Top 5

Attractions

The Scare Witch Trials
London Dungeon, 17 - 31 October 2009
The London Dungeon will greet visitors with a horrifying Halloween forest where Scare Witch Trials are held. The Witch-Finder General’s 17th century courtroom and the Dungeons’ terrifying tunnel of tortured witches are included in the regular entry fee. For more information please contact Ellie Cowley on 01202 44 00 66.

Tricking and Treating
London Eye, 24 October-1 November 2009
This Halloween the area by The Merlin Entertainments London Eye will be transformed into a spooky forest complete with a bubbling bog of no return for children who have been naughty. Two witch sisters will be teaching children a lesson about the perils of misbehaving with Witch Trick encouraging children to be naughty and Witch Treat trying to save them from her wicked sister. In addition haunting tales of the South Bank will be shared on the 40-minute Halloween themed Cruise. For more information please contact the London Eye Press Office on 0870 220 2777.

Halloween Boats Tour
London Canal Museum, 30-31 October 2009
The Halloween trip is a unique spooky journey through Islington Tunnel on board of a narrowboat specially decorated for the occasion with a friendly witch amongst the crew. Guests should be prepared for some surprises in the darkness of the 185 year old tunnel! There will also be ghost storytelling in the museum telling and very brave visitors can explore the corridor of fear with horrible noises and pictures. For more information please call the London Canal Museum Press Office on 07789 833192.

Phobophobia - The Fear of Fear
London Bridge Experience, 30-31 October 2009
The Phobophobia Halloween Show at The London Bridge Experience and London Tombs will challenge visitor’s phobias like claustrophobia, the fear of witches, blood, raw meat and snakes. There is also a special daytime family show, plus all the permanent attractions, including haunted tunnels beneath London Bridge. For more information please contact Linsey Blohlah on 0207 422 8270.

Haunted House Family Fun Day
National Maritime Museum, 31 October 2009, 11:30am – 4pm
At Maritime Greenwich's infamously haunted house the spookiest day of the year is an event for the whole family. The beautiful Queen's House will be full of ghostly excitement with story-telling, workshops, performances, music and much more. For more information please contact Nigel Rubenstein on 020 8312 6732. 

Imagining the Impossible: The Truth about Spirit Photography
British Library, 31 October 2009, 2pm-4pm
Images of departed spirits, ghosts and ectoplasm captured on photographs became a huge sensation between the 1860s and 1930s. As spiritualist mediums and their many clients, even including establishment figures such as Arthur Conan Doyle, enthused about these miraculous messages, others sought to uncover widespread fraud. An entertaining illustrated talk, especially for Halloween, by Gordon Rutter, Head of the Charles Fort Institute and scholar of strange experiences and anomalous phenomena. For more information please contact Julie Yau on 020 7412 7237.

Tate Take Over
Tate Modern, Turbine Hall Bridge, 31 October 2009, 7-10pm
At Halloween the Tate Modern invites guests of all ages to make abstract sculptures and dream up a dystopian future on the cinematic backdrop of the Turbine Hall Bridge. New work by young artists will be on display whilst spine-tingling music plays in the background. For more information please contact the Tate Modern Press Office on 020 7887 8730.

Haunting, hangings and murder most foul
Museum of London, 31 October, 8pm
Join the team from the Museum of London for a spooky Halloween stroll through Smithfield looking at the darker side of London. Uncover tales of haunting, churchyard murders, half-starved inmates, body snatchers, public executions and burning at the stake. Participants can find out where a Scots Patriot was executed more than 700 years ago, where a ghostly monk still haunts his church and about the Black Dog of Newgate. For more information please email Kate Rosser.

Halloween Skies, Prize Trails and Howling at the Moon
Royal Observatory, 31 October-1 November 2009
The Planetarium Show 'Halloween Skies' at the Royal Observatory will be presented live by an astronomer and explain what myths and superstitions connect the night sky and Halloween and why this spooky festival occurs in October. The Halloween prize trail at the Observatory investigates aspects of astronomy with a Halloween theme and a short talk explores superstitions and spooky traditions associated with the Moon in the Modern Astronomy Centre. For more information please contact Nigel Rubenstein on 020 8312 6732. 

Ghost tours
Hampton Court Palace, 31 October 2009-07 March 2010
Guests at Hampton Court Palace are invited to walk in the historic footsteps of kings, queens and thousands of courtiers to discover eerie tales of hundreds of years of hauntings. The court's paranormal residents might even join you as you wander through their beautiful palace by night! Jane Seymour, King Henry VIII's third wife is said to wander through Clock Court. The ghost of Henry's fifth wife Catherine Howard who was sentenced to death at the Tower of London reportedly still lingers in the corridors of the Haunted Gallery. For more information please contact Amy Wright on 020 3166 6166.

Events

Shadows of the Slums
Treasure Hunt in the City of London, throughout October 2009
As the nights draw in, London Treasure Hunts explores the eerie and atmospheric side of London. Discover the ghosts of the old City and find out their stories, before following in the footsteps of Jack the Ripper through the East End. For more information please email Carly Vandenberg.

The Original London Ghost Festival 2009
Across London, 23-31 October 2009
This year's events will include a ghost watch at the London Dungeon, entitled 'Hell-oween!', a scare performance called 'Asylum Hill', a candlelight tour of St Bartholomew the great, the most haunted church in London, haunted history walks, a lecture by Society of Psychical Research, a ghostly bus tour, a charity Halloween Ball at Charlton House, unique spectral tour of the notoriously haunted Chislehurst Caves, 5 free lunchtime talks and a paranormal investigation at the Cabinet War Rooms. For more information please contact Ian Shillito on 07982230208.

