A ghost is for after-life, not just Hallowe’en…
The dead are big business in one of England’s most cherished tourist destination – particularly the diseased that refuse to rest in peace according to Visit York, the organisation charged with promoting Europe’s most haunted city!
Whilst most venues ramp up their spooky and magical offerings for a week or so in October, York’s already thriving tourism sector gets a year-round boost from the paranormal, the magical and the downright macabre, which continue to be some of the biggest draws for tourist from every corner of the globe.
“With over 2000 years of history, spanning Romans, Vikings, medieval mayhem and Victorian phantasmagoria, it is little wonder that the darker stories of the city’s history – often glossed over in the historical text books – are so fascinating to visitors,” comments Hazel Allsopp, senior marketing manager for Visit York. “In the city centre alone, paranormal experts reckon there have been over 500 individual ghosts or unearthly manifestations – a nexus of supernatural activity.”
A whole industry of magical fun can be unearthed on one of the country’s most photogenic streets, Shambles, which is so magical that it provided the inspiration for the set of Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter movies. The buildings – built close to provide shade for its original occupants, the butchers who ran York’s meat market before the days of refrigeration – now play host to some of the most famous shops in York! Now, you can mix up your own delicious beverage courtesy of The Potions Cauldron – recently featured on Dragon’s Den where the owners turned down an offer of £200,000 of investment – creating drinks that glitter and swirl like a mystical gateway to another world!
Getting into the city to explore spooky locations is easy, with York’s Park & Ride stopping right outside York Dungeon’s door on Clifford Street. Parking at Askham Bar, just of the A64, the route takes passengers past Knavesmire – where Dick Turpin was hanged – and his grave is a five minute walk from the city centre stop! And speaking of buses, the York Ghost Bus Tour runs daily, picking up victims outside the Principal Hotel, next to York’s railway station.
Visitors can choose to stay in magical-themed venues with the highly sought-after Hocus Pocus – a tiny hotel St Patrick’s Pool – and 101 House at The End, a spellbinding place with illumination provided by floating candles – visitors feel like they have stepped into a film set!
Three of the city’s twilight walking tours are regularly seen on shortlists for regional and national awards: Mad Alice’s Bloody Tour of York; Dorian Deathly’s Deathly Dark Tour; and, offering magical relief from tales of dastardly deeds, The Wizard Walk of York.
Visit York is also keen to hear from anyone who has had other-worldly experiences in the city, encouraging visitors to share any photographs and videos that might capture unexplained phenomena. “With so many people using mobile phones to capture their visits to York, inevitably, there will be some peculiar features cropping up on photos and videos – from ghostly faces appearing in shadows to items moving in an inexplicable fashion,” adds Hazel.
Visit York has created its very own Haunted York Hub online at www.visityork.co.uk/hauntedyork
Don’t miss these special spooky events in York
Dungeon Late at York Dungeon
Every Saturday, plus Friday 20 & 27 October
Lasting for 60 minutes, over 18s will be led through the Dungeon shows – including a brand new story for Halloween 2023 – but this time with even more twists and turns and saucier jokes than usual, you won’t know whether to laugh or scream!
The York Dungeon Lates mashes up theatre, special effects and intriguing storytelling with wit, humour, and plenty of edge-of-the-seat surprises for an after-hours experience like no other!
Expect more scares, saucy banter, cheekier jokes and even… well, we’ll let you find out for yourself.
Tickets: www.thedungeons.com/york
Ghosts in the Gardens
23 September – 12 November 2023
Eerie sculptures which enthrall and intrigue.
Ghosts In The Gardens are coming back… the unearthly monks, the noble knight, even a few ghastly animals – all in beautiful settings.
Cementing York’s reputation as one of the ghostliest cities in Europe, the York BID is bringing back Ghosts in The Gardens – and this year’s display promises to be the biggest yet as we are adding even more ghosts across the city.
