It’s the scariest time of the year (well, if we completely discount this year’s political turmoil, that is) and we are ready for it! We’ve rounded up our top Halloween and Day of the Dead picks, from wicked workshops and creepy cocktails to fabulous foodie collabs. The question is: how much do YOU dare this week?
Séay(oncé) my name
Filthy, funny and fabulous, Séayoncé is a fortune-telling, ghost-whispering mystic with a connection – albeit a slightly messed up one – to the other side. And she’s back with a Halloween spectacular, Dick or Treat, at Ironworks Studios. Staggeringly quick off the mark and with a brilliant line in potty-mouthed puns, Dan Wye’s alter ego fuses stand-up, song and drag that gives you life (even after death). So get up, get out and go see this golden-voiced queen with expert comedic timing and a brilliant line in outrageousness.
Sunday 30th October; 7pm; from £9.21
Ironworks Studios, 30 Cheapside, Brighton BN1 4GD
Get tickets
It’s out of this world
We love the Eddy (officially The Edinburgh). It’s only a couple of minutes walk from Brighton Station, but with its friendly relaxed atmosphere, it’s a world away from the stress of Queens Road. But this Halloween, they’re going rogue… with an alien infestation. Their decorations were brilliantly creative last year, and they’ve gone all out again for this All Hallows Eve, too. Forget shop-bought plastic tat and think alien nests, eggs, the works (of art). If you needed an excuse to go grab a drink this Halloween, here it is.
67A Upper Gloucester Road, Brighton BN1 3LQ; free
The Eddy
House of horrors
We love a seasonally decorated house and this is one of the very best. Every year, and for the last 13 years, the gang at 10 Highcroft Villas have decorated their house and garden for Halloween to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support (they’ve fundraised an absolutely incredible £21k to date). And when we say decorate, these guys go all out. It’s seriously impressive, from ghoulish night-time lighting to bloodied hands, creepy hanging skeletons, skulls on posts, and so much more. This year, their annual haunt is Stranger Things-themed and is in memory of their friend Steven who sadly lost his fight with cancer earlier this year. There’s a QR code on the gate for easy donation (please do donate), or hit the link below. The only question is: do you dare to visit after dark?
You can see the outside of the house now and can go in the garden from 3pm on Monday 31st October until late
10 Highcroft Villas, Brighton BN1 5PS
Donate here
Spooky Saturday
The ghost tours are back! Now’s your chance to explore the eerie happenings behind the doors of Preston Manor, Brighton’s most haunted house. The manor is a wee bit spooky even when it’s light outside and as it’s well known for being incredibly haunted, with lots of ghostly figures and weird phenomena spotted over the years, you might even see the house’s famous resident apparitions, including a White Lady who walks through walls and a disembodied hand that manifests in bedrooms. The tour accompanies Daisy the housemaid as she tries to hunt down the ghosts and it’s suitable for school-age children with adults.
Thursday 27th October and Saturday 29th October; various times; free with house entry ticket (children £5, adults £9)
Preston Manor, Preston Drove, Brighton BN1 6SD
Preston Manor
Welcome to (the West) Hell (Tavern)
There’s something both scary and mesmerising about people singing their hearts out yet failing to nail most of the notes and the West Hell – love it – Tavern are capitalising on that this Halloween weekend. Welcome to the Scary-Aoke Halloween Party! Hosted by razor-sharp funny queen Dick Day, you can expect a camp-as-hell evening of fun. Fancy dress positively encouraged – and rewarded!
Saturday 28th October; 8pm – late; free, but you can book a table in advance
67 Buckingham Place, Brighton BN1 3PQ
thewesthilltavern.com
We ain’t afraid of no ghosts
Ghost Walk of the Lanes is the longest-running ghost walk event in Brighton. These fantastic 70-minute walks, led by eccentric ‘Victorian ghost walkers’, uncover the darker history behind the city’s bustling Lanes, the oldest – and most haunted – part of the city. From unsettled spirits at the Black Lion pub to macabre tales of brutal murders and what’s really going on at Hannington’s Lane, you’re guaranteed an entertaining, if chilling evening. The walks take in eight haunted sites and cast the city in a whole new light – you’ll never again look at those streets in quite the same way! And they’re running some extra walks just for Halloween on Saturday 28th and Monday 31st at 6pm and 7.30pm – no need to book, just turn up. Who ain’t afraid of no ghosts, now?
Every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, plus Halloween night; from £8 (cash or card); meet at Druid’s Head on Brighton Place (opposite Donatello’s Restaurant)
ghostwalkbrighton.co.uk
Pump, pump, pump(kin) it up
There’s something very joyous about trundling through a field full of pumpkins with a wheelbarrow and despite the warm weather, it feels deliciously autumnal. There’s plenty of wheelbarrow fun to be had before Halloween near Brighton, too, and the fields are almost all free entry.
Head over to our full story to see all our top picks.
Various venues and times
Channel those spirits
Really decent cocktails are hard to come by in some parts of the country, but we’re spoilt for choice in Brighton. First up on our Halloween spirit sprint is The Spirit Level. We went to one of their recent pop-ups and have only good things to say about their well-crafted tasty drinks. If you’re going down the boozy route (they have delicious virgin cocktails, too), pace yourselves though as these babies are STRONG! They’re hitting Tilt in Fiveways this Saturday for a Halloween-themed night of cocktails – look out for this Corpse Reviver – plus there’s a free drink for the best costume. That’s right, Halloween is not just for kids.
