Halloween events in Manchester

Do you love Halloween? Can you no longer go door to door without having the police alerted? If you answered 'yes', then you are officially too old for trick or treating. But don't worry, there is still plenty to do this Halloween in Manchester.

Whether you fancy a good scare, a good dance or maybe a family night out, there is loads to do - from ghost hunts to festivals and club nights. We have found some of the best Manchester Halloween events to narrow down your search.

Grimmfest

For the brave adults, fancy starting Halloween early? Grimmfest is back with its annual Grim up North event, kicking off with a preview night on 3rd October and running to the 7th October at the Dancehouse. Grimmfest is one of the country's leading horror film festivals and has over 20 blood splattered, finest new and cult horror film premieres and celebrity appearances from the likes of Ross Noble, Reece Shearsmith, Patrick Mower and Dominic brunt. See all Grimmfest 2012 events

Halloween club nights

The Warehouse Project have a Halloween special curated by Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs on Friday 26th October, with an amazing line up featuring Derrick Carter, John Talabot, Matias Aguayo, Todd Terje, FactoryFloor, The 2 Bears and a special collaboration between Friendly Fires' Jack and Edwin from Foals. Tickets are selling out fast, so get yours while you can.

Illuminaughty returns with a bang on the 2nd November, with a Halloween takeover at Sankeys. The multi-sensory audio feast, which was voted the world's best club by DJ Magazine, will hijack Sankeys for the night with three floors of amazing music and a thrilling concoction of performers. Buy tickets

Find more Manchester Halloween club nights

Night Opera

If you fancy something a little different, then Neil Campbell's beautiful classical composition, A Night Opera, is touring the North West this autumn - stopping off  at Manchester's atmospheric Chetham's School of Music on the 31st October for a Halloween Special. The concert will be presented with visuals by Shaun Taft. More information

Manchester ghost hunts and walks

Jonathan Schofield Manchester Tours are taking brave souls on an excursion into an unknown, surprise location this Halloween to tell ghost stories of Manchester - the old and new, the ghostly and demonic. Choose from three different tours on October 31st. Find out more.

If you enjoy your ale then why not check out the East Lancs Railway's (Pale) Ale Trail Halloween fancy dress special. The Rail Ale Trail connects local pubs, micro-breweries and even a temperance bar via an old steam train. Jump on-board from October 27th for gruesome and spooky goings on.

Fancy a terrifying overnight ghost hunt at Ordsall Hall in Salford? This haunted Tudor mansion is renowned for its ghostly activity - from significant drops in room temperture to people being grabbed or touched by the unseen, to unexplained activity in the dark rooms. There are paranormal investigations taking place at Ordsall Hall on the 26th and 27th October - book your place now.

Spooky Manchester tour guide Flecky Bennett will host special Halloween ghost walks on the 29th and 30th October. The spooky guided tour will take in the backstreets, passageways and the unwelcoming corners of the 'ratacombs', while talking about the ghostly occurances in these areas. The walk now incorporates the magnificent inner courtyard of the Manchester Town Hall.

Something for the kids

Why not check out the Halloween hauntings event at the haunted Old Hall at Tatton Park, from October 23rd to the 28th. Meet the ghosts of this haunted hall and get the kids involved with fun and games, with the Horrible History Mystery and quiz. There will also be story telling, face painting and mask making.

Bramall Hall hosts a Halloween masks and hats event on the 31st October; allowing the kids to make a mask or a hat ahead of a busy night's trick or treating. All materials supplied.

Legoland Brick or Treat Halloween special, 20th October to 4th November. Let your kids join the hunt through Miniland and count the ghost figures. They can build their own Lego brick scarecrow in the Builder's workshop or build a castle fit for a vampire at the Legoland discovery Centre in Manchester.

Words: Cassie Cain