By Amelia Cosgrove
There’s a chill creeping into the Lincolnshire air, the trees are turning auburn, leaves are crunching beneath your feet in the castle grounds, and suddenly everything seems to smell and taste like pumpkin spice.
Somewhere down a Bailgate alleyway a storyteller in a black robe is sharpening their tales of the Black Rider. Yes, October has arrived in Lincoln, and with it comes a month packed with pumpkin patches, ghost walks, literary celebrations and one very large fireworks display. Whether you’re after wholesome autumn fun or something a little more spine-chilling, Lincoln has got you covered.
Here are my favourite picks for the October calendar.
Pick Your Own Pumpkins | Throughout October | Various locations| 1–31 October
Starting with an autumn classic: PYO pumpkins. There are plenty of patches around Lincolnshire, but each has its own reason to visit.
Doddington Hall – 1–31 October
For the prettiest setting, head to Doddington Hall, where you can pick from more than 30 varieties of pumpkins, squashes and gourds before following the spooky trail through the Kitchen Garden. There are multiple cafés to refuel at, a new pumpkin-themed offering in the Farm Shop, and keep an eye out for a special “golden bottom” pumpkin – finding one could win you a prize.
Coleby PYO Pumpkins – Weekends Throughout October
Coleby is the one for Halloween fans, with a wonderfully spooky maze, plenty of photo opportunities and a newly refurbished café for warming up after your muddy pumpkin hunt. Expect plenty of opportunities to get that all-important autumn Instagram shot.
Waddingworth Farm – Weekends Throughout October
For foodies, Waddingworth is worth the trip. Alongside its pumpkin patch, expect food vendors and one of the prettiest outdoor seating spots around – plus its much-loved pumpkin muffins.
Lincoln Book Festival | 1-4 October
Bookworms, gather round. Lincoln’s literary festival is back with four days of bestselling authors, Book Tok, crime, food, history and live storytelling. Catch Rachel Khoo, Mark Billingham and Peter James, browse the independent-bookshop fringe, or dive into everything from quizzes and workshops to family-friendly events.
Lincoln Half Marathon | 4 October | 9:30am-12:30pm
Starting and finishing at the Lincolnshire Showground, this scenic 13.1-mile route winds into the heart of the city, passing Lincoln Castle and Cathedral along the way. Expect cheering crowds, plenty of atmosphere and a buzzing event village, whether you’re running, supporting or simply fancy watching hundreds of runners take on the city.
I’ll be among the crowds cheering the runners on and will report back on the
Rand Farm the Frontier Pumpkin Festival | 10-31st October
Pumpkin picking, but make it Hannah Montana's Hoedown Throwdown. New for 2026, Rand Farm Park's The Frontier is bringing thousands of pumpkins, line dancing, live music, tribute acts, funfair rides and street food to its giant undercover Big Top. So, whether you're channelling your inner Dolly Parton, fancy yourself a bit of a country star, or just want an excuse to wear cowboy boots and pick a pumpkin, saddle up.
The Activators + Hell's Ditch – Southside | 9th October | 19:00-23:00 | £14
October's about to get loud. The Activators, an 11-piece festival favourite who've played Glastonbury six times and Boomtown five years running, bring their irresistible mash-up of ska, reggae, Balkan, Celtic, punk and even tango to Southside. They're joined by rising punk outfit Hell's Ditch, whose fast, furious and danceable sound tackles everything from poverty to resistance. Expect big energy, bigger choruses and very little standing still.
The Music of The Lord of The Rings. Tribute to Howard Shore with voice | 17th October | 19:30-20:30
Step into Middle-earth for an evening of Howard Shore’s iconic Lord of the Rings soundtrack, performed by Mystery Ensemble beneath the soaring Gothic arches of Lincoln Cathedral. Expect haunting melodies, epic orchestral moments and plenty of goosebumps as the cathedral transforms into Tolkien’s fantastical world of hobbits, elves and dwarves.
Spooky Castle | 24 October–1 November | 10am-4pm
Lincoln Castle gets a suitably spooky makeover for half term, with eerie storytelling, gruesome discoveries and mysteries lurking among its ancient walls. Explore the Medieval Wall Walk, Victorian Prison and Magna Carta Vault, and pick up a Spooky Castle activity sheet to join in the creepy fun. Included with a Castle Day ticket.
Halloween at Lincoln Ghost Walks | Wednesday 28 & Thursday 29 October: 7pm
Friday 30 & Saturday 31 October: 6.45pm, 7pm & 7.15pm
Fancy a Halloween night with a little more atmosphere? Join Lincoln Ghost Walks for a family-friendly wander through some of the city’s most haunted corners, with spooky tales and local legends along the way. Meet near Castle Hill before setting off through Lincoln’s historic Bailgate and Uphill area, with plenty of ghostly stories and eerie history along the way.
Fireworks Fantasia & Halloween Spooktacular | 31st October | 16:00-21:00
Go out with a bang at Lincolnshire Showground, where Halloween gets the full fireworks treatment. Expect monster trucks, motorcycle stunts, live music, a funfair, food stalls and spooky activities including pumpkin carving and apple-bobbing, plus a chance to meet Shrek. Dress to impress for the best costume prize before Lincoln’s biggest fireworks display lights up the sky. Under-5s go free and parking is free.
