October Half-Term and Halloween 👻
As we prepare for the clocks to 'fall back' at the end of the month - signalling the arrival of darker nights and shorter days - there's still plenty to look forward to for October half-term and, of course, Halloween 🎃
We've picked out just a few things that are happening across the city centre to help you make the most of your time, whatever it is that you're up to!
Whether you're looking for some fun activities for the whole family or simply wanting to check out the latest big screen offering at one of the city centre's fantastic cinemas, we're sure there's something to accommodate all tastes 🧛
We've also picked out a few things for the 'big kids' to do as we approach the 'spookiest' time of year. Think drinks and special nights out.
Take a seat and have a flick through what's on offer this month, or simply click the link below to be taken straight to the section that you're most interested in.
Whatever you're up to this month...enjoy! 🎉
👻 Fun for all the family
🧛 Big screen entertainment...something for all tastes
🧟 Some thing(s) for the grown ups
Fun for all the family 👻
There's plenty on offer to entertain all the family over the coming couple of weeks in Sheffield city centre. Here are just a few of the very best 'family-friendly' things to do during half-term and for Halloween 🎃
Bangers and Cash Art Trail 🎨
📅 On display up to Sunday 29 October
Following completion of the Bangers and Cash rally in September, bonnet artworks from participating vehicles are on display across a variety of city centre venues as part of the FREE Bangers and Cash Art Trail.
There are 15 bonnets on display in venues and businesses right across the city centre, including:
📍 Atkinsons, Boom Battle Bar and the Light Cinema on The Moor
📍 M&S on Fargate
📍 Sheffield Plate and Virgin Money at Orchard Square
There are also a series of smaller road sign artworks on display at Sheffield Central Library on Surrey Street.
It's a fabulous - and FREE - family-friendly art trail that all ages will enjoy, all in the name of raising funds for the important work of youth homelessness charity, Roundabout.
🎃 Visit Home (bangersandcasharttrail.co.uk) for full trail information and trail map
Out of this World 🌌
📅 Sunday 22 October
Back for its 9th year, Out of this World is a FREE family event celebrating all things 'otherworldly'.
It's great fun for anyone who enjoys 'sci-fi, comic books, gaming, magic, illusion, Halloween and all things spooky' 👻
There will be stalls, street entertainment, magic shows and fairground rides, plenty to see and do in each dedicated zone:
- Sci-fi, comic and gaming: Winter Garden, Tudor Square, Town Hall, Millennium Square and the Peace Gardens
- Magic and Illusion: Millennium Square, Town Hall and Peace Gardens
- Halloween: Town Hall Square, Town Hall, Peace Gardens, Pinstone Street and Surrey Street
Full details on what's on offer in each Zone can be found on the official Out of this World | Sheffield City Council website.
🎟️ FREE with some paid activities
⏳ 10:30am - 5:30pm
🎃 Visit Out of this World 2023 (welcometosheffield.co.uk) for further information and be sure to check out the event visitor map (PDF opens in a new window) to make the most of your day.
Pumpkin carving at the Light Cinema 🎃
📅 Tuesday 24 and Thursday 26 October
⏳ 12pm - 3pm
Get ready for Halloween with Light Sheffield's FREE pumpkin carving workshops.
Half-term fun at Sheffield Theatres 🎭
📅 Tuesday 24 October
Will Tell and the Big Bad Baron 🍎
A 'fun-filled colourful comic adventure, woven together with engaging storytelling and catchy original songs.'
Guaranteed fun for the whole family - recommended for ages 3+.
⏳ 11am and 2:30pm
🎟️ £12 / £14
🎃 For tickets visit: Sheffield Theatres | Sheffield Theatres
Also at the Crucible, as part of Off The Shelf.
📅 Thursday 26 October
Meet the Author of How to Train Your Dragon, Cressida Cowell.
⏳ 2pm - event lasts one hour followed by a book signing
🎟️ £7
📝 Age 7+ Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult
Tickets available here: Meet the Author Cressida Cowell - Off The Shelf
📅 Saturday 28 October
Showing at the Crucible, as part of Off The Shelf.
Meet the Author of Tracy Beaker and much more, Jacqueline Wilson.
⏳ 3pm - event lasts one hour followed by a book signing
🎟️ £7
📝 Age 7+ Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult
Tickets: Meet the Author Jacqueline Wilson - Off The Shelf
📅 Saturday 28 October
Steve and Tobias Versus Death
Paper Mug Theatre returns to the Playhouse with their 'five-star zombie comedy', following a sell-out international run in Busan, South Korea.
