The Reader promises murder, monsters and magical moments at Calderstones Park this autumn

There might be a chill in the air and darker nights on the way, but The Reader at Calderstones Park has lined up an autumn packed with events to keep spirits bright.

From pumpkin carving to a brand new Murder in the Mansion night, plus family fun for Diwali and Halloween, there’s loads to get stuck into this season at The Reader.

Running from 7 September to 22 November, The Reader’s autumn line-up features more than 20 arts and wellbeing events in and around the beautiful grade II listed Mansion House and Storybarn.

Laura McCarten, head of events at The Reader, says they wanted to bring something fresh for visitors this year. “We loved launching our open-air cinema in the summer, so for autumn we’re going a step further and hosting our first ever murder mystery night,” she says.

Working with Murder 57, one of the UK’s top murder mystery companies, The Reader will transform the Mansion House into a 1920s whodunnit scene on Saturday 22 November. Guests will spend the evening piecing together clues alongside a cast of actors while tucking into a three-course dinner. Think Agatha Christie meets Cluedo, right in the middle of Calderstones Park.

Fans of poetry can join The Reader’s founder Jane Davis for More Poems That Built The Reader on Sunday 7 September. Jane will share some of her favourite poems and stories that inspired the charity’s Shared Reading groups, with lunch, tea and coffee included.

If you’ve got little ones, there’s plenty for them too. For the first time ever, there’s Baby’s First Halloween on 25 and 26 October, where parents can enjoy gentle spooky stories, rhymes and crafts with their babies. There’ll also be new drop-in rhyme time and storytelling sessions at the Storybarn for babies under 12 months — with space for prams, baby changing and a brew afterwards in one of the cafes.

The popular Pumpkin Carving sessions are back on 26 and 27 October, alongside Halloween at the Storybarn where kids can dress up, play ghostly games and create something spooky to take home. And of course, the Monster’s Ball returns to the Mansion House on Halloween itself — expect dancing, games and stories with a live DJ and plenty of pizza and ice cream to keep little monsters happy.

For families celebrating Diwali, there’ll be special sessions in the Storybarn on 18 and 19 October, in partnership with Milap, the UK’s leading Indian arts organisation.

Bookshop Bedtime Stories are also back, so kids can come along in their PJs, sip a babycino and snuggle up for stories in The Reader Bookshop.

If you’re up for something a bit darker, there’s a brand new Gothic Literature Evening on Saturday 1 November. Expect candlelight, classic gothic writers like Edgar Allan Poe and Mary Shelley, plus food and plenty of spine-tingling tales to dive into.

Other highlights include a Deep Read series for fans of Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Wellbeing Workshops featuring Emily Brontë and James Baldwin, and an evening with award-winning author Mahesh Rao talking about his latest novel Half Light.

There’s a Heritage Open Day on 21 September, giving everyone the chance to discover the history of the Mansion House, with live music, crafts, food and poetry on the lawn. And for couples planning to say I do, there’s a special Wedding Open Day on 19 October where you can see why Calderstones Park is one of the city’s most beautiful places to tie the knot.

Tickets for the autumn events go on sale to members on 24 July and to the public on 28 July.

Find out more about the full programme and book tickets here.

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