Saturday 29th October; 6 – 8pm or 8.30 – 11.30pm
Pop in or guarantee yourself a seat by booking via their Instagram or on WhatsApp 07973288550
Tilt, 134 Preston Drove, Brighton BN1 6FJ
The Spirit Level
We’ll drink to that
On the other side of town is brilliantly non-wanky whisky bar Cut Your Wolf Loose. They’re getting into the spooky spirit(s) of all things Halloween with a cocktail-making competition. You’ll get a drink on arrival (after all, you’ll need warming up for the comp), a demo on making a cocktail of dreams (or nightmares) and then you and your team will get stuck in to concocting cocktail magic. There’s some of their gorgeous merch up for grabs if you make the best cocktail or sport the best costume, so it’s worth making an effort!
Monday 31st October; 7pm; £30
23 Trafalgar Street, Brighton BN1 4EQ
cutyourwolfloose.com
Buy tickets
Spill the tea
If you’ve always been curious about tarot and love a spot of tea and cake, then this intro to tarot at lovely Kemptown spot MetroDeco might be for you. In the 2.5-hour workshop, you’ll learn how to interpret the cards and do your own mini-reading whilst supping on one of their range of teas and delicious cakes. Or you can add on a full reading with Tea and Tarot founder Fiona Coffey to one of MetroDeco’s tasty afternoon teas for £15.
Saturday 29th October; 2 – 5pm; £49; call 01273 677243 to book
38 Upper St James’ Street, Brighton BN2 1JN
metro-deco.com
No Dice (Saloon)
Calling all gamers and wannabe board gamers! Brighton’s gaming centre and board-game cafe Dice Saloon is holding a special Halloween night event, dedicated to all spooky games. If you’re new to this kind of thing, staff will be on hand to show you the ropes on some particularly Halloween-suitable board games, such as One Night Werewolf or Ghost Blitz, or you can you just book a table to come and play your own games. And, as it’s Halloween, there’s a prize for the best dressed.
Monday 31st October; from 6pm; £2 (if you want to be taught)
88 London Road, Brighton BN1 4JF
Book here
Dead good
Mexican restaurant and shop Casa Azul are holding a whole week of Dia de Los Muertos celebrations to honour and remember missed loved ones, including tamales and face-painting on Saturday – when you can also pick up their delicious vegan orange-infused Day of the Dead bread (pre-order until 27th October here). The week culminates in their 2nd November dinner collab with new resto Palmito. It’s sadly sold out for the 8.30pm sitting, but you can add your name to the standby list in case of cancellations.
Until 2nd November; various times; from free
Brighton Open Market, Unit 21, Marshall’s Row, Brighton BN1 4JU
casazul.co.uk
It’s all a bit fishy
One of our favourite fish and chip shops in the city, Rykba is named after a brilliant Polish saying that translates as ‘the fish likes to swim’ – relating to the tradition of chasing pickled fish with frozen vodka. Guess why? Because the fish likes to swim, obviously! So alongside some mighty fine fish and chips (and battered halloumi), they serve up some excellent vodka and beers, too. Anyway, this Friday, they’re hosting a spook-tacaular evening at their upstairs venue featuring folk-horror bands like Sister Sludge, banter and great Bedlam Brewery beers. Tickets are fairly bargainous, too: the £6 entry includes any Bedlam Beer and there are prizes for the best costume up for grabs.
Friday, 28th October; from 7pm; £6
4 Meeting House Lane, Brighton BN1 1HB
Get your tickets
Drop dead delicious
Bijou Preston Street Mexican Halisco have put together a banging set menu for Day of the Dead and it’s only £30/head. For that you’ll get four courses of top-notch Mexican food, with a meat or vegan option for each, such as roasted glazed pumpkin with mole poblano and vegan Mexican chorizo with jalapeño salsa, and great vibes. It’s likely to be a sell out, so get on it quickly – there are three 1.5-hours sittings to choose from – 5.15pm, 7pm and 8.45pm. And don’t forget to try their excellent margaritas.
Wednesday 2nd November; various sittings; £30
64 Preston Street, Brighton BN1 2HE
Book here
Spooked in the city
Brighton is going all out this Halloween. If you’re looking to get some good snaps, then don’t miss the Upside Down House‘s new interior redesign – it’s been transformed into a spooky abode for this week (until 31st October). Crazy golf fans should head down to glow-in-the-dark crazy golf haven Globalls at the Marina where they’re going full-on spook for a free Haunted House Party with live DJs on Saturday 29th October (there’s a free drink in it for you if you don fancy dress).
Upside Down House: 42 – 43 Kings Road Arches, Brighton BN1 2LN
Globalls: 1 – 5, The Village, The Waterfront, Brighton Marina, Brighton BN2 5WA
Shock shock horror horror
It wouldn’t be this time of year without the legendary Shocktober Fest at Tulleys Farm. There are nine immersive (and we mean immersive) scare experiences – each with live actors – to choose from, graded according to just how terrifying they are, as well as street theatre shows, live music and more. We can tell you that if you like your scares extra punchy, then you’ll especially love the chill-inducing Cellar and who or what it holds… Need even more screams? You can pay for various add-ons, including slingshot, zombie paintball and being shocked, literally. No, we’re not sure how we feel about that one either. Less terrifyingly, if you head down for the finale night, you’ll be able to enjoy some extra bangs for your buck courtesy of the closing fireworks display.
Until Saturday 5th November, various times, from £14 (fast-track tickets allow you to queue jump, so it makes planning a bit easier)
Shocktober Fest Scream Park, Tulleys Farm, Turners Hill Road, Turners Hill, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 4PE
shocktoberfest.co.uk
Recent Comments