📍 Playhouse
⏳ 8pm - event lasts around one hour (no interval)
🎟️ £12 / £14
📝 Age 12+
Tickets: Steve and Tobias versus Death | Sheffield Theatres
Crafty Cats Kids Club - Halloween Disco 🎶
🔒 SOLD OUT 🔒
📅 Wednesday 25 October
Halloween Disco, spooky games and prizes for the best fancy dress ✨
⏳ 10:30am - 12pm
📍 Sheffield Plate in Orchard Square
🎟️ Early Bird tickets £5 | Regular tickets £6
🎃 Visit Sheffield Plate Events | Eventbrite for tickets
💡 Don't forget to make the most of Sheffield Plate's Kids Eat Free offer running for the whole of half-term, between Tuesday 24 and Sunday 29 October. T&Cs apply. Free kids meal from the same kitchen as paying adults main meal. Offer available for children aged 12 and under.
Trick or Treat Halloween Trail on The Moor 🗺️
📅 Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 October
The Moor Sheffield is offering children some half term fun this Halloween with a FREE Trick or Treat Halloween Trail 🎃
🎟️ FREE
⏳ 11am - 2pm
Spooky stickers will be hidden in the windows of various retailers and eateries on The Moor.
Start at the Witches Cavern (located next to River Island) and pick up your trail map with clues to where each spooky sticker is located.
Once you've found all the stickers - and filled in your trail map - return to the Witches Cavern to receive a Halloween Trick or Treat goody bag.
🎃 Visit Trick or Treat Halloween Trail on The Moor - (moorsheffield.com) for full trail information
Ghosts in the Gallery Trail 👻
Grab a ghoulish trail map and follow the clues to find the ghosts that are hiding in the gallery.
Check Millennium Gallery website for opening times.
Free Halloween fun at the Moor Market 🎃
📅 Thursday 26 and Friday 27 October
Halloween fun with the Moor Market and the best part...it's FREE!
Loads of fun including a chance to meet Wednesday Addams on Thursday and Halloween Mickey on Friday.
In association with Lil Me Entertainments.
⏳ 11am - 3pm
Treasure Hunt and Storytime events at Waterstones 📖
📅 From Monday 23 October
Half-term and Halloween fun at Waterstones in Orchard Square, including a pumpkin-themed treasure hunt all week from Monday 23 October in their Children's section 🎃
📅 Wednesday 25 October
Storytime: Winnie the Witch
Winnie will - fingers crossed - be making an appearance and there will be a story, followed by a pumpkin treasure hunt around the children's section. Come dressed as a Wizard or Witch to dazzle Waterstones' booksellers 🧙
⏳ 11am
🎟️ FREE
🎃 Winnie The Witch Storytime | Events at Waterstones Bookshops
📅 Sunday 29 October
Storytime with Suzy Senior
Sheffield based picture book author Suzy Senior will be in store to host a special storytime reading of her latest picture book, 'Who will kiss the crocodile?', the hillarious rhyming retelling of Sleeping Beauty with added bite 🐊
⏳ 11:30am
🎟️ FREE
🎃 Storytime with Suzy Senior | Events at Waterstones Bookshops
Spooky half-term activities at the National Emergency Services Museum 🚨
Join the team at the NESM during 'spooky season' to enjoy a host of special Halloween events and activities.
Don't forget, ALL full price tickets are upgraded to annual passes for NO EXTRA COST, so if you visit them this month you can come back during every school holiday for the next 12 months...for FREE.
📅 Wednesday 25 to Sunday 29 October
Spooky crafts and trick or treat trail: all day. Free to museum visitors.
📅 Wednesday 25 to Sunday 29 October
The Eerie-on-Sea Monster Museum Tour: all day
'Strange creatures and spooky spectres' as part of the national Eerie-on-Sea Monster Museum Tour from Kids in Museums and Walker Books. The trail celebrates the release of the latest book in the Eerie-on-Sea Mysteries series: Mermedusa by Thomas Taylor.
Can you spot all the monsters of the mysterious seaside town of Eerie-on-Sea? Complete the trail and get a free Eerie-on-Sea bookmark and sticker! Free for museum visitors.