Junior Gardening Week
London Transport Museum, 26-31 October 2009
Kids can freak out their friends on Halloween by making a spooky wiggling spider during Junior Gardening Week. Junior Gardening week starts 26 October where little gardeners can create secret gardens; learn how to make eco-plan pots of cress to take home and sing along to handpicked gardening songs. For more information please contact Paulette Kirkby on 020 7379 6344.

Ghostly Greenwich
Greenwich, 30-31 October
Spooky tales and Halloween tours are to be held on the spookiest night of the year, would you dare walk the streets alone? For more information contact Pat Edgar on 01494 764932.

Halloween Slowfood Market
Slow Food Market, Southbank Centre, 30 October -1 November 2009 
Tasty Halloween specialities at Southbank Centre, from 11am -6pm. Trick or treat. It is time for apple-bobbing, pumpkins, tasty slow-cooked casseroles and sweet indulgences. For more information contact Elinor Hughes on 020 7921 0888.

Halloween Zombie Ball
Old Queens Head, 31 October 2009
The Old Queens Head, one of London's most haunted pubs, will be setting the scene for a Halloween Zombie Ball, taking place on Saturday 31st October. Guests in fancy dresses will be rewarded with treats and Zombie face painting on arrival. Music will be provided by Mr. Thing who has performed with the likes of the Beastie Boys and Run DMC. A special range of Halloween cocktails such as Zombie Iced Tea, Blood Transfusion and The Old Queen's Head are also on offer. For more information please contact Anna Sharp on 020 7467 3910.

Wish You were Here New York Halloween Closing Party
Newburgh Quarter, 31 October 2009, from 6pm
To celebrate in style the end of Wish You Were Here, the transatlantic swap with New York's Lower East Side, The Newburgh Quarter will feature a New York style Halloween Party themed: Famous New Yorkers! Visitors can come down as Woody Allen, Sammy Davis Jr, Edward Hopper or any other New York great for a street-wide Halloween party. Activities will include pumpkin carving contest, Trick-or-treating in stores, Halloween food stands, live performances and prizes for the best costumes of the day. For more information please contact Nick Ferman on 0207 287 9601.

Hammer Horror Festival
Idea Generation Gallery, 27 October-15 November 2009
This festival brings together a terrifying program of film screenings, ghost tours in Shoreditch, readings and an exhibition featuring never seen before art work from classic and upcoming films, rare and original posters, and behind the scenes photos from the British independent film company Hammer. For more information please contact Paul Drury on 020 7749 6855.

Theatre & Film

Film4 FrightFest Halloween All-Nighter
The Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), 31 October 2009
It is going to be another long, dark night of the cinematic soul as the FrightFest team - fresh from the success of the August Bank Holiday weekend at the Empire in Leicester Square - scale things down for a more intimate event. Sneak previews, special screenings, guest appearances and even a movie quiz are all on the cards. Between 7-9 scary movies films will be featured. For more information please contact Greg Day on 020 7267 2942.

Witchcraft & monstrous music videos
BFI Southbank, 31 October 2009
On Halloween night the BFI's Flipside strand will screen a rare documentary about witchcraft by Derek Ford and some monstrous music videos in a BUG special, presented by British music video director Corin Hardy. There will also be some shocking short movies made by young film-makers which will be judged by a panel of 'undead experts', plus a screening of the zombie film Colin (made for £45). Ambitious film fans can learn to create grizzly horror special effects in a workshop. For more information please contact the BFI Press Office on 020 7255 1444.



Hotels and Restaurants

Halloween Feasting
The Carnaby at Courthouse Doubletree by Hilton, 29-31 October 2009
Harking back to the true origins of Halloween as a time of feasting and celebration, The Carnaby is featuring a slap-up three-course menu of mouth-watering morsels. For just £24.99 including a befitting welcome 'Bloody Mary' cocktail, diners can tuck into a selection of delicious dishes such as 'Black Death' cake. For more information please contact the Courthouse Press Office.

Frankie's Haunting Halloween
Frankie's Sports Bar and Grill at Chelsea FC, 26-31 October
This Halloween brings the kids down to Frankies Sports Bar and Grill at Stamford Bridge for a Haunting Halloween menu all week, capped off with our Spooky Saturday Costume Party. Children and their parents are encouraged to come dressed in their Halloween attire to enjoy a deliciously festive set menu along with sweets, movies, and prizes for the best costume. For more information please contact Anne Benveniste on 020 7915 2906.

Runnin' with the Devil
Hardrock Café London, 31 October 2009
Guests can enjoy an Authentic American Breakfast Buffet on Halloween, from 10am till midday on Halloween. There will be fancy dress competition, spooky Halloween fun, as well as face painters. For more information please contact Kate Etteridge on 0207439 7222.

Scream Tea Spooktacular
The Met Bar, 26 October-11 November 2009
The turntable goddesses Broken Hearts have been invited by the Met Bar to create a one-off 'Scream Tea Spooktacular' over Halloween. Inspired by the work of Tim Burton and Tim Walker the female DJ's Nisha and Amber have not only created a frightfully menu with spooky surprises such as bat-shaped cookies and blood-red cupcakes but also a mouth-watering culinary Halloween soundtrack. For more information please contact Jo James on 020 7447 1025.