I am obsessed with Sussex Family Events so I put together a list of the ones around for this Half Term and Halloween, including fireworks just afterwards as well.
I am always searching out events and activities that are fun and seasonal. I have a 3.5 year old and nearly 6 year old and we spend lots of time with new experiences. I like to keep busy and keep finding wonderful new places to go (and take photos of!)
Hauntoberfest! – Goddenwick Farm, Lindfield – 4-31st October – 10am-4pm
A real Pumpkin picking field, rides in wheel barrows, Halloween woodland trail, fairy house, tree fort, play barn, live music at weekends, cafe plus food stalls and lots of thoughtful places to take photos. We love it here! The play barn and spooky double decker bus is £5, pumpkin costs vary but the trail is FREE. (The field and trail gets muddy, wear boots)
Sompting Pumpkins – 29th November-24th December (weekends and last few weekdays)
A real pumpkin farm with rides in a tractor trailer on the weekends. Plus a crafting tent. FREE ENTRY and lots of parking, pumpkins cost extra to buy.
Preston Manor Picking Patch, Preston Park, Brighton – 23rd October-2nd November 2025 – £6 entry
Lots of pumpkins to buy (extra cost) and photo opportunities with a spooky trail. It’s a small site in the garden of Preston Manor but perfect if you don’t have a car.
TULLEYS – 10-31st October – Tulleys is going all out:
Pumpkin Festival – loads of types of pumpkins to choose, over 30 photo opportunities, live roaming characters and musicians, bars and street food, observation wheel. Tickets £8-13.50 each depending on day and date.
Pumpkin Nights – same as the day but at night with live music and a spooky illuminated walk, plus bar and food. Tickets £11.95-19.95 depending on day and date.
Shocktober Fest – live shows, truly horrifying sets, themed bars and food – looks horrifying! XScream pass £54.95
Halloween Trail, Nymans NT – 18th October-2nd November 2025
Have a spooky half term with plenty of Halloween-themed fun and games, pumpkin faces, witches hats and a bubbling cauldron. Free family trail around the garden.
Normal entrance fee applies, free to National Trust members.
We’re Going on a Ghost Hunt, Standen NT, East Grinstead – 4th October – 2nd November, 10am – 3:30pm. Pick your bunny name, play Halloween hoopla, race your broomstick, watch out for the warty toads as you cross the stepping stones, before joining the celebration party and collecting your prize/sticker. This trail is ideal for preschoolers and young children.
Trail is free with normal admission (free for NT members)
Petworth Academy for Wiches and Wizards, Petworth NT – 18th October – 2nd November. Perfect your magic skills with fun garden games and activities.Put your broomstick skills to the test in our obstacle course, hunt for hidden potion ingredients, spot magical beasts,
Trail is free with normal admission (free for NT members)
Halloween Shriek Week, Drusillas – 25th October-2nd November 2025 – Buy one get one free special offer for entry – £30.40 for 2 tickets (£15.20 each)
Lots of props and photo opportunities, a witch, and the spiders den.
Half Term Horrors, Knockhatch – 25-31st October 2025 –
Knockhatch is a bit of a gem! A massive wooden castle with dragon, soft play, dinosaur play barn, loads of animals including owl displays, magical fairies, rides, mini golf, jumping pillows, water rides, water play (in the summer)etc etc.
For Halloween, every day: ghost toy hunt, spooky owl and creepy crawly displays, Monster Mash Family Circus show (aerials, juggling, clowning). Sherlock Holmes hunt (rated 12A) and Biometric Horror Maze (rated 12A) Halloween Arts and Crafts start from £1. See times on link.
25th October, 11-2 – Sussex Cosplay Alliance – superheroes here to pose for selfies, raising money for Chestnut House
28th October, 10-2 – Sussex Police – dress up and colouring, explore the police van.
Leonardslee Haunted Gardens – 18th October – 2nd November – Solve puzzles, follow the pumpkin trail, studio for creative fun and create own lanterns. Garden entry required for non members, plus £3 for the trail. It does have a fab play park too with big slides and turrets.
Spooky Silent Disco – 29th October, 4:15pm
Zog Trail, Wakehurst – 18th October – 2nd November (quiet day 24th October) 10am-4:30pm. On the trail you do 5 activities, learn to roar, fly, breathe fire and more. Zog Log guide £5 for members/£7 for others. Normal admission applies – FREE for National Trust and Wakehurst/Kew members. Car parking charges are £8-13
One Garden – Halloween Half Term – 25th October – Sunday 3rd November.
Halloween trail through the garden, FREE (suggested £1 donation) all week
Potion Making and forest Skills Workshop – 29th October.
Spooky Crafts Drop-In – 31st October.
Mini Music Makers Spooky Singalong – 1st November 10am/11am
A Haunting Hallowen, Borde Hill – 18th October-2nd November 2025 –
We’re calling all ghost hunters to find out what’s spooking the Powers Family at Mortal Mansion. Explore the garden story trail to solve the mystery. You’ll have to answer riddles, solve clues, and navigate ghost ships on the lawns. Everyone will receive a prize. Trail is £4.50 per child, free for members. Normal garden admission fee also applies.
Halloween Crafts – Hangleton Library – Saturday 25th October – 10:30-12 / 2-3:30pm FREE
Halloween crafts at Hangleton Library! Design, colour, stencil, cut, collage, and create something cary. Free fun for all the family, they’ll provide all the materials.
