm, round up your friends and family and head on down to the seafront every Saturday night during October and November 2024. Embrace the exciting atmosphere, the smell of chips, the sounds of Adventure Island, the buzz of the seafront arcade machines. The fireworks are set off from a barge out in the Estuary, east of Southend Pier, meaning you can get a fantastic, uninterrupted view of the displays anywhere from Sea-Life Adventure to Genting Casino. Each display lasts approx. ten minutes but that’s plenty of time to enjoy the spectacular night sky. Start practicing your oooohhhs and ahhhhhs now!
Website: Southend Fireworks


14. Autumn Craft Market & Halloween Spooky Trail

Venue: Danbury Leisure Centre
Town: Chelmsford
Date: 26 October 2024
Time: 01:00 PM – 06:00 PM
Cost: FREE
Description: Come along to our Halloween event – browse our busy indoor and outdoor markets, along with food and drinks vendors. Follow our Spooky Trail – free sweet for every child who makes it through(!) – and entertain your children with an array of craft activities upstairs in the Dawson Suite.
Website: Danbury Leisure Centre


15. Family Science Day

Venue: Anglia Ruskin University
Town: Chelmsford
Date: 26 October 2024
Time: 10:00 AM – 04:00 PM
Cost: FREE
Description: Join us for a jam-packed day of hands-on, interactive science activities suitable for all ages. Build your own skull, be an architect for the day, and explore solar flares and the aurora borealis through a solar telescope, there’s something for everyone! Explore the evolution of gaming technology with arcade games, simulators and more. Get active at the interactive movement workshop exploring Body Science and Wellbeing. Enjoy our Living History of Science Show from Sir Isaac Newton, and help research what humans can learn from honeybees and their immunity mechanisms when under attack from viral infections in a fun interactive activity called The Game.
Website: Anglia Ruskin University


16. Frinton Literary Festival Free Storytelling & Drawing Event

Venue: Frinton Literary Festival
Town: Tendring
Date: 26 – 27 October 2024
Time: 11:00 AM – 02:00 PM
Cost: FREE
Description: This is a service that is provided free by the festival, thanks to the continued support of local sponsors – including TBS – and loyal festival goers. We hope this helps to promote the love of literature amongst the young people of our community, and encourage the readers and the writers of the future.
Website: Frinton Literary Festival


17. Star Gazing at Great Notley

Venue: North Essex Astronomical Society
Town: Braintree
Date: 26 October 2024
Time: 07:00 AM – 09:30 PM
Cost: FREE
Description: We will have our telescopes set up for you to observe the Moon, any visible planets, and other objects of interest in the night sky. We can teach you about the constellations and how to recognise them, and answer any questions you may have about astronomy or telescopes.
Website: North Essex Astronomical Society


18. Great Notley Country Park Junior Parkrun

Venue: Great Notley Country Park
Town: Braintree
Date: 27 October 2024 & 3 November 2024
Time: 09:00 AM – 06:00 PM
Cost: FREE
Description: A free, fun, and friendly weekly 2k event for juniors (4 to 14 year olds). The event takes place in Great Notley Country Park, Great Notley, Essex, CM77 7FS. It’s free! but please register before you first come along. Only ever register with parkrun once and don’t forget to bring a scannable copy of your barcode.
Website: Great Notley Junior Parkrun


19. Monster Mysteries Trail

Venue: Cressing Temple Barns
Town: Braintree
Date: 26 October 2024 – 3 November 2024
Time: 10:00 AM – 04:00 PM
Cost: FREE
Description: Experience a unique piece of history at the 13th century, Knights Templar Barns, complete with restored Tudor walled garden and Tiptree tea rooms.
Website: Cressing Temple Barns


20. Essex Fire Museum Halloween Open Day

Venue: The Essex Fire Museum
Town: Braintree
Date: 27 – 29 October 2024
Time: 10:30 AM – 04:00 PM
Cost: FREE
Description: Come to our family open day and enjoy our museum trails, arts and crafts, fire safety room, old fire engines and water squirting. The museum is free entry, but visits must be pre-booked as we are on a working fire station site.
Website: Essex Fire Museum


So, don’t forget to mark your calendars and prepare for a frightfully fun Halloween in Essex! Whether you’re in search of spine-tingling thrills or prefer a more family-friendly, lighthearted celebration, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. With a fantastic variety of events happening all across the county, you’ll have plenty of chances to get into the Halloween spirit. We hope you and your family have an unforgettable, spooktacular October!

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2 comments

  1. Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th 10am-4pm
    Apple Weekend
    English apples and apple juices for sale
    Local and country craft demonstrations and sales
    Apple Bake Off (Saturday)
    Children’s activities
    Museum of London Archaeology Road Show
    Admission free

  2. Saturday 26th October – Spooky Walks
    Can you find the Falling Star Necklace?
    (Walks start at 6o’clock)
    Tickets: £6 per person. £20 for a family of 4
    (Booking essential)
    Other activities – Havering Astronomical Society
    making lanterns and masks
    magician

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