80+ family-friendly events in and around Cardiff for Halloween and half term October/November 2023
Spooky season and half term are here and with it, a while host of activities to keep families entertained. I’ve rounded up everything I’ve found but please post anything else in the comments on any of my social media accounts as it’s impossible to include everything.
Apologies that this is coming to you a little later than planned. Being poorly and ‘life’ in general getting in the way again! There were also so many events it took forever to compile. Hopefully an abundance of events means something for everyone though.
Many of the pumpkin picking events are sold out or close to selling out, but there’s way more going on over the next weekend than that. There’s everything from magic shows and animal encounters to arts and crafts and treasure hunts, plus loads of non-Halloween events too.
All events are subject to change. Please check with organisers to avoid disappointment.
Thanks so much for reading. I hope you find something that suits you and your family.
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Pumpkin picking
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Pick Your Own Pumpkins plus Halloween activities
Forage Farm, Penllyn Estate, near Cowbridge
Friday 27 October-Tuesday 31 October
£8.50 per car; Twilight from £5 per person, pumpkins from £2
Search the patch for your perfect pumpkin, then enjoy other spooky family activities, including getting lost in the giant maize maze, taking a tractor ride around the pumpkin patch and farm, face painting (additional cost applies), meeting animals, visiting the Cauldron Cottage, pumpkin catapulting, hay bale towet, and enjoying delicious food and drink from a variety of vendors. Plus have a look at the whacky patch for more unusual pumpkin varieties. For those over 8, twilight pumpkin picking is available for a spookier experience, until Monday 30 October.
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Picking Patch Porthcawl
Until 31 October. No booking required, parking is free.
Pumpkins from £1 and measured by size
Ten acres of pumpkin fields with 20 varieties to choose from, waiting to be picked, carved and eaten. Choose from more than 20 varieties of pumpkins, with amazing names such as the polar bear, the goose bump and the cute munchkin (yes, really!). Plus learn a little ‘pumpkinologoy’ too – recipes, ideas and activities all related to pumpkins, plus lots of fun photo opportunities.
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Berryhill Farm, Newport, Gwent
Saturday 22-Sunday 23 October, Saturday 29-Monday 31 October
£5 per car (plus booking fee) with a maximum of 6 occupants
Pre-book an hour slot to pick your own pumpkins for Halloween. Prices dependent on sizes.
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Gower Fresh Christmas Trees, Poundffald Farm, Three Crosses, Swansea
Friday 27-Tuesday 31 October
From £5 for site access, book pumpkin carving and Mad Scientist Farm Lab Interactive Show workshops separately.
Site access includes the energetic and exciting RolyPoly Scary Fun Party, where even the ghouls can’t help but chuckle with monstrous laughs and ghoulish games await. Prepare for the Ghostbusters show that’s so spectrally silly, you’ll be shrieking with laughter as well as fright. It’s where the spirits of the barn come alive with spectral surprises.
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Clearwell Farm, Michaelston-y-Fedw, near Cardiff
Saturday 28 October-Sunday 5 November
£6 per vehicle, maximum of 5 people
More than 20 varieties of pumpkins are growing at Clearwell, ranging from tiny multicoloured gourds to the massive Atlantic Giant. The farmyard will turn into a weatherproof Halloween themed pumpkin festival with thousands of pumpkins in the farmyard and barn. You can scoop and carve on site if you wish. Some dates already sold out.
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Vale Pick Your Own, Greenland Farm, Bonvilston, Vale of Glamorgan
Friday 21-Monday 31 October
£6 per car day time pumpkin picking; £9 per car twilight pumpkin picking; pumpkins charged per size
The farm’s 25 acres contain more than 20 different varieties of pumpkins, of different sizes and colours. The Daytime Pumpkin Picking Bale Trail sees a Halloween trail around the pumpkin patch, including spooky bales and photo opportunities.
Twilight pumpkin picking events will see the fields lit up so you can choose the perfect pumpkin as the autumn sun sets and the stars come out. Some dates are already sold out.
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Pencoed Fach Farm, Blackwood
Saturday 28-Monday 31 October
£5 per car
Thousands of pumpkins to choose from, as well as food and drink and craft stalls, Halloween displays, plus animals to see and woodfired pizzas from The Littlest Kitchen, organic milk and milkshakes in The Littlest Dairy plus plenty of photo opportunities.
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Cefn Mably Farm Park, Beglan Road, Michaelston-y-Fedw, Cardiff
Until Monday 31 October
From £8.50 per person
Throw on your wellies and visit the pumpkin patch for a day of autumnal activities where you can pick out your favourite pumpkin to take home. Plus all the usual farm attractions.
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Castle Farm, Llangybi
Until 31 October
£2 per person plus booking fee, pumpkins charged by size from £2
Pick from a variety of different shapes and sizes of pumpkins, plus plenty of photo opportunities, pick a pumpkin in the spooky barn, where you’ll find games, food, animals to meet and an area to carve your pumpkins.