📅 Friday 27 October
Under 10s family friendly ghost trail and stories: 4pm-5pm
Hear some spooky tales and explore the historic Victorian building. Will you bump into any spirits? This trail is led by NESM's learning and discovery co-ordinator, Rosie Norrell, and is aimed towards younger museum visitors. Tickets are free with standard museum entry but MUST be booked in advance as places are limited.
📅 Saturday 28 October
Under 18s ghost hunt with Seeking Spirits: 5pm-9pm
If you're aged 10 to 17 years old and want to take part in a full paranormal investigation, then you're in luck! Thanks to 'Seeking Spirits', now you can. Will the museum's ghost and ghouls come out to play? Seeking Spirits has been investigating the museum for many years now and has all the equipment visitors will need for the investigation. You need your own torch as this investigation takes place in the dark.
🎟️ £35 for one adult and one child (aged 10-17) or £45 for one adult and two children (aged 10-17). Tickets MUST be booked in advance as places are limited.
Picture This at the National Videogame Museum 🕹️
📅 Open every day Saturday 21 to Sunday 29 October
Capturing the fun of videogame photography this October half term
The National Videogame Museum is offering loads of opportunities to get hands on and involved.
Take selfies with a Game Boy camera, style it out in their photo booth or discover key photography objects from videogame history. Plus there are fresh new camera themed games to play 📸
🎃 Book tickets here: https://thenvm.digitickets.co.uk/tickets
The Old Green Time Machine 🎭
📅 Friday 27 October
⏳ 1pm | 3pm
The Montgomery, in conjunction with Coalesce Dance Theatre.
The Old Green Time Machine 'follows the journey of two intrepid and quirky time travellers who are in a race to save the world. In a future where all living things have been destroyed and all that is left is plastic'.
Performances take place in the Carpenter Room at Sheffield Central Library on Surrey Street.
🎟️ These are 'pay what you decide' performances
🎃 For tickets visit: The Old Green Time Machine - The Montgomery Theatre & Arts Centre
LEGO City Build Event 🧱
📅 Saturday 28 October
The Entertainer are hosting one of their famous LEGO 'Make and Take' events on Saturday 28 October.
Pop in and build your perfect LEGO city creation to fit one of the themed photo back drops – take a photo, share it on social using #TheEntertainerVIP for a chance to win a £25 The Entertainer Gift card and the best bit… you get to take the LEGO home with you 😃
⏳ 2pm - 4pm
Off the Shelf: Ear to the Streets - 24 Hours in the Life of South Yorkshire (film screening) 📽️
📅 Saturday 28 October
Drop in to the Millennium Gallery to catch a 'poetic slice of urban and rural life through: Ear to the City, an audio-visual love letter to South Yorkshire, written and audio-recorded by young people from across the region’s cities, towns and villages'.
⏳ 11am-1pm - the film lasts 28 minutes and will be played on a loop
📍 Millennium Gallery
Kommune Kids Cinema 📽️
📅 Every Sunday
Kommune continue their ever-popular Kids Cinema screenings throughout October 🎉
Order your food and drinks from the vendors and get them brought to you in the cinema room - private event space through the double doors opposite Hop Hideout.
Recent film screenings have included: Over The Hedge, Wreck It Ralph and Garfield 🐈
On Sunday 29 October, the film is Casper 👻
⏳ 1pm
🎟️ £3
🎃 To book tickets visit: Kids Cinema at Kommune - Casper (29/10) Tickets, Multiple Dates | Eventbrite
Entertainment on the big screen 🧛
Half term is a great time of year for heading to the cinema with a flurry of new releases and special features for all ages to enjoy 🍿
For the younger cinema visitors, this month's highlights include:
📽️ Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie showing at the Light Cinema and ODEON Luxe from Friday 13 October.
📽️ Trolls Band Together showing at the Light Cinema and ODEON Luxe from Friday 20 October.
📽️ The Addams Family and Paranorman are showing at the Showroom Cinema as part of their Family Time strand on Saturday 21 and Saturday 28 October respectively.
Also, don't forget to check out Kommune's Kids Cinema screenings every Sunday at 1pm. On Sunday 29 October, they will be screening classic kids film, Casper 👻
For the older crowd, Sheffield's very own Horror Film Festival - Celluloid Screams - returns to the Showroom Cinema with screenings upto and including Sunday 22 October.
Find out all about this year's Festival on the official website: Home | Celluloid Screams 😱
At the ODEON Luxe on Arundel Gate, they're continuing their own Halloween season celebrations which includes a 40th anniversary performace of classic Stephen King horror Christine on Tuesday 24 October.
