Looking for something to do towards the end of October 2024 in the North East? I’ve got you covered with this list. As part of my feature on BBC Tees and Newcastle, I select my top picks of things happening across the North East, and here’s what I’ve chosen for Thursday 17th October to Friday 25th October.
Pumpkin picking at East Grange Farm – Durham – from Sat 19th to Sun 27th Oct
We’re starting in County Durham, but more specifically, we’re starting in Shincliffe at East Grange Farm because their pumpkin fields are open and ready for picking from Saturday 19th to Sunday 27th. There’s nothing quite like getting your wellies on and hunting for THE perfect pumpkin to turn into a jack-o-lantern, and East Grange offers lots of different varieties, like your classic, big orange pumpkins, to tiny white ones that would be ideal for painting. Alongside the picking, there’ll be fairground rides, hot food, a face painter and a caricaturist on select dates, so there’s plenty to fill a couple of hours. If you want to book, head to the East Grange website where you pay per car and you receive the money back on the pumpkins you choose.
Psycho Path – Lintz Hall Farm, Newcastle – from now until Thurs 31st Oct
This one is absolutely not for the faint of heart and is definitely for those of us who love horror and feeling scared. Psycho Path is back at Lintz Hall Farm in Newcastle and has already opened its doors to adrenaline junkies who are looking to feel the fear before Halloween. This is the largest scare park in the North East with 13 different scare experiences to try out, including the new Dolls House maze where you have to visit each room before being let out and Isolation, which is dubbed as the most intense maze at the site that you must do alone. It’s a free flow event, so you can visit whichever zones you fancy at your own pace and when you aren’t being chased or spooked, there’s hot food and a bar to help calm your nerves. There aren’t many tickets left for this, so if you want some, go to the Psycho Path website ASAP to book dates up to Thursday 31st.
A Nightmare in Rainton & Horror Car Wash – Sunderland Live Arena (Rainton Arena) – from now until Thurs 31st Oct
Sticking with the scare attraction theme, we’ve got two events on at the Sunderland Live Arena, which was formerly Rainton Arena. The first is A Nightmare In Rainton, an invitation to break out of their horror mazes and come face to face with your fears. And the second is the super popular Horror Car Wash, which is always a sell out and looks like a right laugh. This one is more my speed because you don’t actually leave the comfort of your car. Instead, you drive through the car wash while scary characters peer through the windows and actually give your car a clean while they’re scaring. Both of these are getting booked up fast, so if you want to try a scare maze or have your car washed by Ghostface from now up to Thursday 31st, you can book on the Sunderland Live Arena website.
Frightful Film Screenings – Newcastle Castle – Fri 18th and Sat 19th, Fri 25th and Sat 26th Oct
Maybe you don’t want to be chased by a man in a mask or go through a spooky car wash. Maybe you’d rather watch a film instead to get you in the Halloween mood and if that’s the case, why not do it in the atmospheric Newcastle Castle. Over the next two weekends, they’re showing a selection of frightful films in the eerie Great Hall, so you’ll definitely feel like you’re in the films themselves. So on Friday 18th, they’re showing Sweeney Todd, one for our lovers of musicals with a sinister edge, and Bram Stoker’s Dracula on Saturday 19th. Then next week, we’ve got The Exorcist on Friday 25th, Nosferatu and the 1958 Dracula on Saturday 26th, so there’s a bit of something for everyone, whether you’re into old school horror or something a bit more recent. You can find all of these listings on the Newcastle Castle website and I’d get your spaces booked up quickly because I don’t think there are many tickets left.
Grisly Talks and Gruesome Tours – Bamburgh Castle – Mon 21st to Thurs 31st Oct
The North East is somewhere that’s steeped in history and we can see it because of the many castles dotted across our landscape, but did you know that there’s a lot of spooky history here too? In the run up to Halloween, the guides at Bamburgh Castle will be unveiling some the gruesome history within its walls, giving guests a glimpse at the ghostly side of the castle. From Monday 21st to Thursday 31st, you can hear some terrifying tales about the ghostly goings on, the legendary spirits and the grisly bits of history that don’t make it to the regular tours. These tours are included with castle admission, so you can enjoy the rest of the site too, such as visiting the Anglo Saxon doctor and seeing the Last Kingdom props exhibition, and you can book online now.
Made In Dagenham – Darlington Hippodrome – Wed 23rd Oct to Sat 2nd Nov
If it’s a trip to the theatre you want next week, look no further than Made In Dagenham at the Darlington Hippodrome. This is on from Wednesday 23rd October to Saturday 2nd November and is based on the 2010 film of the same name, which follows the real life 1968 sewing machinists strike at the Ford factory in Dagenham, Essex. Rita O’Grady encourages the women of the Ford factory to walk out after they are re-classified as unskilled workers, while their male counterparts see their wages increase. After Rita is snubbed by the factory at a union meeting, the women’s grievances over their worker status turn into a fight for equal pay. It’s a touching, funny and warm-hearted show, so it could be a really lovely option for an October evening. If it sounds up your street, you can get your tickets on the Darlington Hippodrome website.
Halloween at Ormesby Hall – Middlesbrough – Thurs 24th Oct to Sun 3rd Nov
If you’re looking for something family-friendly in the lead up to Halloween, Ormesby Hall could be a good shout. They’re starting their spooky season celebrations from Thursday 24th October to Sunday 3rd November, so just in time for half term, and the house is going to be decked out in decorations to really bring the atmosphere. You can explore in the day time or there are special evenings you can book on to to make it feel that little bit spookier. There’s also going to be a witches dance that you can get involved with, roaming characters and a zombie pirate show on select dates. There’ll also be marshmallow toasting to really round off that autumnal feel, so this should be a really fun few days at Ormesby Hall and all of it is included within the normal admission price, so book your tickets now.
Sunderland Festival of Light – Mowbray Park – Fri 25th Oct to Sun 24th Nov
One thing that’s so great about this time of year and the darker nights is light trails and there’s a corker of a light trail starting on Friday 25th October. The Sunderland Festival of Light will be in Mowbray Park from then until Sunday 24th November and I’d usually say that that gives you plenty of time to visit, but this is getting booked up really fast, so I’d get your tickets sooner rather than later. So this festival will immerse you in a mesmerising spectacle of light, sound, and colour with a laser garden, a giant glitter ball and stunning new light projections to see. The much-loved Bridge of Light and Selfie Lane from last year will also be returning, so look out for those, as well as a silent disco, fairground rides and hot food. It should be a really lovely event, so if you fancy it and want to book or find more info, take a look at the My Sunderland website.
Make sure you check back next week for more amazing events!