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The Meadows Farm Village, Groeswen, Cardiff
Saturday 14-Tuesday 31 October, 10am-7pm
£15.50 adult or child including activities and pumpkin picking; £12.50 without
Pumpkin picking, spooky pumpkin cemetery, Halloween hunt and Halloween activities in our covered activity area.
All tickets include farm entry which provides you with petting of guinea pigs, rabbits, goats and pigs.
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Lights After Dark at Halloween
The Meadows Farm Village, Groeswen, Cardiff
Saturday 14 October-Sunday 5 November; 5pm-8pm
Adults and children over 3, £8; children under 3 free, Entry with a pumpkin, £12.50-£14.50
Themed lights throughout the grounds including three twinkly pro light tunnels and one twinkly pro lit tree, as well as pumpkin picking (but no carving in the evenings), animals, food and drink and more.
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Cantref Adventure Farm, Brecon
Saturday 28 October-Sunday 5 December
£15 per person
All the usual farm attractions plus a pumpkin for every child, pumpkin patch and carving, pumpkin launching, carnival games, spooky swamp boat ride, wizard school, marshmallow toasting, bubble party, Me Ev’s Halloween Show, singing pumpkins, maize maze and more.
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Spooky film events
The Boneyard, Cardiff
From £8
Saturday 28 October: Coco
Sunday 29 October: The Witches, The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Tuesday 31 October: Hocus Pocus
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The Riverfront, Newport
Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 October 4pm, Monday 30 October 11am, Tuesday 31 October 1pm, Wednesday 1 November 3pm
£3.50 per person. Age guidance 12A
The new Disney film will be showing at the Riverfront this half term. A woman and her son enlist a motley crew of so-called spiritual experts to help rid their home of supernatural squatters.
Some scenes and jump scares may be too scary for young children.
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Halloween Film and Afternoon Tea
St Donats, Vale of Glamorgan
Saturday 28 October, 2pm – Hocus Pocus
Sunday 29 October, 2pm – Casper
£15.95-£26.95
Visit eerie St Donat’s medieval castle for a spooky film and afternoon tea experience. Dine on a Halloween-themed afternoon tea as a pianist plays various Halloween songs, before watching the film under the glowing lights and vaulted wooden ceilings of the Bradenstoke Hall. Dress for the occasion in your spookiest Halloween costumes.
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Cardiff Castle Undercroft
Tuesday 31 October
£6-£10
Halloween in Cardiff Castle’s Underground Cinema by Darkened Rooms is an immersive cinematic experience held in the Undercroft at Cardiff Castle. The family friendly activity features horror film screenings, spooky decorations, and eerie ambience to create a thrilling Halloween atmosphere for all. Please note: limited availability as this has been selling fast.
Monster House (PG), 10am
The Nightmare Before Christmas (PG), 12.20pm
Hocus Pocus (PG), 2pm
Beetlejuice (12A), 4pm
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Other Halloween-themed events
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St Fagans National Museum of History, Cardiff
Sunday 29-Monday 31 October
£14 children, £11 adults, age guidance 6-12
(This event is now fully booked.)
A night of traditional Welsh folk lore, with everything from lantern making and potion stirring to ghost stories, a display of 50 beautifully carved suedes, and the burning of the wicker man.
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Mountain View Ranch, Caerphilly
Saturday 28 October-Sunday 5 November
£10, under 2s free
A spooky family adventure including the Witch’s House, Zombie Woods, pumpkin trail and all the usual favourites such as the jumping pillows, soft archery, fairy forest, tree houses, double zip wire, vomit comet, BIG BIG swing and the Gruffalo Trail.
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Chepstow Castle
Thursday 26-Tuesday 31 October, 10am-3pm
Usual admission applies (adult £8.70, children £6.10, under 5s free, family up to 2+3 £28.20), or free for Cadw members, plus £2 per pumpkin
Enter the spooky castle prison to pick a mini pumpkin. Then, take your chosen pumpkin to our decoration station and transform it into a spooky Halloween decoration to take home. There’s no messy carving here; just felt pens, stickers.
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Blaenavon Ironworks
Saturday 28 October-Friday 3 November, 11am-4pm
Adults £6.90, children £4.80, under 5s free, family 2+3 £22.50 or free for Cadw members
A spooky trail and storytelling. Visit the Good Welsh Witch to hear spooky stories and Welsh legends for families. Plus there’s a trail with a chocolate prize in the spookily-themed cottages.
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Raglan Castle
Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 October, 11am-3pm
Adults £8.70, children £6.10, under 5s free, family up to 2+3 £28.20), or free for Cadw members
A darker version of a Fairy Tale weekend, we will be joined a collection of villains from the fantasy realm.
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Castell Coch, Tongwynlais, Cardiff
Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 October, Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 November, 11am-3pm
Adults £8.70, children £6.10, under 5s free, family up to 2+3 £28.20), or free for Cadw members
Spooky and seasonal craft activities for families on the weekends of half term.
Plus daily from Saturday 28 October to Sunday 5 November, there’s a Halloween quest where you can win a treat.
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Caerleon Roman Fortress and Baths, Caerleon
Monday 30 and Tuesday 31 October, 10am-4pm
Adults £5, children £3.60, children under 5 free, family up to 2+3 £16.30
Find the hidden pumpkins at the Baths and claim your treat with a completed trail.
