Family-friendly Halloween events and days out around Winchester this October 2025 half-term
Winchester is getting ready for the spookiest night of the year. 31 October falls on the Friday of half-term in Winchester district, which means the October school break is full of spooktacular things to do with kids. We've got plenty of magical events and days out ideas with a family-friendly level of scariness. There's PYO pumpkin patches, fancy dress competitions, silent discos and spooky face painting, witchy riddle trails and pumpkin carving at the zoo. Read on for great ideas to get your little ones into the Halloween spirit this October 2025 half-term.
Here are the spookiest, scariest family-friendly things to do in Winchester for Halloween 2025.Â
Complete the free Spooky Winch Word Hunt
Take a walk around the mysterious and eerie cobbled streets of Winchester for the Spooky Winchester Word Hunt. You can collect a free copy of the Spooky Winch trail sheet from the Winchester Visitor Information Centre, The Arc or Winchester City Museum, or download a trail sheet at home from the Winchester BID website. Look out for pumpkin signs displayed in the windows of local businesses around the city centre and write down the words you find. Once you have completed the hunt, take your sheet back to collect a prize. You will also be entered into a draw to win a Halloween hamper, filled with lots of great gifts kindly donated by local businesses.
Pick your own pumpkin
No one can deny the joy of a plump orange pumpkin. Come spooky season farms all around Winchester will be dotted with colourful gourds and jolly squashes, just waiting to be picked. Whether you're looking for a wholesome October half-term activity or a cute photo opportunity, to carve them into haunting Halloween lanterns or make comforting autumnal pumpkin soups and pies, these are the pick-your-own pumpkin patches in and around Winchester to visit this year. Some have cafés on site and extra spooky things to do too, so you can make a full day of it.
Join a Children’s History Walking Tour
Explore the city with one of Winchester’s official tour guides for a 60-minute walking tour, highlighting the most wonderful, worst, weirdest and wackiest stories of Winchester. Expect stories of myths, legends and the city's resident ghosts.
Become a wizard at The Watercress Line
The Watercress Line transforms into a place of magic and mischief during Wizard Week, between 25 October – 2 November 2025. Don your cloak for rides on the Wizard Express heritage train and the thrill of walking in Harry Potter’s footsteps over the famous railway footbridge where Harry received his Hogwarts Express ticket in the film. Steam trains will be running throughout the day and you can hop on and off to explore the heritage stations, where you'll find slime-making, crafts, magic tricks and circus skills workshops. There are prizes to be won at daily fancy dress competitions, so dress accordingly!
Carve pumpkins at Marwell Zoo
Head to Marwell Zoo this October half-term for pumpkin carving, a haybale maze, story time with a friendly witch, face painting and lots more wild adventures. As well as all the fun of a day at the zoo, visitors will get to have fun with autumnal activities. Indoor and outdoor, so you'll be kept entertained whatever the weather.
Solve spooky riddles at Fort Nelson
Children can take on Willow the Witch's Riddle Trail this October half term, searching for spooky clues and solving riddles. There are also free half-term activities from face painting to potion-making during the week days. Fort Nelson is a great place to visit at any time of the year but as the days get shorter this historic Victorian fort, with its underground tunnels and secret chambers, is particularly atmospheric. And if you fancy blowing the cobwebs away, wrap up warm and enjoy the Fort's spacious outdoors areas with a walk around the ramparts to take in the spectacular views.
Get crafty at The Arc
The Arc is hosting several exciting Halloween-themed activities which provide a mix of creative fun and spooky entertainment suitable for all ages. Make colourful ghosts or monsters out of air dry clay, or paint a haunted house on canvas. Try your hand at creating your own dancing skeleton puppet or a spooky bat tealight holder. Head to The Arc on 30 October 2025 to design and print a trick or treat bag for the big day itself.
Graduate from Droxford Pumpkin Patch's Broomstick Academy
Droxford Pumpkin Patch returns for 2025 with pumpkin picking and carving, face painting, potion making and more. There's a spooky Halloween disco to dance at, Bale Mountain to climb and Broomstick Academy to graduate from. You can also meet and feed the resident sheep, settle down for a movie at the Strawbale Cinema, visit the café or refuel with a wood-fired pizza.
Go to a glowing pumpkin party
Put on your spookiest costumes for Winchester Science Centre's UV Halloween Pumpkin Party. The centre is open after dark for a family evening of UV fun, featuring a live DJ, glowing face painting, unlimited squash, and a sweet treat to take home. You and your little ones will also get to explore two floors of interactive exhibits.
Embrace spooky season at Hinton Ampner
The National Trust property near Winchester is going all out for autumn, with impressive pumpkin displays in the pretty kitchen garden and grounds from Saturday 11 October. There will also be a witchy Halloween half-term trail through the gardens between Saturday 18 October and Sunday 2 November.
Image: ©National Trust Images/Sophie Bolesworth
