10 Sep 2013
Visit Kent this Autumn and join in some of the spooky goings on at many of our attractions, from 'Fright Night Trains' to pumpkin carving, 'sawbones surgery' and even creepy bugs - there's lots to make you smile, shudder or scream. You could also stay on for one of our fantastic fireworks displays - oooh, aaaah!
For further information on these and other events in Kent, please go to www.visitkent.co.uk
Halloween Half-Term Spooky Fun at Hever Castle (28 October to 3 November)
Enjoy a spine-tingling programme of spooky entertainment that's guaranteed to thrill visitors of all ages. Follow a pumpkin trail through the grounds to discover information about the Castle's intriguing past. Get creative in the drop-in Halloween workshops making your own trick-or-treat to take home and listen to ghostly goings on from the storyteller, who'll keep children spellbound with her scary stories from beyond the grave. Halloween themed meals and snacks will be available in the restaurants.
Gardens open at 10.30am; Castle opens at 12 noon.
Last admission 5pm; final exit 6pm.
Admission Prices: Adults £15; Seniors £12.75;
Children £8.50; Family ticket £38.50
Visit the 'Terrible Tales'... if you dare - Canterbury Tales (25 to 31 October)
For gruesome chills this Halloween head to The Canterbury Tales, where Chaucer's classic tales take a sinister turn with live horror performances in the church graveyard!! Take a guided tour through the diseased streets of medieval England, where nasty surprises lurk. The Terrible Tales has been written by a local University of Kent drama graduate, Lonnie Storey, and will be performed by university students.
The Terrible Tales are performed at 7.30pm from Friday 25 to Thursday 31 October.
Prices: £7 per person (not suitable for under 12s). Book online before 30 September and receive a
20% early booking discount.
Blood, Boils and Black Death, Evening Halloween Tour, Leeds Castle, Maidstone (31 October)
Discover a distinctly unpleasant side to "the loveliest castle in the world"! Join the castle guides for an All Hallows Eve tour through a horribly diseased and gruesome history - hear tales of a castle ravaged by the grisly Black Death and ruthless 16th Century 'sawbones' surgery.
Tours at 6pm, 7pm and 8pm
Price £15 per person. Max 20 people per tour. Tours must be pre-booked online. Some stories may be unsuitable for
younger children.
Also at Leeds Castle - Halloween
Half-Term Fun (26 October to 3 November)
Half term fun for the whole family with creepy crafts, face painting and a pumpkin trail through the grounds. Are you brave enough to venture into the 'spooky maze'? Raggedy Jack will be on hand with ghostly tales and stories.
Come dressed to scare for the daily fancy dress competition at 2pm with prizes for the best costume.
These activities are included in the usual ticket price to the Castle, which give free repeat visits for a whole year - Adult £21; Child £13.50; Concessions £18.50. On wet weather days children visit free.
Haunted Castle, Dover Castle (26 October to 3 November)
Feeling brave enough to take on Kent's most haunted castle? Join Dover Castle's spooky Halloween adventure, but be prepared to be scared as a frighteningly great day out awaits you. Are you brave enough to enter the Tunnel of Terror or say boo to a ghost or two? Have a go at creating creepy crafts and see if you can scare enough to win a prize for the best children's Halloween costume, bestowed on the most spine-tingling attire each day.
Time: 10 am to 4pm
Prices: Adult £17; Child (5-15 years) £10.20;
Concession £15.30; Family £44.20. Ticket price includes event and entry to castle and grounds.
www.english-heritage.org/dovercastle
Night of the Evil Dead - Dickens World,
Chatham (31 October)
Test your nerves on a 20 minute, Victorian-themed, scare tour followed by an evening of party games and disco. Prizes for the best Halloween costume. Doors open at 7.30pm, entertainment from 8pm to 1am. Over 18s only.
£18 - Scare tour and disco. £10 - scare tour only. £10 disco only.
Halloween Half-Term Fun and Spooky Fright Night Trains, Kent and East Sussex Railway (28 October to 1 November)
There will be plenty of ghostly goings on every day during 'Halloween Fun Week'. Meet Mr Mystery and enjoy spooktacular entertainment at Tenterden Station with themed 'make and take' activities, including designing and carving a pumpkin to take home with you. All activities are included in the ticket price and trains leave Tenterden station at 10.40am, 11.45am, 1.15pm and 2.45pm.
Fares: Family (2 adults/3 children or 1 adult/4children) £42; Adult £15; Senior £14; Child £10.
As the clock strikes 6.30pm on 31 October and 1 November, take the 'Fright Night Train', from Tenterden to Northiam Station. Once aboard be prepared to be frightened silly with ghostly goings on, a great firework display and a few surprises along the way. Children can also enjoy face painting and pumpkin carving at Tenterden Station prior to departure. Every child will also receive a delicious snack box and a spooky free gift for the all-inclusive ticket price of £15. Families are encouraged to go in fancy dress, the scarier the better.
Booking essential.
Spook Fest - Kent Life, Maidstone (26 October to 3 November)
At Kent Life, delve into 28 acres of fun from hands-on activities for kids to age-old farming traditions that bring back memories from way back when. There are animals to cuddle, tractors to ride, play areas to go wild in and fascinating historic buildings to explore. From 26 October there's also a week of pumpkin carving, trick or treating, creepy bugs and competitions - culminating in an amazing bonfire and fireworks spooktacular on 2 November.
Open: Weekdays* 10am to 5pm (last admission 4pm); Weekends, School Holidays and Bank Holidays 10am to 6pm (last admission 5pm). *Opening times vary, ask for more details on 01622 763936.