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Cwmcarn Forest
Saturday 28 October, bookable sessions between 10.30am-3pm
£4.50 per child, age guidance 4+
Get messy with this fun workshop and create your very own Spooky Pumpkin. Practice your drawing and sawing techniques to create a scary pumpkin head!! Suitable for ages 4 plus, sessions are available from 10.30am.
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Cwmcarn Forest
Sunday 29 October, 11am-3pm
£4.60 per child, age guidance 3+
Find the ingredients along the new trail to make the magic potion. Collect your potion bag from reception and follow the witches brooms around the valley to find ingredients such as spooky sticks, birds feathers, magic white worms and more. But beware, if you see the witch… will you get a Trick or Treat? Halloween costumes welcome.
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Parc Play, Cardiff
Monday 30 October-Friday 3 November, 10.30am-1pm and 2pm-2.30pm
Adults £2, children 4-12 £9.99, children 1-3 £7.99, children under 1s £2 or free with an older paying sibling, booking fee £2
Indoor and outdoor play plus spooky trail, free gift, fancy dress welcome. Face painting included in 31 October and reptile talk on all sessions except Friday afternoon (slightly lower price). Animal experience not suitable for under ones. Advance booking highly recommended.
Also check out the Glow In The Dark Disco (almost sold out) Friday 27 October, 3.30pm and 6.30pm and Saturday 28 October, 6.30pm-8.30pm.
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Fonmon Castle
Saturday 28-Monday 31 October
Daytime event £12.50 until 3pm
Evening event £14.50 5pm-9.30pm
Less scary daytime event for younger children, with a spooky disco, Ghostbusters car and Halloween Run.
The evening event sees Ghostbusters, the Horror Magician, The Owls and The Scare Run, the Skeleton Gardens and more.
Fonmon is also open for the rest of half term with dinosaur trail, play park, woodland walks, medieval village and lots more.
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Amelia Trust Farm, Barry
Tuesday 31 October, 10.30am and 1.30pm
£4.95 farm entrance, £7.50 magic show tickets
Age guidance 3+
Farm favourite Mr Marvel returns to Amelia Trust this Halloween, with a magic show of wonderful wizardry and plenty of audience interaction. Before or after the show, explore the seasonal trail, see the animals, wander through the woodland, and the rest of the Care Farm. Spot wildlife in the woods, discover Gnome Man’s land, find the pond, and play on the updated outdoor park.
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Llanover Hall, Cardiff
Monday 30, Tuesday 31 October, Wednesday 1 November
£8 per two hour session
A packed programme of arts and crafts events, including sewing, pottery, block printing and papercrafts. See website for full timetable.
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Halloween arts and craft workshops
Beth Morris Workshops at Insole Court, Cardiff
Monday 30 October-Wednesday 1 November
£17.50, age guidance 7 to 12 year olds
A range of Halloween spider weaving, Day of the Dead bunting, Halloween wreaths and badges, and tin can plant pots.
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Half term and Halloween events
Margam Country Park, Port Talbot
Dry Ice Spooktacular Potions Workshop
Sunday 29 October, 10.30am, 12.30pm, 2.30pm
Have a go Archery
Monday 30 and Tuesday 31 October, 11am-3pm, 3 arrows £1
Paint your own Spooky Halloween pottery
Tuesday 31 October, 11am-3pm
Paint your own Spooky Halloween pottery, various designs available. Also create a sand bottle or sand card from £4, glitter tattoos from £3.50.
Zoolab: Creepy Critters
Wednesday 1 November, 11am, 12pm, 1pm
£8 per child
Get up close to Creepy Critters including snakes, tarantulas, giant snails and more.
Spooks School’ with Louby Lou’s interactive storytelling
Thursday 2 November, 11am, 1pm, 2.30pm
Join Professor Charming as he ensures all the ghosts, ghouls, witches and wizards arrive back to Spooksville this Halloween. Age guidance 3 to 8.
Kidzfun Paint your own Spooky Halloween pottery
Thursday 2 November, 11am-3pm
From £4
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Kelly and Debbie Spooktacular Magic Show
Friday 3 November, 11am, 12pm, 2pm
Ghoulish party games and Magic show
Guy Fawkes Fun with the Friends of Margam Park
Friday 3 November, 11am-3pm
Who was Guy Fawkes? Come along and find out! Make a mask and create your own firework card, plus learn about wildlife safety.
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Halloween and half term events
Newport Wetlands
Pumpkin Hunt
Saturday 28 October-Sunday 5 November 10am-4pm
£2 per activity pack
Follow the trail and find all the spooktacular pumpkins hiding. Can you guess what they are disguised as? Get your best fancy dress on and join the hunt.
Scaredy Bat’s Minibeast Hunt
Monday 30, Tuesday 31 October and Wednesday 1 November, 11am and 1pm
£6.75 per child or £5.55 for RSPB members
Become a nature detective this Halloween and join Scaredy Bat on an adventure as he overcomes his fears, as well as discovering the world of minibeasts on a storytelling minibeast hunt. The session will begin with a reading of the book Scaredy Bat: Is Little Bat Really a…Scaredy Bat?, a story about letting go and conquering your fears. Children are then encouraged to get up close to insects typically find in gardens and woodlands and learn how important they are and what we can do to help.
