Everything we know so far about Halloween in and around Liverpool for 2020

Halloween is always a fun time for families and it seems to get bigger every year.

This year, like lots of things, it’s going to look a bit different because of restrictions, but that doesn’t mean everything is cancelled.

Here’s what we know so far about this Halloween …

Can kids still go Trick or Treating?

Not as the rules stand at the moment! While Liverpool City Region is under tighter local lockdown restrictions, little witches and mini monsters will have to skip the tradition this year and stick to scary fun at home instead. 

A council spokesman said:

“It depends on the restrictions that are in force at the end of the month but at the moment visiting other households inside or outside is banned so it would not be allowed.”

Pick yourself a pumpkin

Even if trick or treating isn’t going ahead as usual, there’s still one big family Halloween outing which the virus hasn’t ruined and that’s pumpkin picking. 

There are lots of farms in and around Liverpool where you can go for the day and choose your own pumpkins to take home and carve. 

So instead of just popping one or two in with your supermarket shop, here are six places where you can take your pick and carry home a whopper …

Church View Farm, Lydiate

Pumpkin picking has already started here, with a few changes for extra safety including a one-way entry and exit system and wheelbarrow cleaning after each use. There’s no booking or tickets needed, and you can pick from Monday to Saturday, 9am-5pm and Sundays 10am-5pm.  Prices are staying the same: no entry fee, £4 each or 3 for £10 (individual pumpkins vary in price depending on size but the most you’ll pay for a pick your own is £4). There’s also a fairground, hot food truck and Triviso ice cream van.

Visit Church View Farm website here.

Claremont Farm, Bebington

The Pick Your Own Pumpkin Field opens from October 12, from 10am until 4pm every day except Oct 23 & 30 when there’ll be late night opening until 8pm (everyone’s advised to bring torches along for those sessions). There’s no entry charge and each pumpkin is sold by weight, up to a maximum of £7 per pumpkin. The Covid household rules apply, but as it’s outside there’s no need to wear masks and there’s plenty of space in the field and when queuing to pay to allow for social distancing.

Visit the Claremont Farm website here.

The Pumpkin Patch, Hightown

This farm, just off the Formby Bypass, is already open every day from 9am to 6pm, no booking needed or admission charge to pay. Pick-your-own pumpkins are priced at 3 for £10 or £4 each – for any size, there’s no charge extra for the massive ones! Visitors are asked to wear masks through the exit tent, but they’re not needed out in the fields. Social distancing rules will apply – although it’s a 20-acre site so that shouldn’t be too hard – and wheelbarrows will be sprayed between each family.

Visit The Pumpkin Patch website here.

Benty Farm Tearooms, Thurstaston

After brightening up the end of summer with its pick-your-own sunflower patch, this Wirral farm is welcoming families for pick-your-own pumpkins from Saturday October 10, no advanced booking needed. It’s also doing a Children’s Halloween Afternoon Tea delivery from October 19-31, which includes an individual afternoon tea box of spooky treats and a Halloween wreath craft kit. They’re £12.50 each and bookings are now being taken. 

Visit the Benty Farm Tearooms website here.

Church Farm, Thurstaston

Church Farm in Wirral has a Family Fright Festival throughout October – it’s already started and runs from Wed-Sun and then every day during half term week (Oct 26-Nov 1). Tickets must be booked in advance to keep numbers to a safe limit and are available in half or full day sessions. Tickets give access to the farm where you’ll find friendly animals and fun activities including pedal go-karts, tractors and an adventure playground, and to the Pumpkin Patch where you can pick your own, priced £2-£5.

Visit the Church Farm website here.

Sandhill Strawberry Farm, Rainhill

Pumpkins are almost ready to go at Sandhill Strawberry Farm, next to J7 M62 at Rainhill Stoops, but they’re ripening slowly so the farm won’t be opening for pick-your-own until mid-October. Sandhill Farm is a friendly traditional working farm which welcomes families to pick from its pumpkin crop and lets youngsters get a feel for farm life by having a play on a tractor and trailer. 

Visit the Sandhill Strawberry Farm website here.

