To get into the spirit of things, we’ve come up with our guide to things to do and places to go over the next few days in the Mansfield, Ashfield, Worksop, Retford and wider Nottinghamshire area.
From Mansfield Museum to Creswell Crags, from Rufford Abbey to Newstead Abbey, from Sherwood Forest to Sutton Library and from Mansfield’s Palace Theatre to Retford’s Majestic Theatre, there are Halloween-themed events for the family to enjoy.
You can meet ghosts, carve a pumpkin, go on a haunted trail, enjoy a film or panto, paint your face and even dress up as your favourite scary character.
With the half-term holiday also in full swing, there’s something for everyone – and we’ve also found one or two events and activities that aren’t necessarily dripping with pumpkin juice. How about, for instance, a bit of musical nostalgia with Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton or disco queens Donna Summer, Rose Royce, Sister Sledge, Gloria Gaynor and Candy Staton?
It’s all here, but before you set off, please visit the website of your destination to check on admission prices and opening or starting times. Have a great weekend and a happy Halloween!
17. Firework treats at the Four Seasons
Mansfield's Four Seasons Shopping Centre is basking in the Halloween limelight and has organised another special event next Wednesday for its young members of the B Club. The team promises firework treats as children are invited to make their own 'taste explosions' on a stick from 11 am to 3 pm. It's free to attend, and there's no need to book beforehand. Photo: Submitted
18. Spine-tingling escape from Sherwood Forest
Are you ready to embark on a spine-tingling journey through the depths of Sherwood Forest, cracking cryptic clues to aid your escape? The forest is turning into a natural escape room for one night only on Saturday (7 pm to 10 pm). Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to navigate the woodland under the cover of darkness and locate hidden clues that will guide you to safety. But beware!.......sinister outlaws lurk in the shadows to thwart you! Strictly for adults only. Photo: Submitted
19. Family fun in pottery studio
Take the family to a specialist pottery studio at The Harley Gallery in Welbeck for a fun lucky-dip pottery painting session this half-term. Simply choose a pottery blank, such as a plant pot, vase or mug, and get creative with the gallery's equipment and materials. It takes place tomorrow (Thursday), and there will be a wide range of pottery glazes, stamps, brushes, stencils, ceramics and pencils to choose from. Photo: Submitted
20. Face-painting at a Halloween workshop
Kids can get their faces painted in scary colours, to prepare them for a round of trick or treating, at a Halloween workshop being staged at Mansfield Museum next Tuesday (10.30 am to 1 pm). Suitable for children aged five and over, the event will also create special spooky stories for the youngsters to enjoy. Photo: Submitted