As well as offering acres of woodland for spooky walks, the Forest of Dean and surrounding area is full of fun ways to celebrate Halloween in October 2022 — with fang-tastic family events and themed craft workshops taking place at some of the area's best attractions.
From carving pumpkins and baking goodies for trick-or-treaters, to braving Halloween mazes and creepy castles, discover 12 of the best ways to celebrate Halloween in the Forest of Dean and the Wye Valley.
Halloween activities at Dean Heritage Centre
With a patch full to pick from, children can carve gruesome faces into pumpkins at Dean Heritage Centre, with carving sessions taking place at the Soudley attraction from Saturday 22 to Sunday 30 October 2022.
There are plenty more spooky activities for families to experience across the half term holiday too, from meeting witches to learning how to cast spells; while the centre provides an insightful way to explore the Forest of Dean's history through its interactive exhibits.
Halloween pumpkin flower workshop at Wye Valley Flowers
Flex your floristry skills to create a Halloween decoration that's more gorgeous than gory, joining Wye Valley Flowers for a pumpkin flower workshop on Friday 28 October 2022.
Taking place at its base on Hope Farm, near St Briavels, Wye Valley Flowers will teach participants how to arrange seasonal blooms inside a pumpkin vase to make their own centrepiece to wow trick-or-treaters.
Halloween baking at Harts Barn Cookery School
Budding cooks can get stuck into some Halloween-themed baking at Harts Barn Cookery School. Step into the kitchen in Longhope to make monsterrific treats, including baked witches' fingers and spider web cookies, on Wednesday 26 October 2022.
Or get messy with melted chocolate, creating spooky shapes and filled candy at its Halloween chocolate workshop — also taking place on Wednesday 26 October 2022.
Halloween maze at Puzzlewood
Transforming its willow maze into something spooktacular for Halloween, families can have fun getting lost in the woods at Puzzlewood throughout the October 2022 half term.
Come in fancy dress and discover what's lurking in the maze, as well as exploring Puzzlewood's enchanting forest full of twisted trees — an aptly eerie place for your Halloween adventures.
Halloween activities at Taurus Crafts
Little monsters can bust a move at Taurus Crafts, as it hosts its 'All Families Eve' on Friday 28 October 2022. Get dressed up in your frightening finery and hit the dancefloor for a Halloween disco, with prizes for the best dressed kids and adults on the night.
The Lydney-based attraction is also running a programme of free family events to look forward to throughout the half term holiday, featuring everything from creepy crawly Halloween crafts to magic shows and circus skills.
Halloween activities at Clearwell Caves
Hidden under the forest floor, Clearwell Caves is a network of caverns that has been mined for thousands of years — and now operates as a popular attraction near Coleford.
Children need to keep their eyes peeled when visiting this October half term, counting the pumpkins that are hidden all around the cave system for the chance to enter a Halloween prize draw. Some are easy to spot, but others are tucked away in more secret locations, so have your wits about you and be careful not to double count!
Halloween-free fun at Perrygrove Railway
Spooky season isn't for everyone, with many people choosing not to celebrate Halloween — or struggling to entertain little ones who are frightened of it during the half term break.
For families seeking a calmer day out, Perrygrove Railway has the perfect solution and is proud to be a Halloween-free attraction, open as normal across the season, with no spooky decorations or ghoulish activities.
Halloween trail at Chepstow Castle
Soak up over 900 years of history with a visit to Chepstow Castle, located just over the Monmouthshire border in the Wye Valley. Being one of the oldest post-Roman castles still standing in Britain, it's sure to be home to a few ghosts...
While lovers of all things spooky can look out for paranormal activity, those visiting with young children can take part in a family-friendly Halloween-themed trail, which is on from Saturday 29 October to Sunday 6 November 2022.
Halloween show at Monmouth Savoy Theatre
Great for families with young children, take a trip to Monmouth for the Savoy Theatre's annual Halloween Spooktacular show on Monday 31 October 2022. Suitable for youngsters aged three and over, it's described as an interactive and participatory show — with a few spooky bits thrown in for good measure.
The venue itself is fascinating too, claiming to be Wales's oldest working theatre site, which has held an entertainment licence since 1832.
Halloween mosaic workshop at Rachel Shilston Inspiring Creativity Studio
Another excuse to get crafty this Halloween, local artist Rachel Shilston is running a spooky-themed mosaic taster session for families from her Inspiring Creativity Studio in Lydney.
Providing everything you need to carefully design, glue and grout some Halloween mosaics, with unlimited hot drinks, refreshments and biscuits included, parents and children are invited to get creative together on Monday 24 October 2022.
Halloween activities at Raglan Castle
Little witches and wizards are invited to an end-of-term party at the Raglan Castle School of Magic on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 October 2022, with the ruinous fortress in Monmouthshire being well worth a visit if you're planning a day trip across the Welsh border.
Plus, grown-ups needn't miss out on the Halloween fun and can get thoroughly creeped out on Saturday 22 October 2022, when the castle is hosting an adults-only evening of ghost stories and folklore.
Halloween activities at Little Learners Playspace
One for smaller children, Little Learners Playspace is an early years activity centre in Coleford, which is celebrating spooky season by running its signature messy play sessions with a Halloween-themed twist.
Kids will get to squelch, squeeze and make their mark in a gloriously gooey mess, as well as explore the mud kitchen and experiment with Halloween crafts — with messy play sessions taking place on Saturday 22 and Monday 31 October 2022.
