Be prepared for the scariest Halloween Nottingham has ever seen with a great programme of activities and events in the city to celebrate Halloween and to keep the kids occupied during the half term break. The Halloween-themed family fun begins this evening, Friday 25 October 2019 and runs through to Thursday 31 October. 

As the tram stop signs now state, Old Market Square has become ‘Old Market Scare’ for the next 7-days.  The event now in its third year is bought to the city by the Mellors Group in partnership with Nottingham City Council, will return to the city this October half term. New for this year will be Horror Hotel, a live scare maze in the style of a haunted Victorian hotel.

Visitors are invited to check in to the Horror Hotel – if they dare – where actors, dressed as spooky characters, provide the shocks and surprises as people navigate their way around the creepy old hotel. This is a purpose built high-end maze that offers new levels of fear across two floors and where the unquiet dead stalk the halls in a labyrinthine journey towards ‘Room 13’.

If that’s not scary enough, the UK’s biggest mobile ghost train will be back to provide the thrills and for the younger Halloween-goers, there is an array of spooktacular family rides and attractions.

And for folk who prefer to keep their feet firmly on the ground there will be various food stalls and a themed bar where you can enjoy a witch’s brew and more, all centred around a huge lit-up Halloween pumpkin.

On Halloween night itself, visit the square between 6pm – 9pm to show off your best and scariest Halloween attire and watch Halloween-themed entertainment including giant dancing skeletons and live bands. It’s spooky fun for suitable for all the family.

The ‘It’s in Nottingham’ Halloween Trail will also take place all day with a chance to discover more of Nottingham City Centre with the family for free. The Ghostbusters will be on hand to hunt out spooky goings on across the city centre with infamous Ghostbuster car Ecto 1. Find hidden characters, get your face painted and take part in Halloween themed crafting activities too! Trail maps are available from participating stores.

Those travelling a bit further afield can enjoy all kinds of Halloween fun and games for all ages at the city’s heritage sites.

At Newstead Abbey for the kids, there is a Bat Trail (£2 per trail map) and Den Building workshops on 27, 29 and 31 October (Ticket required). There are also Family Twilight Tours on Wednesday 30 and Thursday 31 October. 5pm – 6.30pm. £7 per person. Dark and mysterious, the grounds at Newstead Abbey make for a perfect atmospheric walk. Come and wander the pet cemetery and creep through Monk’s Wood…if you dare!

For the grown-ups that love a scare why not book on to Ghostly Tales at the Abbey (Friday 25, Thursday 31 October and Friday 1 November. 7pm – 8.30pm and 8pm – 9.30pm. £20 (Over 16s only). Meet in the Victorian kitchen for drinks, then wander the rooms and corridors listening to mysterious and haunting tales that surround Newstead Abbey and the estate.

At Wollaton Park there is also a kids pumpkin trail is a great way to explore the site (£2 per trail).  You can also visit Wollaton’s historic hauntings, dark, damp rooms and tunnels and walk in the steps of those who in ages past toiled below the Great House Hear their stories and feel their presence, with tours running at various times from Saturday 26 October to Thursday 31 October and Friday 1 to Sunday 3 November. Tickets are £6 including booking fee.

Both sites will be running Children’s Halloween Fun Days on Thursday 31 October between 11am – 3pm. These are free, but charges may apply for some activities. Join in with the fun and games and don’t forget to come dressed to scare!

Also at Wollaton, on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 October, local nightclub and institution –  Stealth celebrates 15 years with the first Stealth Halloween Festival. The first night is sold out, but a second night offers joint-headliners Patrick Topping and Denis Sulta performing an exclusive extended 4 hour back-to-back set in the shadows. Alongside the music, there will be Halloween themed cocktails, Nottingham’s best food-vendors, spooky fancy dress with prizes for best dressed.

For more information and to book tickets for Halloween events please visit www.whatsonnottingham.com

Cllr Dave Trimble, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture at Nottingham City Council said: “Old Market Scare is the centrepiece for Halloween in the city and I’m sure the Horror Hotel will be a really exciting and atmospheric addition to the festivities. Across the city there is something for all ages to enjoy, and don’t forget to come dressed in  your spookiest Halloween costumes at Old Market Scare on the night of 31 October.

Putting the scare into Old Market Scare is the Mellors Group, organisers of Nottingham Beach, and Winter Wonderland. Edward Mellors, a director of the Mellors Group said; “We are delighted to be part of Old Market Scare again and this year’s event is set to bigger and spookier than ever before thanks to Nottingham’s first live action scare maze. There will be something for everyone and we hope that the people of Nottingham and visitors to the city will enjoy it.“

Rebekah Smith, NET Marketing Manager, said: “We’re delighted to once again support this unique event that offers fun for all the family.”

“By taking the tram, visitors can enjoy a hassle-free journey to the heart of the action without the fear of trying to find a parking space or getting stuck in traffic.”

Visitors to the event can also save money by taking advantage of NET’s popular £5 Group Ticket, which is running through the half-term holiday and offers two adults and up to three children a day of unlimited tram travel.

The ticket is now also available via NETGO!, the tram’s brand new free app, which is available to download , as well as at tram stop ticket machines.