And, at one of the city centre's best hidden gems, the wonderful Curzon on George Street has lined up TWO classics for Halloween itself, Get Out and The Exorcist (50th anniversary). Be sure to check out their rooftop bar...weather permitting 👀
💡 If you're still looking for some more big screen inspiration, then make sure you check out our full guide to cinema in Sheffield city centre: City Centre Cinema Guide | Sheffield City Centre
A few ideas for the grown ups 🧟
Halloween is not just for the young ones, it's also great fun for the grown ups!
Here are just a few of the many 'spooktacular' treats that are on offer this year in the city centre 👻
Showroom Pub Quiz ⁉️
📅 Tuesday 24 October
Showroom are back with a new monthly pub quiz. And who doesn't love a pub quiz? 🤔
General knowledge rounds, picture rounds and music rounds are all on offer to test your knowledge to its very limits!
The quiz is £2 per team to enter with prizes including a £25 bar tab, cinema tickets, a bottle of wine and lots more.
Book your table through the Showroom Café Bar on 0114 249 5432 or via the Showroom website: Showroom Pub Quiz - Showroom Workstation - Sheffield
Murder in the Malibu Mansion 🩸
📅 Saturday 28 October
Slug and Lettuce's famous bottomless brunch is getting spooky 👻 Don't forget to bring your Ken 😉
🎃 To book visit the Slug & Lettuce website: Halloween 2023 at Slug and Lettuce | Book now
Billy Big Balls...of the Dead ☠️
📅 Saturday 28 October
Billy Big Balls on West Street is hosting a very special 'zombie takeover' on Saturday 28 October...'Billy Balls of the Dead' 😱
Spooky Soul-Power Spectacular 😱
📅 Saturday 28 October
The Leadmill – Halloween Festival of Horrors 😱
📅 Tuesday 31 October
⏳ 11pm
🎟️ £8
Find yourself 'hauntingly at home, surrounded by ghosts, ghouls and a ghastly good spooky atmosphere!' 👻
Expect the very best indie and pop party anthems alongside 90s and 00s throwback classics 🎶
🎃 Visit The Leadmill – Halloween Festival of Horrors | The Leadmill for details and tickets.
Snap up some 'spellbinding cocktails' at Manahatta 🍸
Manahatta have conjured up 'three elixirs that are sure to send shivers down your spine and leave your taste buds bewitched'. Choose from the ✨ Poision Apple-tini ✨ Potion of Peril ✨ Bad Witches Brew.
Available until Sunday 5 November and all available on 2 for 1 at selected times.
🎃 More on Manahatta's Halloween line-up on their website: Halloween Events in Sheffield | Manahatta Sheffield
Film & Feast at Pitcher & Piano 🎞️
📅 Tuesday 31 October
Join the team at Pitcher & Piano on Holly Street for a two course meal, Halloween cocktail and a special showing of spooky, comedy classic...Ghostbusters 👻
🎃 Head to their website to book: For every occasion - Pitcher & Piano (pitcherandpiano.com)
Spooktacular Halloween Quiz ⁉️
📅 Tuesday 31 October
⏳ 7pm - 10pm
Get ready for a 'spooktacular time' at The Furnace's Halloween Quiz: Halloween Quiz | City Centre, Sheffield Quiz Night Reviews | DesignMyNight
They're giving you and three of your friends the chance to win a table for four with a delicious 'Witches Brew' cocktail each.
To Enter:
* Like this post (on Instagram) to show some spooky love.
* Comment your favourite Halloween costume idea and tag the friends you'd bring to the quiz.
* Share the post on your Instagram story and make sure to tag The Furnace!
🕒 Competition deadline: Friday 27 October at midnight
Organised Chaos: Halloween events in Sheffield 😈
Every year, Organised Chaos host a series of Halloween-themed events 😱
Join the 'hordes of zombies, ghosts, and clowns at horrifying events across Sheffield'.
This year's line up of events includes:
- Reign of Terror at the Viper Rooms: Halloween Events In Sheffield | Organised Chaos Events
- HalloScene at Onyx: Halloween Events In Sheffield | Organised Chaos Events
- Sunken SlaughterHOUSE at Tank: Halloween Events In Sheffield | Organised Chaos Events
Go back to the section you want to look at again or simply click the link below to jump back to that section 💡
👻 Fun for all the family
🧛 Big screen entertainment...something for all tastes
🧟 Something for the grown ups
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