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FREE Halloween Ghost Hunt
The Lego Store, St David’s shopping centre, Cardiff
Saturday 21-Tuesday 31 October
Look for the ghosts around the store and get a free treat when you find them all.
You can also build a black cat for Halloween and take it home with you on Saturday 28 (10am-12pm) and Sunday 29 (12pm-2pm) October.
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FREE Spooky Crafts
Friars Walk Newport
Saturday 28 October, 11am-5pm
Halloween-themed arts and crafts, free for families at Newport’s Friars Walk shopping centre. Take part in spooky crafts such as mask making, create your own Halloween decorations and a pumpkin hunt.
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Mermaid Quay, Cardiff Bay
FREE Design Your Very Own Monster
Saturday 28 October-Sunday 5 November
Mermaid Quay will transform into a spooky lair this half term as monsters take over the waterfront. Visitors can design their own by printing the form onlune or picking up a sheet from participating retailers or the centre’s management offices. Colour it in and pop it in the post box near the offices by Sunday 5 November. Two lucky winners will receive a £25 voucher to spend at a venue of your choice at Mermaid Quay.
FREE Monster Hunt
Saturday 28 October-Sunday 5 November
Find all the monsters hiding in venues at Mermaid Quay for a chance to win a £50 voucher for a venue of your choice at Mermaid Quay. Pick up a treasure map and entry form from any of the retailers displaying a treasure hunt clue, or the management offices, and return the completed form to the special post box in the atrium.
FREE Monster Fun
Monday 30 October, 12pm-4pm
Monster Bash with interactive games and a meet and greet with a monster mascot.
Tuesday 31 October, 12pm-4pm
Meet and greet with the monster mascots, head on a fun and interactive monster hunt and make a pot of spooky slime to take home.
Wednesday 1 November, 12pm-4pm
Children can meet with a friendly blue monster, get their faces painted and enjoy a free craft workshop where they can make and take monster themed hand gloves.
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Family Pumpkin Carving Workshop
Bryngarw Country Park, Bridgend
Saturday 28 October, 10am
£3.50 per pumpkin
Get ready for Halloween by carving a pumpkin. See also the sessions for over 12s at 12.30pm and 2pm.
PLUS: Pumpkin Carving Competition
Sunday 29 and Monday 30 October, 10am-3pm
Unleash your creativity at home (or at one of Saturday’s pumpkin carving sessions) and carve a prize-winning pumpkin for Bryngarw’s Woodland Garden trail. They can be any shape or size, spooky or friendly, simple or intricate, you can even paint or decorate them if you prefer.
The pumpkins will be available to see in the Woodland Garden between 10am and 4pm on Tuesday 31 October. The winning pumpkin from an over 12 year old will win a Bryngarw Country Park annual car parking ticket, with the winning under 12 will win a family pantomime ticket (Beauty and the Beast) for the Grand Pavilion.
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Louby Lou: Bryngarw School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Bryngarw Country Park, Bridgend
Monday 30 and Tuesday 31 October, 10.30am, 12.30pm, 2.30pm
£6.50 per child, age guidance 3+
Once a year, the doors to Bryngarw School of Witchcraft & Wizardry are thrown open to budding students. Professor Bat Bottom and her teaching team are on hand to greet you and put you through your magical paces, to see if you can secure a spot at this prestigious establishment.
You’ll need to bubble up potions, show a steady hand for broomstick flying and demonstrate all your spellbinding knowledge in this exciting, storytelling adventure.
This event is designed to encourage imaginative role play in nature and therefore takes place outdoors. Please dress accordingly.
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Roots, The Red Dragon Centre, Cardiff Bay
Saturday 28 October, 10am-12pm or 3pm-5pm
£10.99 per child
Children will receive a pumpkin, all the carving tools and a children’s meal.
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Roots, The Red Dragon Centre, Cardiff Bay
Tuesday 31 October, from 5pm
An evening of party games, delicious treats and a prize for the best costume. Diners can expect apple bobbing, musical chairs, face painting, Halloween music and more. Book a table at Roots to reserve your spot – activities are free for customers.
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The Red Dragon Centre, Cardiff Bay
FREE Meet The Magic Owl
Monday 30 October-Sunday 5 November
Standing at over three metres tall and with a wingspan of over five metres, visitors of all ages are invited to interact with the magical owl, who will spread her impressive wings for fantastic photos and magical music to enjoy.
FREE Owl-o-ween
Tuesday 31 October, 12pm-4pm
Free arts and crafts at the pop-up magic-owl workshop, plus Falconry UK will be bringing along their birds of prey.
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Halloween Party at Hollywood Bowl
Hollywood Bowl, The Red Dragon Centre, Cardiff Bay
Tuesday 31 October, 7pm-9pm
A night filled with spooky bowling plus food and drink. The Halloween party package includes two games of bowling, nachos at the lane, and a refreshing drink. Spooky fancy dress encouraged.