Free
Dead Northern Horror Film Festival
29 September – 1 October 2023
City Screen, Coney Street, York
A selection of independent short, feature length and classic films at the stunning Picturehouse cinema in the UK’s spookiest city.
Expect to meet filmmakers from all over the world, showcasing their talent with the latest releases in the indie horror community. We’ll be putting the ‘Festival’ in film festival with a number of live events, entertainment and talks from industry professionals, all topped off with some mouth-watering food and drink!
Tickets: https://www.tickettailor.com/checkout/view-event/id/2245142/chk/8d2d/
Hallowscream at York Maze
13 October – 4 November 2023
Hallowscream fright nights are a mix of fear and fun with five live-action scare houses, including a NEW scare house for 2023 and NEW stage show, bar, hot food & more. Named best UK Scream Park and winner of Visit York Best Event, your are guaranteed a night out to remember!
Tickets: www.yorkmazehallowscream.co.uk
Ghost hunt at The Guildhall
28 October 2023
Exploring this building is an absolute must for anyone wanting to investigate York’s paranormal. There have been reported sightings of the full apparition of a male whose footsteps have been heard around the building. Visitors have reported whispers from within the great halls. In 2015 a local history group captured what they believe to be three ghostly figures at the end of the once open Common Hall Lane. During WWI it was reported the spirit of Guy Fawkes was haunting The Guildhall. What will we find during our investigation?
Tickets: https://paranormalresearchyork.co.uk/product/halloween-at-the-guildhall-york-28-october-2023/
Pumpkin Festival at Piglets Adventure Farm
21, 22 and 28 Oct – 31 Oct
Pumpkin patch and pumpkin carving marquee, Professor Dan’s Magic Show, fancy dress parade, gruesome ghosts in the Maize Maze, spooky animal encounters and so much more!
Tickets: https://pigletsadventurefarm.digitickets.co.uk/event-tickets/51888?catID=50645&
Trick or Treat Chocolate Bar Making at York Cocoa Works
Daily until 5 November 2023
Design and create your own Trick or Treat chocolate bar with a hands-on chocolate making workshop.
Price: £22.50 per participant.
Tickets: https://www.yorkcocoahouse.co.uk/pages/workshop-calendar
Hallowe’en Broomwalk at The Coppergate Centre
Daily until 5 November 2023
York’s most popular street-art display, the colourful umbrellas of The Coppergate Centre’s famous Brollywalk have been replaced by broomsticks, ghosts and even skeletal umbrellas. Take a selfie below this fun display!
Free
Outdoor Adventure Cinema at Castle Howard
27 – 31 October 2023
Wrap up, bring a cosy blanket, and enjoy a frighteningly fun selection of Halloween classics at Castle Howard, outdoors on the big screen! Films showing include:
The Lost Boys, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Hocus Pocus, Monsters Inc., Ghostbusters, Coco, Beetlejuice and Scream .
Price: From £12.50 to £21.50
Tickets: https://www.adventurecinema.co.uk/venues/castle-howard
Mad Alice’s Bloody Mansion House Tour of York
23 October 2023, 6:00pm
York Mansion House, St Helen’s Square
Be spirited away on a unique ghoulish tour of York then step inside the Lord Mayor’s haunted Mansion House for more spooky stories whilst you enjoy fiendishly good cocktails, fuelled by York Gin’s new Mad Alice Gin! Get lost in spellbinding music by violinist Holly May and eerie dancing by York Dance Space. This event is in support of the Lord Mayors Appeal Fund for charities: The Snappy Trust and York Women’s Counselling.
Price: £25.00
Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-bloody-mansion-house-tour-tickets-717752054717?aff=oddtdtcreator
The Kirkgate Ghost Count
Friday 3 November
York Castle Museum
If you want to make a special trip just to count the ghosts, join us after hours on Friday 3 November! You can choose from one of two time slots, each giving you 1 hour 15 minutes to find and count the York Ghosts! Please note this ticket only provides access to our Victorian Street ‘Kirkgate’ for this specific event and not the whole of York Castle Museum. You cannot use this ticket to re-enter York Castle Museum at a later date. In collaboration with York Ghost Merchants.
