The spookiest, creepiest, scariest (why do we celebrate this again!?) holiday is back! It’s time to dress up as brain-eating zombies, blood-thirsty vampires, cauldron-stewing witches and whatever the latest meme is… Freaky Nikki!? Whether you’re spooking yourself at a ghost hunt or picking out the perfect pumpkin, Birmingham offers a splattering of harrowing Halloween events to choose from.
Before you do anything else on Halloween (yes, even before dressing up), you have to pick your own pumpkin. Luckily, several local Birmingham pumpkin patches are nearby. Many of these are open to the public for the entire month of October, so there’s no excuse not to be prepared on All Hallows’ Eve. Pick up a few in case your jack-o’-lantern carving skills aren’t quite up to scratch.
Step inside a historic Birmingham stage for an immersive courtroom drama where you hold the power of justice in your hands. In Frankenstein on Trial: The Man Who Defied God, Dr. Victor Frankenstein answers for the dark consequences of his forbidden science. As a jury member, you scrutinize testimony, weigh the evidence, and raise your paddle at key moments to steer the proceedings before casting the final vote on guilt or innocence.
Stock up at Europe’s biggest Halloween megastore
The UK’s most popular Halloween megastore, Halloween House, is now open at Merry Hill. From classic costumes and horror masks to make-up and home décor, the store stocks one of the largest collections of Halloween merchandise, retaining its title of Europe’s biggest Halloween store. In its 8th year, check out a brand new Mad Scientist’s Lab and a revamped cemetery area.
Birmingham is one of the spookiest cities in the UK and, from wandering around its haunting locations, we can see why. So maybe the best way to celebrate Halloween in Birmingham is to meet its restless spirit. Track ten wandering ghosts using only your phone in this thrilling 90-minute adventure that blends escape-room puzzles, scavenger hunts, and spine-chilling storytelling.
Catch a classic theatre ghost story
We all love a good horror film, don’t we? But what about a classic theatre ghost story? Birmingham Rep’s The Void is a chilling sci-fi horror created for the stage—a decaying future of desperate humans, all-seeing AI, and memories of a distant, dangerous past.
Ditch the haunted houses and trick-or-treating, and get yourself down to XOYO this Halloween. With live DJs, nonstop R&B anthems, spooky surprises, and games that go way beyond the usual, this isn’t your usual bingo night! From jaw-dropping prizes to fierce dance battles—and don’t forget your costume—who will be the ultimate winner?
Need to get in the Halloween spirit? Look no further than Goth’s Playground. With a focus on “the darker side of products from all categories,” pick up anything from taxidermy to Ouija boards; you’re bound to find what you need here—including piercings, records, clothing, fragrance, and jewellery.
RumRum VIP Bar & Lounge transforms with eerie lighting, themed décor, spooky props, giant inflatables, and confetti for Halloween House Party in Birmingham. Arrive in costume and enjoy everything from Halloween party games to DJs playing R&B classics, hip hop anthems, and pop hits.
Climb aboard a Halloween-themed canalboat
Birmingham’s canals are among the most iconic sights of this city. But deadly stories lie beneath the surface. This immersive ghost cruise delves into local legends and evidence-based accounts—combined with live guided storytelling with theatrical performances, special effects and interactive encounters—to tell chilling tales of murder, drowning and fatal accidents. Including the legend of the Towpath Ripper, who once stalked Birmingham’s canal network.
Inspired by ‘Wednesday’ and ‘Stranger Things’, Merlin’s is the ultimate drinking hole for Halloween. The restaurant/cafe/cocktail bar delivers an immersive horror experience across two floors—from creepy animatronics to blood-curdling cocktails—for all ages. Located at Martineau Place on Corporation Street, the ground-floor café and restaurant serve unique dishes from Hell’s Kitchen, while upstairs is a strictly over-18s cocktail bar filled with foggy atmospherics, devilish theatrics and live music.
This former Victorian-era prison is full of mystery, and you can enjoy unrestricted access to Shrewsbury Prison this Halloween. Whether you’re after a guided or self-guided tour, you’ll uncover the terrifying tales of notorious inmates and experience the life of being a prisoner yourself. While here, don’t miss your chance at the fully immersive prison escape room with “realistic details and mind-bending puzzles.”
Raver Tots brings its family dance party to Luna Springs for a Halloween special. The event features sets of house, garage, drum and bass, and old-school club classics alongside a large production show with lasers, special effects, and club decor. Families can also enjoy face painting, glow sticks, themed activities, and a fully licensed bar on site.
Wander the creepy walls of Warwick Castle
During the October half term, join ghosts, ghouls, wizards and witches at one of our favourite castles at its very spookiest. Warwick Castle becomes The Haunted Castle and has a whole host of half-term fun-filled frights, sights and delights—from the brand-new Scarecrow Disco to fan-favourite Witches of Warwick. You can also learn about the dungeon’s gruesome history. Just watch out for The Headless Horseman roaming the grounds!
Head on a spine-tingling journey through BM&AG with Tat Vision
Birmingham’s resident chaos creator, Tat Vision, takes guests on a spine-tingling journey through Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery this Halloween. As an eccentric and deeply unreliable tour guide, expect strange tales, suspicious historical accounts, and increasingly bizarre revelations that blur the line between fact and fiction. And what begins as a seemingly ordinary gallery tour quickly unravels into a thrilling murder mystery, filled with peculiar characters, hidden clues, and unexplained events…
Step into Jack Skellington’s moonlit world with over 1,700 dazzling installations. If you want something a little more magical than monstrous, Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail is coming to the UK for the first time this autumn, transforming Arley Hall & Gardens into Halloween Town and Christmas Town with over thousands of lights, 3D sculptures and interactive projections.
Walk these haunted halls on a candlelit ghost tour
This Halloween, wander the candlelit Grand Old Mansion and discover the tales of Aston Hall’s ghosts. The Grade 1 building will be bathed in the eerie glow of LED candles as you hear tales of those who lived and died at the hall, as well as the superstitions of those who lived before us. Tickets to the 45-minute tour are £12.
Visit Birmingham’s former coffin factory
Newman Brothers’ Coffin Works once produced some of the world’s finest coffin furniture, including for the funerals of Joseph Chamberlain, Winston Churchill and the Queen Mother. An extensive and unique collection of shrouds, coffin furniture and paper archives gives us an insight into changing attitudes toward death over the last 100 years. On October 31, the atmospheric Coffin Works will host a rare, after-hours candlelit tour, with a Halloween-themed cocktail or mocktail included!
The first reports of the Black-Eyed Child in Cannock Chase date from the early 1980s, but multiple sightings have even occurred in recent years… Some say she’s a “demon”, others an “alien”, while “the ghost may be linked to a Celtic tribe known for their blood sacrifices.” The most common theory is that she’s the ghost of a young girl murdered from the area. Will you dare find out for yourself?
Do the Monster Mash at The Night Owl
The Night Owl is throwing its annual Halloween bash, with a proper, old school Monster Mash. Expect an otherworldly venue makeover, DJs spinning spooky retro hits, and cauldrons of specialist cocktails.
Catch the spookiest hits in ‘Concert’
The B:Music venue hosts frighteningly good night of graveyard smash hits for all the family—including Thriller, Highway to Hell, Monster Mash, The Time Warp, and many more. Halloween The Concert sees an amazing cast of performers, alongside a live band, stunning stage visuals and state-of-the-art production. Come dressed to impress, with a prize for the winner!