Plus bowl before 11am and get 25% when booked in advance online.
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Insole Court, Cardiff
Arts and Crafts
Tuesday 31 October, 10am-4pm
Pay what you can; advance booking recommended
Get Creative this half term with our fun arts and crafts activities in the Drawing room. There will be plenty of accessible tasks to keep fingers busy and imaginations flowing.
We would advise booking in advance so that we can ensure we have enough supplies for everyone.
Ghost Stories
Tuesday 31 October
Pay what you can; must be booked in advance
Enjoy spooky stories of ghastly ghouls and tantalising tales in the atmospheric library.
Welsh language stories for the whole family, 10am, 11am, 12pm
English language stories for 4-7 year olds, 2pm; 8-12 year olds 3pm; whole family 4pm
Dyffryn Gardens, St Nicholas, Vale of Glamorgan
Saturday 28 October-Sunday 5 November, 10am-4pm
Included in usual admission adults £12.10, children £6.10, family £30.30 (gift aid prices) or free for National Trust members
Learn all about the creepy crawlies that live in the gardens at Dyffryn. What’s in the cauldron? What’s that smell? What makes that noise? Who lives up there? And finally… do you dare?
ALSO:
Meet the Author: Ian Brown author of Albert the Tortoise
Saturday 28 October, 11am-11.45am and 12.15pm-1pm
Ian Brown, author of the Albert the Tortoise books, brings his acclaimed children’s book series, Albert the Tortoise, to life. He’ll be reading a selection of Albert stories, answering questions and talking about his real life tortoise, Albert, as well as singing copies of the beloved children’s books. Event included in admission; need to book. Books available to buy on the day.
Pumpkin Dash: Louby Lou’s Storytelling
Monday 30 October, 10,30am, 12.30pm, 2pm
£6.75 per child as well as normal admission; must be pre-booked
Louby Lou’s storytellers will lead an interactive story trail around Dyffryn Gardens. A witch has accidentally landed in Dyffryn Gardens, can you help her figure out where she is and how to get back home?
With a focus on children using their imagination and getting lost in the wonderful world of make believe, each roaming performance is 45 minutes long (with lots of stops, starts, breaks and pauses) and is accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs.
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Tredegar House, Newport
Events are included in usual admission unless otherwise stated. Adults £12.10, children £6.10, family £30.30 (gift aid prices) or free for National Trust members
Pumpkin Parkland Trail
Wednesday 8 October-Monday 6 November, 10am-4pm
Eight large wooden pumpkins are hidden around the grounds of Tredegar House – can you spot them all?
Spooky Sightings Spotter Trail
Thursday 26 October-Monday 6 November, 10.30am-4pm
How many spooky sightings can you discover in the house? Take a wander through Tredegar house mansion this autumn season and see if you can find them all.
Pumpkin carving workshops
Saturday 29-Monday 31 October, 11am, 12pm, 1pm; and 2pm on Saturday and Sunday
£4 per person in addition to usual admission; no need to book but the activity is run on a first come, first served basis
Spark your creativity by personalising your pumpkin – will it be smiley, spooky or silly? The choice is yours! Everything you need will be provided, so just turn up on the day with your artistic thinking hat on, ready to let your imagination run wild.
Rhubi’s Lost Hat – Autumn Family Trail
Thursday 26 October-Monday 6 November, 10.30am-4pm
Explore the hidden nooks and crannies this autumn, with an exciting new family trail. Embark on a whimsical adventure to help Rhubi, the mischievous Pwca (Welsh folklore creature), find his beloved lost hat. Wander through the autumnal colours and follow the clues that Rhubi has left behind. Complete each challenge and get closer to Rhubi’s cherished hat, making this delightful experience suitable for visitors of all ages.
Time Lords and Time Travellers Exhibition
Thursday 26 October-Sunday 26 November, 11am-3pm
Find out more about how Tredegar House was used in the filming of “Dr Who”. Stroll through the mansion house and discover exclusive information about how Tredegar House supported several episodes of Dr Who over the years and the Morgan Family’s links with famous science fiction writers HG Wells and Aldous Huxley.
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Penarth Pier Pavilion
Monday 30 October, 2pm; Tuesday 31 October 11am and 2pm
£9.50 plus booking fee per child
Enjoy spooky tunes, party games, a soft drink and delicious Halloween cupcake! Plus there’s a prize for the best Halloween costume.
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Cardiff Castle
Friday 3 November, 10.15am, 11.30am, 12.45pm, 2.15pm, 3.30pm
£7 per person
The Dinosaur, Wildlife and Education Centre will be bringing a whole cast of colourful creatures for these hour-long sessions where you can get close to an exotic variety of creepy crawlies, including mammals, reptiles, insects, and birds. Can you cope with a terrifying tarantula crawling across your chest, a sinuous snake slithering along your shoulders, or a sinister scorpion scuttling up your arm?
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The Royal Mint Experience, Llantrisant
Tuesday 31 October, 11am and 2pm
£5 per child or free if you book a Royal Mint Experience tour
Get your best costume on and join in with ghoulish games, frightfully fun dances and preposterous prizes for the young and young at heart.
