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You are here > Home > What's On > Family Events > October Half Term Events

October Half Term Events

There's plenty to keep the kids entertained during half term. And don’t forget, with indoor and outdoor attractions now open across the county, there’s even more opportunities for fun family days out.

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Number of results: 40

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  1. A view of Raby castle in the dark.

    Add Teenager Ghost Walk Tour to your Itinerary

    Teenager Ghost Walk Tour

    Type

    Type:

    Halloween

    Staindrop, Darlington

    Dare to explore Raby Castle after dark? Join us at twilight for a spooky torchlit tour and discover the mysterious stories, strange happenings and ghostly legends that have been passed down through generations at Raby Castle. Your guides will meet…

    Dates

    From:
    30 Oct 2026to31 Oct 2026Open 16:30 -
    More info for Teenager Ghost Walk Tour
  2. A garden in front of a historic stone house.

    Add Wellies, Wildlife & Autumn Fun Trail - October Half Term 2026 - Crook Hall Gardens to your Itinerary

    Wellies, Wildlife & Autumn Fun Trail - October Half Term 2026 - Crook Hall Gardens

    Type

    Type:

    October Half Term

    Durham

    Autumn has arrived! Leaves are falling, and the gardens are changing from bright green to lovely gold, orange, and brown.

    Dates

    From:
    17 Oct 2026to8 Nov 2026Open 10:00 - 17:00
    More info for Wellies, Wildlife & Autumn Fun Trail - October Half Term 2026 - Crook Hall Gardens
  3. Poster for a pumpkin patch with spooky carved pumpkins on a field.

    Add Pumpkin Patch - Thorpe Farm Centre to your Itinerary

    Pumpkin Patch - Thorpe Farm Centre

    Type

    Type:

    Halloween

    Barnard Castle

    Get ready, families — it’s time for a spooktacular autumn adventure at Thorpe Farm Centre’s beloved Pumpkin Patch, returning this October and bigger than ever! The Pumpkin Patch is free to enter. Once you have chosen your perfect pumpkin, and take…

    Dates

    From:
    3 Oct 2026to31 Oct 2026
    More info for Pumpkin Patch - Thorpe Farm Centre
  4. A rubber duck in the shape of a knight surrounded by carved pumpkins, the text reads 'The Auckland Pumpkin Trail.'

    Add Pumpkin Trail at Auckland Gardens to your Itinerary

    Pumpkin Trail at Auckland Gardens

    Type

    Type:

    Halloween

    Bishop Auckland

    The ducks are at it again… After their summer adventures, our mischievous ducks have discovered a collection of pumpkins at Auckland Palace – and naturally, they’ve hidden them.

    Dates

    From:
    17 Oct 2026to1 Nov 2026
    More info for Pumpkin Trail at Auckland Gardens
  5. Poster for Halloween scare nights, decorated with horror characters and circus tents.

    Add SCARE NIGHTS - Thorpe Farm Centre to your Itinerary

    SCARE NIGHTS - Thorpe Farm Centre

    Type

    Type:

    Halloween

    Barnard Castle

    Two Spooktacular Experiences – Choose Your Scare!

    Dates

    From:
    29 Oct 2026to31 Oct 2026Open 16:00 - 21:00
    More info for SCARE NIGHTS - Thorpe Farm Centre
  6. A ceramic mug and bowl painted with a witches hat and pumpkin.

    Add Seasonal Ceramics to your Itinerary

    Seasonal Ceramics

    Type

    Type:

    Halloween

    Durham

    Join Perfect Pippi ceramics to create a unique Halloween or Autumn themed piece. Perfect for older children and young teens, this Halloween ceramic painting workshop offers the chance to create a personalised piece inspired by the season. Experiment…

    Dates

    From:
    31 Oct 2026Open 11:00 -
    More info for Seasonal Ceramics
  7. A spooky green grave in the forest saying "Dr.Acula 1897" with a skeleton coming out of the ground

    Add Halloween After Dark in The Plotters’ Forest to your Itinerary

    Halloween After Dark in The Plotters’ Forest

    Type

    Type:

    Halloween

    Staindrop

    Halloween After Dark Illuminated Trail in The Plotters Forest. As dusk descends, The Plotters’ Forest stirs with an eerie excitement. Adventurers don their spookiest costumes and venture into the shadows, where spiders spin webs and witches and…

    Dates

    From:
    29 Oct 2026to31 Oct 2026Various Opening Times
    More info for Halloween After Dark in The Plotters’ Forest
  8. Two adults walk either side of a child holding hands down the pews of Durham Cathedral.