Price: £8
Tickets: https://www.yorkmuseumstrust.org.uk/whats-on/events/after-hours-ghost-count/
An American Werewolf in Love Cheese: A Halloween special
31 October 2023, 7.00pm
Love Cheese, 16 Gillygate, York
All Hallows Eve is upon us. Ghouls rise, werewolves howl, and Love Cheese? Well, Love Cheese supplies the red wine. That’s right, this is a night of all our favourite reds paired perfectly in this Halloween tasting experience. We welcome fancy dress for this tasting experience.
Sit back and enjoy as Love Cheese takes you through this 5-course pairing menu, focusing on the best wine and cheese pairings in the business. Our in-house tasting events are bespoke events designed with fun at the forefront! You’ll get to experience cheese tastings, pairings, food, drinks, and more all in the comfort of our Speakcheesey! Think wine, cheese, and good times!
Price: £38.00 per person
Tickets: https://www.lovecheese.co.uk/product/an-american-werewolf-in-love-cheese-in-house-event/
Haunted Halloween Tour – Adult ONLY
1st November 2023, 6:00pm
York Castle Museum
For those thrill-seeking adults, enter York Castle Museum’s prison if you dare, for an afterhours spooktacular tour. Visitors can step back in time with the York Castle Prison Gaoler after the lights go out for a Haunted Halloween Tour. The Gaoler will tell the story of the dark side of the prison’s history along with tales of the paranormal experienced by staff in recent years.
Price: £15.00
Tickets: https://www.yorkmuseumstrust.org.uk/whats-on/events/haunted-halloween-tour-adults-only-2/
The Haunted Host
25 October to 5 November 2023, 10.30am to 5.00pm
York Mansion House
“Good morrow, fair visitor! My name is James Woodhouse and I am but one of fifteen Lord Mayors of York to have died in office. Every year, around the ancient feast of Samhain (summer’s end), we like to pass into the mortal world and reminisce over a spectral banquet. This year it is my turn to host, and I can’t think of a better location than the dining room of the Mansion House – a place I knew well in life.”
Join us for the spooky season and work your way through our puzzling booklet, guiding you around York Mansion House. This will test the minds of all ages and is included with the price of admission.
Price: £6.50 for adults, 5.00 for concessions, £3.50 for children
Tickets: https://www.mansionhouseyork.com/visit/tickets-admission/1
Spark Cinema Club Presents: Scream
31st October 2023, 7:00pm
Spark: York, Piccadilly
Do you like scary movies?
This Halloween, get ready for a memorable night of thrills and chills as we bring you one of the best slasher films ever made, Scream (1996). You just can’t go wrong with this old favourite which upon its release kicked off a new era for horror movies. From the iconic opening scene to the twist ending, this scary, funny, and cleverly constructed whodunnit will get you in the spooky spirit right away.
Each ticket comes with a special cocktail/mocktail from the Boho & Spritz Bar.
Price: £9.00
Tickets: https://ticketpass.org/event/EVGPEC/spark-cinema-club-presents-scream-2
Halloween Tour and Truffle Rolling
28 Oct – 5 November at 5pm
York’s Chocolate Story, King’s Square
Enhance your spine-chilling tour by indulging in an extraordinary chocolate-making adventure! This spooky encounter offers an additional 15 minutes of immersive hands-on chocolate making. Unleash your inner chocolatier as you roll, dip, and decorate four ghostly truffles using an array of tantalising chocolate toppings.
This experience includes:
Additional 15 minutes of hands-on chocolate making.
Roll, dip and decorate 4x ghostly truffles in a mixture of chocolate toppings.
Package and seal your finished creations to take home with you to enjoy.
Price: Adult: £23.50, Child: £21.
Tickets: https://bookings.yorkschocolatestory.com/book/tour-&-truffle-rolling/185
Even more Halloween events can be found at https://www.visityork.org/events/category/halloween
