By Amelia Cosgrove
Half term is on its way and Lincoln is getting into the spooky spirit. From giant monsters taking over the city, carving pumpkins to smashing them, to ghost walks, murder mysteries, an outdoor cinema, and enough fireworks to wake the dead, there’s plenty to keep little witches, wannabe detectives and us big-kid grown-ups entertained.
I’ve delved into the scary mayhem in Lincoln in the run-up to half-term and the week itself…better get those spectral costumes ready.
Friday, Saturday, Sunday, October 16 - 18
Outdoor Cinema/Lincoln Castle
Before the witching season even begins there’s a couple of devilishly good films to see in the castle grounds to get you in the mood for spooky shenanigans – you can always hide under your blanket if things get too scary.
The Lost Boys (15) invite you to sleep all day, party all night, never grow old and never die on the Friday, while fancy dress is encouraged for the antics of Bette Midley and friends in Hocus Pocus (PG). On the Sunday you can watch Tim Burton’s Halloween Classic, The Nightmare Before Christmas (PG).
Monday 26 October: The Monsters Arrive
The BIG Spook / Lincoln Monster Invasion
24-31 October | Free | Various Locations Across Lincoln
Nine gigantic inflatable creatures will be popping up around Lincoln, from Castle Hill and the city centre to the University, with plenty of new faces joining the invasion. The trail is free to explore, making it an easy half-term activity to dip in and out of while exploring the city – and the monsters will be lighting up after dark, too.
Spooky Stories at Lincoln Castle
10am–4pm | Included with castle day ticket | Lincoln Castle
If your little ones prefer their monsters with a little more history, head to Lincoln Castle for Spooky Stories. Eerie tales, ancient walls and mysterious castle grounds make for a suitably atmospheric start to half term. The event runs daily until November 1
Tuesday 27 October: Trails, Creatures and Tiny Giants
Halloween Trail at Hartsholme Country Park
12–3pm | £4.50 per child | Hartsholme Country Park
Pick up your trail sheet between noon and 3pm and follow the route to a deliciously ghoulish treat. The trail runs until 31 October.
Mascots of Bomber Command
10.30am–3.30pm | FREE | International Bomber Command Centre
Not everything has to be ghosts and ghouls. This free family activity explores the animals and lucky charms that supported aircrews during the war, with themed crafts to get involved with.
Tiny Giants Puppetry Workshop
10am–12pm | FREE, booking essential | Lincoln Central Library | Ages 6–11
For children who would rather make their own monsters than hunt for them, this hands-on puppetry workshop lets them create characters from simple, overlooked materials and bring them to life.
Wednesday 28 October: Carve or Crack a Case
Pumpkin Carving at Lincoln Arboretum
10–11.30am | £4.50 | Lincoln Arboretum
It wouldn't be Halloween half term without getting your hands inside a pumpkin. Young carvers can design and make their own Jack-o'-lantern at this hands-on session. Booking is essential.
Murder Mystery Experience
Choose your own start time | 2–6 players per group | £19.99-28.99 per group | Around 2 hours
For the teens who have graduated from pumpkin carving to solving crimes, this is a detective game with a difference. Download the app, head into Lincoln's streets and follow the clues to crack the murder of Chester Monte, an infamous politician. You'll interrogate virtual suspects, crack codes and piece together the evidence, essentially cosplaying and directing your own detective film.
Creative Kids Club
4.30–6pm | FREE | Ermine Library & Community Hub
Round off the day with play, storytelling and art at this family session for under-11s. It's not strictly Halloween-themed, but after a morning of pumpkins and spooky stories, a bit of creative calm might be welcome.
Thursday 29 October: Bats and Crafts
Family of Phantoms Parade
1:30pm, 3:30pm, 5:30pm | Bailgate to Minster Yard | Free
Lincoln is the first city to welcome this brand-new phantom parade, created by the team behind Strolling Bones. The procession will travel from the Assembly Rooms along Bailgate and Eastgate before a finale in front of Lincoln Cathedral. Road closures in place during parade times.
Bat Box Making
1–2.30pm | £9 per child | Hartsholme Country Park
Give the garden a new resident while celebrating Bat Week with a hands-on bat box-making session. Children can make their own box and learn a little about helping bats find somewhere to stay. Booking is essential.
Outdoor Cinema: Hocus Pocus & The Lost Boys
From 4pm | Lincolnshire Showground | £35.84 family ticket | £5.85pp
There’s another outing for these films under the stars as Hocus Pocus kicks things off at 4pm, followed by 80s vampire classic The Lost Boys at 7.15pm. Wrap up warm, grab a blanket, your favourite movie snacks, and lose yourself in an evening of witches and vampires.
Friday 30 October: Calm, then Spooktacular
Autumn Art & Mindful Monsters
10am–12pm | £10 per child, accompanying adult FREE | Doddington Hall & Gardens
Start the day with something slightly more zen. This session combines mindful moments, autumn art and wild inspiration for children aged five to 12, with monsters involved, naturally.
Pumpkin Patch at Waterside Shopping Centre
Get into the Halloween spirit with a free pumpkin-picking session at Waterside, where you can choose your own pumpkin and snap some suitably spooky photos along the way.
Spooktacular
2.30pm | £10.50 | Broadbent Theatre, Wickenby
Then it's time to turn up the spooky factor with this family-friendly puppet show. A good afternoon option for younger Halloween fans who aren't quite ready for anything genuinely terrifying.
Saturday 31 October: Halloween Night
Ghostly Shadows of the Past: Echoes of Highflyer, Hooves and Horns
2–3pm | £1.50 | Lincoln Central Library
For something a little more historical, Dr Alyson Cunningham explores the dramatic end of the coaching era and the eerie legends left behind. At just £1.50, it's an inexpensive way to add some history to Halloween.
The Original Lincoln Ghost Walk
6.45pm, 7.00pm and 7.15pm | £10 adults, £5 under-12s | Cash Only | Castle Hill
The original ghost tour runs from 28-30 October, but the extra spooky tour happens on the 31st. Follow the award-winning Lincoln Ghost Walk through the Cathedral Quarter for 70 minutes of spooky stories and gruesome tales from the city's past. Running since 1996, it's suitable for all ages and no booking is required - just arrive at Castle Hill 5–10 minutes before the 7pm start.
The Frontier: Pumpkin Festival at Rand Farm Park
Saturday 31 October | Rand Farm Park | From £6.75
Pumpkins, live music, festival food, funfair rides and plenty of family entertainment - with Taylor Swift tribute in the day and a Dolly Parton tribute in the night, these acts will bring you the Halloween party soundtrack - think pumpkin patch meets country festival, with a little line dancing thrown in.
Fireworks Fantasia & Halloween Spooktacular
4–9pm | £17 adults, £11 children, under-5s FREE | Lincolnshire Showground
And then, the big one. Fireworks Fantasia & Halloween Spooktacular promises spooky special guests, family activities, pumpkin carving and apple-bobbing before finishing with what organisers describe as Lincoln's biggest firework display.