    Add October Half Term 2026 to your Itinerary

    October Half Term 2026

    Type

    Type:

    October Half Term

    Durham

    This October half-term, experiment with light art, join a free mini tour, explore the LEGO® Cathedral and dress up as a monk.

    Dates

    From:
    24 Oct 2026to1 Nov 2026Various Opening Times
    More info for October Half Term 2026
  9. A historical street view, a tram driver on a vintage tram, smiling at children on the street.

    Add October Half-Term - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North to your Itinerary

    October Half-Term - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North

    Type

    Type:

    October Half Term

    Stanley

    Step back in time this October. Join us this Autumn for family friendly fun across our museum.

    Dates

    From:
    24 Oct 2026to1 Nov 2026Open 10:00 - 16:00
    More info for October Half-Term - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North
  10. A small bonfire in an autumnal walled garden

    Add Autumn Tales at 2 - Auckland Gardens & Wilderness Garden to your Itinerary

    Autumn Tales at 2 - Auckland Gardens & Wilderness Garden

    Type

    Type:

    October Half Term

    Bishop Auckland

    Join our duo of lively storytellers for Autumn Tales at 2, a fun family storytelling session around the fire in Auckland Palace’s purpose-developed Wilderness Garden.

    Dates

    From:
    28 Oct 2026to31 Oct 2026Open 14:00 -
    More info for Autumn Tales at 2 - Auckland Gardens & Wilderness Garden
  11. Two children sat on a hay bail in an autumnal field, smiling whilst holding up two pumpkins, and surrounded by other pumpkins either side of them.

    Add Mini Pumpkin Patch to your Itinerary

    Mini Pumpkin Patch

    Type

    Type:

    Halloween

    Forest in Teesdale, Staindrop

    Choose your very own mini pumpkin from our new patch. Perfectly sized for little ones to decorate this Autumn! Can you find all of the objects on the trail sheet as you wander through the pumpkin patch and match up all the pumpkin pairs? Decorate…

    Venue

    Raby Castle, Park and Gardens, Staindrop

    Dates

    From:
    17 Oct 2026to31 Oct 2026Open 11:00 - 14:00
    More info for Mini Pumpkin Patch
  12. Children dressed up in fancy dress walking around a spooky outdoor trail.

    Add The Haunted Forest: Trick or Trail to your Itinerary

    The Haunted Forest: Trick or Trail

    Type

    Type:

    Halloween

    Staindrop

    Join us for a spooktacular Halloween adventure at The Plotters’ Forest! Dress up, bring your family, and get ready for a Halloween experience like no other. Get ready to unleash your inner spookiness and dive into a world of double trouble…

    Dates

    From:
    3 Oct 2026to1 Nov 2026Open 10:00 - 16:00
    More info for The Haunted Forest: Trick or Trail
  13. Two children dressed up as a witch and a skeleton, smiling holding pumpkins against a stone wall.