Halloween Party, Emmaus, Portslade – Saturday 25th October – 10am-4pm FREE
Live music and DJ, Halloween costumes, meet the Atlmighty Zoltar, cakes and treats, emporium of curiosities, spell jar workshop, pumpkins for sale, spooky photo booth, kids colouring contest, fancy dress optional
Park Crescent Halloween Day, Brighton – Thursday 30th October – 12-3pm FREE
Spook-tacular day packed with fun for little ghouls and goblins! Terrifyinhlu taste food served all day, sweetie pinata full of treats, halloween special with Dinki Disco, spooky storytime with Daffy, Phoenix and Bronte.
Dinki Disco King Alfreds Centre Ballroom, Hove – Saturday 25th October – 11-1pm Adult £7, kids £11 (non walker free)
Halloween disco! 8s and under (but all ages welcome). Cauldrons will boil, witches will cackle, lots of Halloween treats, spooky groovy tunes, special surprises. Dressing up is encouraged (prize for scariest boy or girl) Entry prices includes everything for the children – facepainting, hula hooping, giant parachute, giant balloons, games ,dancing, baby play zone, all prizes and giveaways.
Halloween Party, The Hartington Pub, Brighton – Friday 31st October 4-6pm – run by Little Ravers!
Little Ravers are back for a Halloween Disco! Tickets £5 per child (adults don’t need a ticket) and includes a goody bag. Best dressed prize, disco and games!
Halloween Night, grounds of Hangleton Manor – Friday 31st October 4:30-6:30pm – £5 to include a prize
Pay for entry on the door. Mayor will judge the scariest costume. Face painting, lucky dip, fright night food, spooky glowsticks for sale.
Halloween Trail – The Book Nook, Hove – Friday 31st October – all day. Dress up, do the trail, win a prize. FREE
We love this little independent book shop – they do so many regular events as well as one offs (including many famous children’s authors who come along and do a reading).
Kidz with Attitude Halloween Special, Komedia – Sunday 2nd November 2025 – doors 12pm. 2.5 hours long.
The day time club for kidzand guardians to break out their best moves and Halloween costumes on the dance floor. DJs play the finest (non explicit) hip hop, funk and soul alongside Halloween themed tunes. Recommended age 4+. Adult £10, kids £8 (family of 4 – £30)
A Squash and a Squeeze – The Dome. 27-29th October (relaxed performance 28th October 11am)
For kids age 3-8. Live on stage with beautiful puppets and enchanting songs.
Adults £21.50, children £10
Crafty Kids, Hallowen Shadow Puppets workshop – The Dome. 29th October – 11:30am and 2pm. £6 for adult and child (£6 per additional child) For kids age 3-11, create magical puppets based on spooky stories.
Halloween, Blackberry Farm – 25th October – 2nd November – Normal admission applies. Lovely little farm, including indoor and outdoor play ares and pony rides.
Scarecrow Trail Tractor Ride, pumpkin picking (£6.75 each), pumpkin carving (£10.75 each), spooky face painting, bump in the night barrel ride, mystery maze
Sundown Adventures – Go Ape Tilgate Park, Crawley – 17th October – 9th November, minimum age 6 (1.2m tall) High ropes and zip lines illuminated by glowing lights. Sessions start after sunset 4-8pm
Ardingly Fireworks, Ardingly South of England Showground – Saturday 25th October 2025
Car parking included. Fun fair. Kids quiet display at 6:30pm followed by big display at 7-8pm so nice times for kids.
Under 5s free, 5+ £6.25, adults £13
Firle Bonfire Night – Saturday 25th October 2025
A mini version of Lewes – free car parking in Firle Park, procession at 7pm through the village and fireworks at 9pm. £10 per person, under 13s free!
Preston Park Fireworks – Saturday 1st November
Two lovely displays in the park (if it’s not cancelled due to weather), plus Coles Fun Fair. 5:30pm quiet kids display. 8pm big display. FREE
Lewes Bonfire Night – 5th November – I couldn’t do a round up without including these but getting there is a total nightmare! Trains stop early and don’t run until the next day. No buses. No parking. You could book a big taxi to drop and pick up but if you have friends there, go! It’s totally insane, multiple bonfire societies, parades of burning crosses through the streets while they throw firecrackers (wear big boots and thick socks!), then everyone goes to the various playing fields for the traditions and blowing up the effigies, before the best firework displays I’ve ever seen. Epic.
Worthing Pier fireworks – By Worthing Lions – Wednesday 5th November, 7:30pm
Really good display from the end of the pier. You can sit anywhere on the beach to watch it so it’s not super noisy. The promenade is well lit and has a big fair going on along there with rides and a soft play trailer. We drove up early (or you could easily get the train) and walked along the beach to watch them. The kids were mesmerised. It’s free but take money for the collection buckets.
Carden School Fireworks – Friday 14th November 5-7pm – fireworks at 6:40pm. Food and music and stalls – bring cash.
Sweet display raising money for the school. Under 4s go free. £7.15 tickets for others.
NOT AN EVENT – but useful
Halloween Costume Hire Shop – Old Boat Community Centre, Carden Hill (also has a fab playground)
£3 deposit and you can borrow a Halloween costume, price refunded when you bring it back.
Wednesday 22nd October / Monday 27th October / Wednesday 29th October – 11am-1pm each day