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The Royal Mint Experience, Llantrisant
Friday 3 November, sessions from 11.30am-4pm
The ZooLab Rangers and their team of animals are visiting The Royal Mint Experience this Halloween. How slimy is a snail? Are tarantulas terrifying? Do cockroaches give you the creeps? Discover the wonders of webs, claws, venoms, poisons, slime and more. Will you be brave enough to hold them?
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Griffin Books, Penarth
Wednesday 1 November, 10.30am
Age guidance 2 to 5 year olds
Stories and crafts perfect for pre-schoolers. Get ready for some lovely new stories and some autumn crafts.
Free but must be booked in advance.
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Celtic Manor Resort, Newport
Saturday 21 October-Sunday 5 November
Pumpkin Carving
10am and 1.30pm
£10 per person
Halloween Arts & Crafts
Choose from Halloween masks, lantern making and more.
11.30am and 3pm
£10 per person
Dracula’s Den
9.30am-5pmAs well as decorations and Halloween music, there will be activities to play with air hockey, table football, pool table, arcade games and toddler area.
Plus see the website for details of Halloween afternoon tea and evening dining, plus low ropes, high ropes and laser combat.
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Non-Halloween Events
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Theatre and performance
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff
Monday 23-Saturday 28 October
From £17.50, age guidance 14+ (no under 5s)
Following a record-breaking three-year West End residency, sold-out UK and Ireland tour and Amazon studios award-winning film, the smash-hit and critically acclaimed musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie returns to Cardiff.
Based on a true story, Jamie New is 16 and lives on a council estate in Sheffield. Jamie doesn’t quite fit in. Jamie is terrified about the future. Jamie is going to be a sensation. Supported by his brilliant loving mum and surrounded by his friends, Jamie overcomes prejudice, beats the bullies and steps out of the darkness, into the spotlight.
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The Riverfront, Newport
Saturday 28 October, 3pm
£18, group of four £70
Liquid nitrogen clouds, exploding oxygen and hydrogen balloons, fire tornados, hydrogen bottle rockets, ignited methane and even a self-built hovercraft are all part and parcel of the Ministry Of Science’s anarchic approach to science communication. As well as taking a look at the inventors and engineers who’ve shaped and inspired the modern world, the show’s presenters will be conducting clever demonstrations aplenty.
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The Sooty Show, 75th birthday spectacular
The Riverfront, Newport
Monday 30 October, 11am and 2.30pm
Adults £21.50, children £18.50
Celebrating 75 amazing years in show business, Sooty, Sweep and Soo are planning a very special birthday party. However, in true Sooty style nothing goes to plan. With buckets of audience participation and gallons of giggles, this spectacular celebration of the longest-running children’s television show in the world will delight Sooty fans old and new.
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Memo Arts Centre, Barry
Wednesday 1 November 2pm and 5.30pm, Thursday 2 November 11am
£14, group of 4 £44
The Splash Test Dummies are off on an exciting adventure of oceanic proportions. With an array of catch-your-breath stunt work, dazzling acrobatics, dexterous juggling and side-splitting, slapstick comedy, the Dummies are ready to roll out their beach towels and spring into an exciting hour of circus-filled hilarity for the whole family. This performance is set on the Auditorium floor, with both floor space and chairs for seating.
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Pavilion Theatre, Porthcawl
Thursday 2 November, 2.30pm
£10
Molly and Bingo the puppy are having a birthday party and, best of all, you’re invited.
There will be a terrific treasure hunt, sensational sing-along songs and lots of fantastic games to play, including Molly’s favourite game, I Spy With My Little Eye! Put on your party clothes and come join us for what promises to be a magical day of fun and laughter.
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Blackwood Miners’ Institute
Thursday 2 November, 2pm
Adults £11, children £9, family of 4 £32; age guidance 4 to 11
This magical circus theatre adventure for family audiences, fuses circus, physical theatre, stage magic, poetry and puppetry. An original live harp score takes the tale from the dreamy realms of distant shores to the most raucous sea shanties!
It felt like nobody really believed in Ernie and sometimes he wondered whether he even believed in himself. He discovers that being himself and following his own dreams can lead to all kinds of wild adventures, but it is the people we love who make it all worth it. The show connects audiences with the waterways around where they live and how they feed into national and international ocean systems. Ernie is a young boy from Blackwood who finds an old pirate ship on the banks of Sirhowy River.
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Sherman Theatre, Cardiff
English performances: Friday 3 November, 1.30pm and Saturday 4 November, 11am
Welsh performance: Saturday 4 November, 1.30pm
Tickets from £9.50; age guidance 3 to 6
The first chance to see the Sherman’s Christmas production for younger children, before it tours Wales, ahead of its main Christmas season in Cardiff from 27 November to 6 January.
Filled with songs and laughter, this new version of Hansel and Gretel is the story everyone loves with an added delicious and delightful twist.
It’s Christmas Eve but something’s not right in the woods. Pine trees are changing into Sweet trees. The river is flowing with treacle. All of this is the work of Sioned Siocled who is turning everything into sweets!