Prices (except 2 November) - Adult £8.95; Concession £7.95; Child (3-15 years) £6.95; Under 3s free
Halloween Fun at the Farm - The Hop Farm Family Park, Tonbridge (26 October to 3 November)
The Hop Farm attractions include outdoor and indoor play areas, animal farm, museum, Treejumpers adventure centre and live, themed entertainment at various times. Go in fancy dress between 26 October and 3 November and join in the freakish fun, including attractions with a spooky twist.
Open from 10am to 5pm (last admission 4pm).
Free entry for adults and children. Some attractions are play and pay ranging from £1 to £5 per go.
Spooky Ball in the Great Hall - Eastwell Manor, Ashford (1 November)
Spend a spooky Halloween at the historic and gothic Eastwell Manor. Arrive by tree-lined torch lit driveway and enter the Manor House where the flickering flames of the blazing log fires add to the atmosphere of the spooky evening that lies ahead of you. At 7pm , enjoy a Welcome Drink in the Great Hall followed by an exquisite dinner in the Manor Restaurant. After, enjoy resident live band in the Great Hall and dance the night away until midnight. (Black-tie or spooky themed dress). Cost £60 per person.
Why not stay the night and enjoy all of the above with accommodation in either a Classic Manor bedroom or Mews Cottage bedroom with full English breakfast - £90 per room (price includes accommodation, breakfast and full use of the spa facilities and golf course).
To book call 01233 213020 or email: reservations@eastwellmanor.co.uk
Murder Mystery at the Mercure Maidstone Great Danes Hotel (1 November)
A fantastic evening of intrigue and excitement. Enjoy a 3 course dinner and be entertained by larger than life characters played by professional actors with comic scenes and intriguing riddles as the story unfolds. The murder itself happens before your eyes and then it falls to you and your team to work out whodunit! Do you and your team have the skills to solve the crime?
£34.95 per detective (includes 3 course meal, Murder Mystery and disco
To book call 0844 815 9045 opt 3 or email csales.mercuremaidstone@jupiterhotels.co.uk
Halloween Adventures with Mulberry Cottages
Mulberry Cottages has a selection of quality self-catering cottages for holidays at any time of the year, but there are a few which have particular appeal at Halloween and which are a great place to gather family and friends for pumpkin carving, spooky story telling and ghost hunting.
Great Higham Barn is a large holiday home (sleeps up to 40) with a dark exterior and mysterious character - a great place for a Halloween party. Likewise the charming and enchanting Heron Manor, set in the looming shadows of Chilham's castle, is ideal for an exciting and exhilarating Halloween visit. Smaller, but still as spooky is Castle Street Cottage in Canterbury, known for its paranormal hotspots, with heavy beaming, low ceilings and an
attic bedroom. You can even take a haunting but humorous ghost tour to get you in the Halloween spirit - www.canterburyghosttour.com.
For further information contact Emma Reynolds on 01227 464958 or emma.reynolds@mulberrycottages.com
Bonfire and Firework Spooktacular - Kent Life, Maidstone (2 November)
Be amazed by fire breathers lighting the grand roaring bonfire and join in the countdown to the annual spectacular musical firework display, marking the end of their Spook Fest and the beginning of their winter festivities. The evening will be entertaining for all ages including children's fairground rides, face painting, fancy dress competitions, water zorbing, glow stick galore, music and a licensed bar.
Open from 3pm, bonfire lit at 7.15pm, Spooktacular show at 7.45pm.
Prices - Adult £10; Concession £9; Child £8, Under 3s free.
Book online before 30 September to save 20%
Bonfire and Thrill...ers' 2 Fireworks Displays in one night, Quex Park, Birchington (2 November)
A new and exciting firework event for 2013. Enjoy the Thrill...ers' two pyrotechnic displays in one night. First a short traditional display followed (after a short break) by a stunning display set in time to a variety of Halloween-themed music. A special attraction will be revealed on the night!! Fancy dress is optional, plus there will be live music, stilt walkers, fire jugglers and magician. Bonfire is subject to weather conditions.
Advance ticket prices from 9am 2 September to 4pm 2 November - Adult £8.50; Child (3-13 years) £6.50; Family ticket (2 adults and 2 children) £28 - check website for details.
Advance e-tickets now available until 4pm 2 November.
Higher gate fees (cash only) apply on the night.
www.kentevents.org.uk/bonfire-fireworks
The Leeds Castle Fireworks Spectacular, Leeds Castle, Maidstone ( 9 and 10 November)
Two nights of hugely popular and spectacular displays with moving images, music and incredible fireworks over the historic castle. Let the countdown begin as things hot up for this year's event set to a theme of 'fire'. Come for the evening performance or arrive early for the afternoon entertainment. The castle itself is closed to the public. There will be a wide range of refreshments available.
Gates open 2pm. Display starts at 5.30pm.
Tickets must be pre-booked. Adult £18.50; Child (under 16 years) £12.00; Under 4s free (must be reserved at time of booking. Group rates for 15 or more - Adult £15.50; Child £11.00
www.leeds-castle.com
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For enquiries please contact: Julie Edwards on 01227 812914 or julie.edwards@visitkent.co.uk or Kerstin Andrews on 01227 812904 or Kerstin.andrews@visitkent.co.uk
For images of Kent, go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/visitkent
About Visit Kent:
Visit Kent Limited is a public/private sector partnership supported by Kent County Council, Medway Council, the district and borough councils, Tourism South East and the leading sector tourism businesses in Kent. Visit Kent champions Kent's £3.2 billion tourism industry by targeting UK and overseas markets, improving quality and skills and growing investment in the tourism product.
For further information visit www.visitkentbusiness.co.uk