Ghostly encounters

Shiverpool, Liverpool’s award-winning ghost tour, is made for nights like this so to celebrate it’s staging a Halloween Special Hope Street Shivers walk. The walks are 100% outdoors so it’s easy to distance household groups without losing any of the nerve-jangling experience. 

Lasting for around 90 minutes, the Halloween special starts off outside the Philharmonic Pub on Hope Street and ends at St James Cemetery, below Liverpool Cathedral. In between you’ll get to listen to the most famous ghost story in Liverpool, and walk down the most haunted street in the North West of England as you discover a more grisly side to the city’s history courtesy of Shiverpool’s theatrical tour masters.

To book, click here. 

Step ‘Into the Dark’ at the North West’s biggest scare attraction for 2020

Think you’ve seen it all in 2020? Well get ready this Halloween to face the horror that lies ready and waiting for you as Into the Dark takes over the B.E.C Arena in Manchester from 31 October to 1 November.

An all immersive terrifying experience delves you into the twisted minds of iconic horror legends, be prepared to scream like never before. All done in a covid secure way with live actors and opportunity for photo ops.

Ticket price £20 includes four scare zones, extreme add on £10 and has limited allocation on each session. Sessions are split into 30 minute blocks to comply with government guidelines. Fully socially distanced event, limited number of tickets per session, due to limited numbers you will get a truly personal and intimate experience, prepare to be terrified!

Tickets are limited and sessions will sell out fast, visit the website to book your ticket now from Ticketquarter.

Join a Halloween Outdoor Scavenger Hunt

Fika coffee shop on Woolton Road has been great at coming up with community ideas throughout lockdown and it’s done it again with a Halloween Outdoor Scavenger Hunt for families. 

The idea is for children to pick up a sheet to start the game then search for a series of clues hidden locally on buildings. There’ll be a letter alongside each new clue. Once the trail is completed and all the letters collected, they will form a secret word which can then be traded at Fika for a free Halloween goody bag.

Visit Fika’s Facebook page here.

Frightening fun at Farmer Ted’s

Hallo-week and Hallo-weekends are returning to Farmer Ted’s Adventure Farm throughout October.

There’ll be loads of spooky activities every weekend from Scary Straw Bale Art with skeletons, scarecrows and spiders’ webs; pumpkin carving, with a free pumpkin for every child to decorate and photo opportunities with pumpkin mountains, and a Dead Scary Sunflower Maze.

During Hallo-week – October 24-31 – there’ll also be fancy dress competitions and ghost stories galore to keep your terrors entertained. Tickets are on sale now.

Visit Farmer Ted’s website here.

What about the welly walk?

The Halloween-theme walk through Sefton Park has been cancelled because of coronavirus this year – but the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation has organised a Spooky Welly Walk virtual event instead.

Kids just need to register (£5) to get their adventure pack which contains instructions on how to take part, an adventure booklet, and access to interactive activities like Scarecrow Says and Spooky Stomp.

The charity is still asking kids to get family and friends to sponsor them. All those taking part will receive a  medal and anyone raising £50 or more will get a Spooky Welly Walk glow-in-the-dark keyring, a copy of Room on the Broom and a Colour-in Monster Crown to show they’re Roy Castle Royalty.

More info about the Welly Walk here.

Happy Howl’o’ween!

Even your pet pooch can join in the spooky celebrations with a Pupper Party at No More Kennels Luxury Dog Hotel. There’ll be tricks and treats at the canine spa and resort in Penketh, Warrington, from 7am to 7pm on October 31. It costs £15 per dog – or £10 for a dog in fancy dress – and all proceeds will go to the Carla Lane Animals in Need charity.

Book here.

What’s happening at Southport Pleasureland?

Because of ever-changing circumstances, Southport Pleasureland has decided to close its summer season and won’t be opening until November.

It had hoped to be open throughout October with a special Halloween fortnight, but a spokesperson said: “We feel that delaying our reopening is the right thing to do. The safety of our guests and staff is of the utmost importance to us and we feel by delaying our opening we can regroup and focus on exciting times in November and December.”

Pleasureland will re-open for the winter season, starting with a Day of the Dead special night on November 14. Tickets are available website now. 

Visit Southport Pleasureland’s website here.