Only Hansel and Gretel stand in her way. They set off on an incredible adventure to save the woods. On their travels they’ll meet magical new friends including Spencer Squirrel and Trefor Tree. They’ll also learn that asking for help is the bravest thing anyone can do.
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Ballet Cymru and National Youth Dance Wales: Triple Bill
The Riverfront, Newport
Friday 3 and Saturday 4 November, 7.30pm
Tickets £18 adults, £15 concecssions. Bench seats £11/£9.50
Cerys Matthews’ iconic album of Welsh folk songs is the inspiration for TIR, and Ballet Cymru choreographers Darius James OBE and Amy Doughty have used 11 of the songs from the album to create a unique work especially for the dancers of Ballet Cymru.
The singer herself will be performing the music live at the venue
The National Youth Dance Wales ensemble – which provides some of Wales’ most-talented young dancers with first-class training and performance opportunities – will premiere a new work, Twenty Tales, by award winning choreographer Mario Bermúdez Gil.
And finally, Ballet Cymru resident choreographer Marcus J Willis will bring to stage the reimagining of his choreographic work, Stream of Consciousness, first premiered in 2016.
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The Riverfront, Newport
Friday 3 November, 11.30am and 2.30pm
£9, age guidance 3+
Take a bird’s eye view of humans in a new family show from M6 Theatre.
A tree in a city. Two birds decide to make it their home and soon their cosy nest contains two very precious eggs. The world below is full of stuff but, very quickly, so too is the nest.
Filled with clowning, original song and beautiful shadow play, this highly physical show uses minimal language to tell a tale about taking care, discovering what’s important and learning how to fly.
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Glee Club, Mermaid Quay, Cardiff Bay
Sunday 26 November, 12pm
Adults £12, children and concessions £8. Age guidance 7+, no under 5s
(Not in half term but I wanted to give advance notice on this one as a lot of people don’t know about these family comedy events)
A fun lunchtime show for all the family, from kids to grandparents. Now you don’t need the babysitter to enjoy your weekend stand-up.
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Family Fun
Ghoul School, Colourful Chemistry, Star Tours
Techniquest, Cardiff Bay
Saturday 28 October-Sunday 5 November
£2 per person per show in addition to usual admission (adults £13, children £11, under 3s free, family 2+3 £45 prices with Gift Aid donation)
Ghoul School is a 30-minute live science show looking at how to use science and technologu to set a spooky atmosphere, make a terrifying entrance and finish with a bang.
Age guidance 5+.
Colourful Chemistry is a 30-minute live science show, full of clever transformations, colour changes and a flame-fired finale. Age guidance 5+.
Star Tours is a 25 minute digital planetarium show, looking at familiar constellations, the planets, how the stars are born and how they die. Age guidance 7+.
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FREE Diwali Mela
St Fagans National Museum of History, Cardiff
Saturday 4 November, 10,30am-4pm
Amgueddfa Cymru are partnering with the Hindu Cultural Association Wales India Centre to host a Diwali Mela at St Fagans National Museum of History.
Take part in Dandiya Dance workshops, Indian yoga, Mehndi body art and Classical Indian storytelling, plus there’s free arts and crafts activities for families. Visitors can also visit pop-up food stalls, music, and dance performances plus the venue will be decorated with Indian artifacts, textiles and Rangoli art. The event is free but you’ll need to pay for parking at the museum. Additional charge applies for the yoga classes.
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Raglan Castle
Wednesday 1 November, 11am-3pm
Adults £8.70, children £6.10, under 5s free, family 2+3 £28.20
What can we do to help our wildlife this Winter? Local wildlife groups and charities will be on hand to explain all. There will also be a Gnome Trail! Each child will also receive a packet of bird seed to give our feathered friends an autumn treat.
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Youth Watersports Taster Sessions
Llanishen Reservoir, Cardiff
Saturday 28 October-Sunday 5 November
Ages 8-16
Young adventurers will receive top-notch tuition from qualified instructors who will guide them through the basics of sailing, kayaking or paddleboarding, £45, £30 and £40 per session respectively. Various times available.
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Exhibitions and other events at museums
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FREE The Fossil Swamp
National Museum Cardiff
Until 2 March 2025
This exhibition reveals a snapshot in time from 300 million years ago – when a vast tropical swamp covered what is now Wales. The Fossil Swamp had monster plants, giant insects, thunderstorms and floods.
Beautifully preserved fossils tell us about these ancient tropical wetlands. See the remains of strange plants which lived millions of years before flowers and fruits ever evolved. The prehistoric animals were also very different to those living today. Learn about the experts who figured out how these prehistoric plants lived plus see how the story of the fossil swamp links to the fossil fuel and climate problems we face today.
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Mission: Planet Earth – a VR Experience
National Museum Cardiff
Daily, 10.30am-4pm
£6 per person, age 13+
Put on your headset and strap yourself in for the journey of a lifetime, a mission through time in National Museum Cardiff’s virtual reality experience. Find out what Wales was like millions of years ago, from the warm depths of the seas of what will become Pembrokeshire to the bitterly cold climate of Powys. You might also come across some giant bugs, dinosaurs and even woolly mammoths. The experience lasts 15 minutes. Book in advance online or at the museum, subject to availability.
