Blackpool unveils a seaside scare-fest

Prepare to be afraid…Blackpool is preparing to unleash a monster-sized Halloween programme of events with fun for all the family.

There are more bats, pumpkins, spooky surprises and things that go bump in the night than you can shake a magic wand at over the final throes of October half-term.

Look out for the ultimate Halloween experience: Monster Hunt. This is a brand new resort-wide event with 10 giant inflatable monsters on the rooftops around the Golden Mile and town centre. Along this free trail, look skywards and you can expect to see the likes of Bezerker, Chomper, Octoplasm, Howler and not forgetting Sick Jagger, all guaranteed to leave you howling with laughter.

These are just some of the highlights of Blackpool’s expansive Halloween By The Sea events:

Thrills for Tiny Terrors

There is so much more to Halloween than just trick or treating, and the variety of spooky fun to be had in Blackpool is frightfully good. For families with small children, there are countless opportunities to soak up the atmosphere without it being too scary for the little ones. Here are a few of the more gentle events that the whole family can enjoy:

• SEA LIFE Ascarium: 5 October – 3 November

Embark on an aquatic adventure at SEA LIFE Blackpool with its interactive Ascarium! Grab a trail leaflet and prepare to navigate through the depths as you uncover the spookiest creatures of the sea.

• Ridgeway Farm Pumpkin Festival: 12-27 October

Get your wellies at the ready! Ridgeway Farm is bringing back its popular Pumpkin Festival starting on Saturday 12 October, running each weekend and throughout half-term right up until Sunday 27 October.

• Halloween Tails at Peter Rabbit Explore and Play, 5 October – 3 November

Hop into a rabbit-sized world of adventure this Halloween to experience fun and games with your favourite characters from the hit Peter Rabbit™ CBeebies TV show. Follow the trail that will lead you to Peter’s pumpkin patch for a Halloween hare-raving disco, where you’ll get to hop and dance to your favourite spooky tunes.

Family Frights

Halloween can be the most fun when the kids are old enough to get spooked whilst also being old enough to laugh it off! Here are some of the family adventures:

• NEW: Monster Hunt – 28 October – 3 November

Get ready for a monster hunt in Blackpool this October half-term. From Monday 28 October to Sunday 3 November, prepare for an epic invasion as 10 giant inflatable monsters take over the rooftops. Hunt them down during the day or when they illuminate at night. Keep your eyes peeled for these hilarious, larger-than-life creatures and enjoy this spectacular free trail for all ages. Grab your monster maps from the Tourist Information Centre, or download a copy here.

The Monster Hunt is fully funded and supported by the UK Government through its Shared Prosperity Fund.

• Spooktacular Illuminations

With the annual Illuminations in full swing, we couldn’t help but give the display a Halloween twist.

Look out for two illuminated pumpkins on the Tower Festival Headland; a spine-tingling Tower projection show on the hour from 7pm-10pm with dancing skeletons and pumpkins; Halloween-inspiredtableaux at the Cliffs section on the Promenade, including the Haunted Hotel where Frankenstein bursts through the doors; and Odyssey with its interactive floor, swirling with alien sea creatures.

• Sweeney Todd Experience at Winter Gardens, 29 October – 3 November (12+)

Step into the dark and thrilling world of Sweeney Todd – The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, presented by Encore Productions at the Pavilion Theatre, Winter Gardens Blackpool and witness a musical thriller that cuts deeper than ever before.

• Fright Nights at Airhop Trampoline Park, throughout October

Jump into a spine-chilling night of scares and thrills at After Dark Fright Nights at Airhop Trampoline Park (formerly Ascent). The park transforms into a haunted arena full of eerie decorations, spooky music, and disco lights.

• Monster Mash Party at Abingdon Street Market – 3 November

Get ready for a spooky, fun-filled Halloween party at Abingdon Street Market on Sunday 3 November. There will be live monster-themed music, spooky dancing, and exciting activities for all the little monsters.

• The Blackpool Tower Dungeon – 27 September – 31 October

The Blackpool Tower Dungeon has launched a new scene, The Bathtub Bride, from September 27 until October 31. This chilling spectacle re-lives the infamous Brides In The Bath murders.

Grown-up Ghoulishness

Halloween isn’t just for the kids – adults can enjoy some haunting moments! There’s plenty to choose from spine-chilling attractions to exceptional entertainment:

• Journey to Hell at Pleasure Beach – 11-31 October

Pleasure Beach’s annual Halloween event promises a hair-raising experience, featuring live actors, immersive scare zones, and unlimited riding after dark.

• Pasaje del Terror – throughout October

Will you brave the UK’s longest-running and most intense scare-attraction? Located in the Casino Building at Pleasure Beach Resort, Pasaje del Terror has a theatrical setting arranged into 20 sets and with around 18 actors lurking in the darkness.

• Funny Girls Halloween Show – Running until 3 November

This Halloween, opt for a frighteningly fantastic evening at the world-famous Funny Girls with a sprinkle of outrageous fun.

For more information head to: www.visitblackpool.com/halloween

Halloween By The Sea is just one of the spectacular events in Blackpool during the autumn and winter months. Check out these:

Lightpool Festival

The award-winning Lightpool Festival returns with an amazing free-to-see programme of light installations, 3D projection shows, art trails, and stunning live performances from October 18-26. With the Illuminations season in full swing, the nine days will see the addition of light installations from the UK, France, Finland and Spain as part of the highly-acclaimed festival. Supported by Arts Council England, it will include the premiere of at least 15 new artworks never seen before in the UK as well as spellbinding projection shows and live performance including the return of the hugely popular Carnival Magic in the iconic Tower Ballroom.

Christmas By The Sea

The Tower Festival Headland will be turned into an outdoor winter wonderland with free skating rink, snowfalls, log cabins, festive projection shows and themed rides including the awesome Star Flyer. It opens on November 15 and runs through to January 5, 2025.

The Blackpool Illuminations

The world’s longest running light display is showing every night during our autumn and winter events season, ending on January 5, 2025. This year’s seafront display, stretching more than five miles, includes a series of new features:

• A spectacular new installation by the Illuminations’ creative curator, Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen. Entitled Disco Donkey Cavalcade, it is a celebration of one of Blackpool’s iconic beach attractions, with 12 donkeys dressed in 70s-inspired swimwear parading on a 16ft high platform, beneath a giant ice cream topped with a disco ball!

• A brand new tableau, created by Leigh Francis (aka TV star Keith Lemon) featuring a wildly imaginative and colourful design incorporating a 12ft tall dinosaur, space ship, astronaut, an airborne BMX bike, and Leigh himself flying through the skies towards The Blackpool Tower!

• A new overhead roadway section that pays homage to the hugely popular Aliens feature that graced the Illuminations display several years ago. The new section has been designed by students at Blackpool Sixth Form and includes 10 individual illustrations of Alien life!

• A larger-than-life Buzz Wire arcade game in which visitors will be able to test their skill and nerve on a specially designed installation reflecting Blackpool’s famous skyline. Created by the Illuminations’ Lightworks team, it is located on the Golden Mile.

For more information head to www.visitblackpool.com.