    Add Spooky Half Term - Hall Hill Farm to your Itinerary

    Spooky Half Term - Hall Hill Farm

    Type

    Type:

    Halloween

    Durham

    Are you brave enough to come to Hall Hill Farm for a ghoulishly-good time? There are�lots of extra activities- including giant scarecrows, haunted Sheep Race, Mini Monster Maze, Trick or Treat treasure hunt, choose your pumpkin from the pumpkin…

    Dates

    From:
    24 Oct 2026to1 Nov 2026Open 10:30 - 17:00
    More info for Spooky Half Term - Hall Hill Farm
  14. A cartoon halloween landscape with a spooky silhouette of a castle, bats, zombies and a bus with cartoon red eyes driving forward. Text reads 'Spookta

    Add Halloween Half Term Activities to your Itinerary

    Halloween Half Term Activities

    Type

    Type:

    Halloween

    Seaham

    Get ready for a frightfully fun Half Term at Dalton Park! There’s spooky happenings throughout half term and we can’t wait to see you there.Calling all mini monsters! Dress up in your best Halloween costume on 31st October and pop into Guest…

    Dates

    From:
    23 Oct 2026to31 Oct 2026
    More info for Halloween Half Term Activities
  15. A vibrant firework display, text which reads 'Seaham Fireworks Display 2026.'

    Add Seaham Fireworks to your Itinerary

    Seaham Fireworks

    Type

    Type:

    Bonfire Night

    Seaham

    Back by popular demand the fantastic Seaham Fireworks takes place on a Sunday to make it easier to plan your visit. In the theme of Angels vs Demons. A free to attend family seaside fireworks event. Food & Craft stalls, kids rides, stage…

    Dates

    From:
    1 Nov 2026Open 17:00 - 21:00
    More info for Seaham Fireworks
  16. A starry night sky

    North Pennines Stargazing Festival

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    The North Pennines Stargazing Festival is back for 2026 – running between Friday 16 October and Sunday 1 November. This year is the tenth edition of the annual festival. Events are being organised by the North Pennines National Landscape team and a…

    Dates

    From:
    16 Oct 2026to1 Nov 2026
    More info for North Pennines Stargazing Festival
  17. A child in a blue shirt, looking surprised surrounded by tropical plants, snakes, frogs and tarantulas.

    Add Creature Experience to your Itinerary

    Creature Experience

    Type

    Type:

    Halloween

    Bishop Auckland

    Join Guy from bugsnstuff for a fun family Creature Experience, meeting a fascinating range of reptiles, insects and other unusual creatures and learning more about the animals along the way.

    Dates

    From:
    1 Nov 2026Various Opening Times
    More info for Creature Experience
  18. A Witch and a cat riding a broom.  Room on the Broom © 2001 Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler. Licensed by Magic Light Pictures Ltd.

    Add Room on the Broom Trail at Hamsterley Forest to your Itinerary

    Room on the Broom Trail at Hamsterley Forest

    Type

    Type:

    October Half Term

    Bedburn , Hamsterley Forest

    This interactive family trail is packed with Room on the Broom themed activities, fascinating forest facts and plenty of hands-on fun. 

    Dates

    From:
    28 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026
    More info for Room on the Broom Trail at Hamsterley Forest
  19. A young girl in a brown dress with hair in a ponytail, holding something made of paper, with craft materials on a yellow table in front

    Add October Half Term - The Bowes Museum to your Itinerary

    October Half Term - The Bowes Museum

    Type

    Type:

    October Half Term

    Barnard Castle

    This October Half Term, families can enjoy a lively mix of creative and nature-inspired activities across The Bowes Museum's galleries, creative spaces and parkland.

    Venue

    The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle

    Dates

    From:
    24 Oct 2026to1 Nov 2026Open 10:00 - 17:00
    More info for October Half Term - The Bowes Museum
  20. A young child looks through the eyepiece of a telescope.

    Add Family Astronomy - North Pennines Stargazing Festival to your Itinerary

    Family Astronomy - North Pennines Stargazing Festival

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Middleton-in-Teesdale, Barnard Castle

    This is a great way to get children interested in astronomy and science. They will enjoy an interactive talk in the classroom and then will be able to see and touch rocks from space – meteorites. A stunning interactive talk on space stuff in the…

    Venue

    Grassholme Observatory, Teesdale

    Dates

    From:
    31 Oct 2026Open 18:00 - 19:30
    More info for Family Astronomy - North Pennines Stargazing Festival
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