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St Fagans National Museum of History, Cardiff
Now extended until 26 November 2023
Supporters of Wales’ national football teams are called The Red Wall. Dressed in their bucket hats and replica shirts, belting out chants from the stands, they’re often described as the 12th player on the pitch.
To celebrate Cymru qualifying for the FIFA World Cup, this exhibition shines a spotlight on some of the people and communities of The Red Wall. Fashion, music, identities and politics are all here, cemented together by a sense of belonging. A fan-led experience like no other.
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FREE Wales Is… Proud
St Fagans National Museum of History, Cardiff
Until 31 December 2023
Every summer, Pride marches and events are held across Wales to celebrate LGBTQ+ equality and visibility. Pride started as a protest, a statement of resistance, and activists in Wales have protested for LGBTQ+ rights for over 50 years. The display includes objects from Pride events held across Wales, protest banners and LGBTQ+ campaign badges from Amgueddfa Cymru’s collection.
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FREE Wales Is… Grateful for the NHS
St Fagans National Museum of History, Cardiff
Until 5 March 2024
Launched on 5 July 1948, The National Health Service was founded by the Tredegar-born Health Minister, Aneurin Bevan. His vision for a ‘free at the point of use’ service was inspired by the workmen’s medical aid societies of the South Wales coalfield.
Today, NHS Wales directly employs over 90,000 staff and provides healthcare to around 3 million people.
The National Health Service belongs to the people of Wales. It has a special place at the heart of our national life.
In 2021, the George Cross medal was bestowed on each of the UK National Health Services in recognition of all who have worked in the NHS since its launch in 1948. The award also acknowledged the dedication and bravery of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This display showcases the George Cross medal alongside objects that tell the story of the NHS in Wales from its inception through to the modern day.
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FREE Artes Mundi 10
National Museum Cardiff and Chapter Arts Cardiff
20 October 2023-25 February 2024
The UK’s leading biennial exhibition and international contemporary art prize returns, and will this year be shared across four other sites across Wales, including National Museum Cardiff and Chapter.
The winner of the prestigious £40,000 Artes Mundi Prize – the UK’s largest contemporary art prize – announced during the exhibition run. Seven artists have been shortlisted for the 2023 prize: Rushdi Anwar, Carolina Caycedo, Alia Farid, Naomi Rincón Gallardo, Taloi Havini, Nguyễn Trinh Thi and Mounira Al Solh.
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Museum of Cardiff, The Hayes, Cardiff
Saturday 28 October-Sunday 5 November
Drop-in illustration workshops with Jack Skivens, local author and illustrator
Monday 30 October, 10am-12pm and 1pm-3pm
Crafty Wednesday: family art and craft day
Wednesday 1 November, 10am-3pm, drop-in session
Stories, songs and rhymes
Wednesday 1 November, 11am-12pm
Family-friendly storytelling event with spoken word artist Mymuna Soleman and storyteller Cath Little.
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FREE Curses and Cures
National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon
Monday 30 October-Friday 3 November, 11am-1pm and 2pm-4pm
Visit the Roman Army Doctor and learn about the plants and techniques that were used to treat Roman soldiers over 2,000 years ago. Pick from an ‘unlucky dip’ of Roman illnesses and accidents to discover your treatment.
Discover how the Romans believed you could curse someone, and have a go at writing a Roman curse and leaving it with Nemesis, goddess of revenge.
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Museum of Cardiff, The Hayes, Cardiff
Saturday 28 October-Sunday 5 November
Drop-in illustration workshops with Jack Skivens, local author and illustrator
Monday 30 October, 10am-12pm and 1pm-3pm
Crafty Wednesday: family art and craft day
Wednesday 1 November, 10am-3pm, drop-in session
Stories, songs and rhymes
Wednesday 1 November, 11am-12pm
Family-friendly storytelling event with spoken word artist Mymuna Soleman and storyteller Cath Little.
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Cinema-related events
The focus here is on independent cinemas, film-related events, and cheaper family screenings rather than the current big releases. See also the spooky films section above.
Free family films (plus packed lunches for children)
Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff
Scary Girl – Saturday 28 October, 11.30am, followed by colouring in the foyer
Elemental – Tuesday 1 and Thursday 4 November, 11.30am
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Cineworld, Mary Ann Street, Cardiff
The 10am weekend and school holiday Movies for Juniors showings are just £2.50 per person. Check online for schedule; films are usually a few months old rather than new releases.
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Vue Cinema, Millennium Plaza, Cardiff
The 10am weekend and school holiday Movies for Juniors showings are just £2.49 per person when booked online or £3.49 on the door. Check online for schedule; films are usually a few months old rather than new releases.
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Do follow the Cardiff Mummy Says Facebook page, Cardiff Mummy Says on Instagram, Cardiff Mummy Says on Threads , or @cardiffmummy on Twitter to be the first to know what’s going on for families locally. I share events, activities and days out ideas almost every day.
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