Get ready to get spooky… Halloween is nearly upon us! This is without a doubt one of the most fun holidays in the calendar.
After all, it centres around eating chocolate and sweets, dressing up, heading to a party and watching scary films. And to top it off, you don’t need to buy anyone presents!
If you’re heading to London at the end of October and your trip coincides with Halloween, you’re in for a real treat (definitely no tricks).
There are few better places to spend the holiday in than in the capital, as there’s an abundance of frightfully fun events to sink your teeth into as well as London hotels Special Offers to take advantage of, too. Top tip: Watch out for package deals from The Montcalm Marble Arch!
To help get you inspired (and a little scared) we’ve put together some of our favourite events to add to your list.
Enjoy… if you dare!
Journey to the Underworld – immersive art experience
All aboard from Pedley Street Station, for this immersive (and tasty) dining and theatre experience from the masterminds behind The Murdér Express. They are even unleashing a new menu, creatively crafted by BBC MasterChef Finalist 2017 Louisa Ellis.
Guests will join Claude, the chained conductor, and his humble assistant Gordy, on a hunt for absolution, salvation and eternal love that will take them all the way to the Underworld. On the way, guests will have to do their best to deceive the seductive Gatekeeper, the bowed Harbinger, and the wicked Dark One.
Scary CSI – Crime Scene Live at the Natural History Museum
Zip up your bodysuit and join the Natural History Museum’s forensics specialists from selected dates until November 1st, in a live crime scene investigation. You will help assemble the evidence and examine the facts to track down a killer who’s still on the loose. Do you have what it needs to solve the case? If you want to find out you need to book your space quickly!
And check out great Hotels in Cumberland Place, nearby, too.
Cinema at the Rivoli Ballroom – spooky movie night
Take in some classic horror at a pop-up cinema in the historic Rivoli Ballroom in the city’s up and coming south-east area. It’s truly a one of a kind place in London, and the ballroom was formerly a cinema before it was transformed into a dance hall in the 1950s. Renowned for its plush furnishings and fittings, the beautiful space has appeared in numerous films. This October, it will be the host of a series of spooky films in the week leading up to Halloween, starting with the classic A Nightmare on Elm Street, and ending with a showing of the nightmare-inducing The Shining.
Ghost Bus Tour
All aboard the bus of nightmares for a frightening yet family-friendly trip to the Houses of Parliament and other well known London landmarks. An old-school Routemaster has been given a spooky makeover, which will whisk you through the capital on a whistle-stop adventure of London’s most wicked spots.
Departing from Trafalgar Square, the tours highlight half-factual, half-fictional tales regarding the devil barber of Fleet Street, Southwark’s Cross Bones Graveyard, the fleeting black dog that haunts Newgate Prison and more, all delivered on the bus by a troupe of actors, stand-up comics and cabaret performers.
We Are Halloween FSTVL – music festival
Head into the lovely Hainault Forest the weekend before Halloween for a scarily exciting Halloween bash from the ghouls behind the London summer staple – We Are FSTVL. There’s a ‘Vampires vs. Zombies’ theme (so dress to impress), a forest light show, and big-name DJs on the list.
Cemetry Gates – London Month of the Dead
The London Month of the Dead has the gruesome but worthy aim of teaching the public about London’s ‘Magnificent Seven Cemeteries’. It will host a whole range of death-themed events, from a talk about the psychology of serial murderers to a vampire-themed opera by candlelight. And who could forget the guided tours, some by night, of London’s greatest cemeteries?
All the talks are hosted by academics with flawless credentials and often include after-hours access or personal viewings of seldom displayed but spooky collections, such as Victorian post-mortem photographs or the Museum of London’s bone archives.
The Spirit of Literature: Literally Dead Famous Halloween Party
For something a little more upmarket this Halloween, head to The Library in Soho – a private member’s club on St. Martin’s Lane. They’re hosting a literary-themed Halloween party among its amazing bookshelves. From Sylvia Plath and Christopher Marlowe to practically every second-generation poet, they’ll all be there to explore.
Literary fancy dress with a ghostly spin is required, and unique, creative Halloween costumes are encouraged. There’s even a prize in store for the best costume in an appeal to attendees’ own artistic stripes, but it’s worth coming even just to explore the beautiful space, usually only open to members, at this spooky time of day. Keep this sense of luxury going with a stay at The Montcalm Marble Arch.
The Woman in Black – spooky theatre
You’ve read the book, you’ve seen the film (with a very grown-up Harry Potter). Now it’s time to revisit this dark and spine-tingling tale in the best way – on the stage. It’s been over 20 years since this accomplished adaptation of Susan Hill’s 1983 Gothic horror story first graced the West End, providing its audience with shivers and nightmare. And it still delivers shocks and the odd scream to its audiences today. The perfect choice for Halloween in London – as you’ll be in the heart of the city’s top theatre district, not far from top hotels such as The Montcalm London Marble Arch.
Thorpe Park Fright Nights – a theme park, themed evening
After a night of adrenaline-filled action with extra screams? Head to the UK’s most popular theme park for a night of devilishly good fun, just a short train ride from London. Journey into the spooky Blair Witch maze, test your limits at Saw Alive, or simply ride Thorpe Park’s most famous (and scary) roller coasters in the dark surroundings. The fun and thrills will continue until 10:00 pm during this special, spooky season – hoorah!
Ready to experience a spooktacular Halloween in London? Book your room at Montcalm Marble Arch now!
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