Our appetite for Halloween in Manchester has never been bigger – and the city’s arts venues, clubs and bars are more than happy to indulge us. This year, you can take your pick from all manner of events celebrating the spooky side of life, ranging from family-friendly fun to adult-only terror fests. Parades, parties, plays, performance art – it’s all happening in the second half of October. Start making your plans now. It’ll creep up on you sooner than you think.
Make sure you head to the city centre on the weekend before Halloween for this free spooktacular celebration. As well as the big inflatable monsters, there’ll be a Monsters Party Procession, a Monsters Disco and Rave-Yard, and live performances of The Monster Library from Z-Arts.
With street performers, Swizzles sweets giveaways, and a brand-new birthday bake-off, it’s a family-friendly fright fest for all ages. Full details here.
“Whatever walked there, walked alone” warns the opening paragraph of this classic 1959 supernatural thriller. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson won a whole new generation of fans when it was made into a hit Netflix series in 2018 – and now into this new stage adaptation by Olivier and BAFTA award-winning writer Stef Smith.
Arriving in Manchester just in time for spooky season, it tells the story of a group of investigators whose curiosity descends into fear as Hill House works its twisted power over them. Described as “unsettling and darkly playful”, it’s the ultimate ghost story to chill your bones this Halloween.
Long before Twilight, True Blood and even Buffy, The Lost Boys established vampires as by far the coolest ghouls in the supernatural universe. Starring a whole host of 1990s heart-throbs (both the Coreys, Kiefer Sutherland and Jason Patrick) this classic teen horror flick mesmerised us all with its quotable dialogue, banging soundtrack, and atmospheric setting.
Here’s your chance to relive the action with fellow nineties nostalgia fans. It’ll be showing for one night only on a big outdoor screen at Tatton Park. Bring your own drinks and picnic (maybe not noodles).
This adult-only event gives you after hours access to the Science and Industry Museum without the threat of being terrorised by toddlers or kids. Instead an audience of strictly over-18s will be entertained by a cosmic cabaret from Manchester drag royalty Anna Phylactic, close encounters with the dancing Robotic Man, and a bunch of intergalactic, interactive games. Think laser obstacle courses, giant UFOs and battles with aliens and asteroids.
Entry to the Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos exhibition is included in your ticket – and you can explore the museum’s permanent galleries such as the hands-on Experiment gallery and the iconic Power Hall. The Power Up hall, which is home to over 150 games consoles, will also be open – revisit arcade classics from your youth or try cutting-edge VR experiences.
Food, drinks and alien-themed cocktails will be available to purchase. Overseeing it all will be Albert Slime-stein, one of the giant Halloween Monsters that are known to haunt Manchester around this time each year.
This new family-friendly experience from the Scare City crew is designed for kids aged six to 15 and their responsible adults. It takes place earlier in the day than the main event, and the focus is on creating Halloween magic and giggles rather than giving your child terror-induced PTSD.
With six spellbinding zones, mini-mazes, ghoulish challenges and characters, it’s the perfect day out for October half-term. Alongside the spooky scare zones, there’s also a Halloween disco, craft activities, fire shows, juggling performances, and pumpkin picking.
Want an old skool Halloween night out? Head to one of these horror film double bills at HOME. Working with Film4, they’re bringing you four nights of cinematic terror with two classic or cult films showing back to back each night over Halloween weekend.
It starts on Thursday with Dracula (4K Restoration) and Dracula Has Risen. Friday night embraces folk horror with Witchfinder General and A Field in England. Saturday night is a comedy fest with An American Werewolf in London and Shaun of the Dead. Sunday closes the festival with sci-fi horror classics Quatermass and the Pit and Lifeforce.
It’s 1952 in the sleepy English village of Pokeingham-Softly-on-the-Wold and the annual All Hallows’ Eve Ball has taken a sinister turn following a mysterious case of Pumpkin Poisoning.
Follow the clues, meet the characters and solve the crime in this gloriously camp murder mystery dinner at Pip. There’ll be plenty of twists, theatrical moments and Halloween-themed entertainment along the way. It’s priced at £60 per person and includes a three-course menu and a welcome drink.
Get ready for spooky ska-fuelled mayhem at Band on the Wall. The 11-headed musical monster that is Baked A La Ska are back for a Halloween special with fancy dress most enthusiastically encouraged.
They’ll be taking their bloodied chainsaw to fright-night classics including hits from the spookiest ska record ever made, Skalloween. Live music, dancing and dressing up – obviously you’ll want to be there.
Head to this free rooftop Halloween party at the newly opened The Nest and The Hideout at Treehouse Hotel for music, mischief and skyline views of the city.
Music comes from DJ Paulette and Jackie P at The Nest, while Miss Jackson and Mix Stress take over The Hideout. Across the two floors, you’ll encounter roaming magicians, ghostly characters and a fortune teller (we see a massive hangover in your future). It’s a chance to dress up, drink Halloween cocktails, dance and celebrate the spookiest night of the year. Tickets will go fast, so get on it.
Join the OG Manchester tour guide Jonathan Schofield for chilling tales of the city’s ghosts and ghouls. You’ll hear stories that have been handed down through generations of Mancunians about supernatural happenings, strange sightings, and unexplainable events – including the opera singer who came back from the dead and the Manchester Ophelia who wouldn’t stay drowned.
As well as the thrills and terrifying tales, there’ll be fascinating details about the city’s rich history, and a fair amount of jokes and silliness too. If you’re not crying, you’ll be laughing, and vice versa.
Dance your way through Halloween with this high-energy party night at Albert Hall. Don’t F**k with Disco are known for their groove-led sets rooted in disco, funk and soul, alongside soulful house.
Their nights have a 1970s dance floor vibe with timeless records, occasional curveballs and a way of getting everyone ego-free and locked into the moment. Their shows often sell out so get your ticket in advance if you like the sound of it.
- Words:
- Sarah Tierney
- Published on:
- Mon 5 Oct 2026
Halloween in Manchester means one thing: giant inflatable monsters. This will be their tenth year of haunting the city centre’s most iconic buildings, and we can’t really imagine October half term without them.
Created by artists Filthy Luker and Pedro Estrellas and brought to life by Designs in Air, there will be 13 MCR Monsters to spot, with new locations including the Royal Exchange, the Science and Industry Museum, and Medlock Square. Full details here.