Halloween in Havering for 2026: £5 pumpkin carving and a ghost trail at Rainham Hall, Spooky Sunday at Upminster Windmill on 25 October, and what is sold out.

Halloween 2026 falls on a Saturday, 31 October, at the end of Havering’s half-term week. The borough’s Halloween events are small and mostly daytime: pumpkin carving at Rainham Hall, a Spooky Sunday at Upminster Windmill, a spooky species show in Hornchurch Country Park and a treasure hunt at Elm Park Library. The one grown-up event, Havering Museum’s Halloween murder mystery, is already sold out.

The quick answer

  • Pumpkin carving at Rainham Hall: 24, 25, 28, 29 and 30 October, 11am to 3pm, £5 a pumpkin with a ghost trail included
  • Spooky Sunday at Upminster Windmill: Sunday 25 October, 11am to 4pm, no price published yet
  • Havering Museum’s Halloween murder mystery on 25 October is sold out, according to the museum’s own listing on 4 October

Halloween events in Havering, 2026

Every event below comes from the organiser’s own listing. We checked each one on 4 October 2026; the Queen’s Theatre prices are from its show pages on 25 September.

Pumpkin carving and ghost trail, Rainham Hall

The National Trust’s Rainham Hall on The Broadway, Rainham, runs pumpkin carving indoors. The Trust says it costs £5 per pumpkin, all materials are provided, there is no tidying up, and a Halloween ghost trail round the garden is included. Wear messy clothes and book a slot, which the Trust calls advisable (National Trust listing).

The listing gives the sessions as Saturday 24, Sunday 25, Wednesday 28, Thursday 29 and Friday 30 October, 11am to 3pm. We read the full dates on 25 September; on 4 October the page was live with the same price and a Saturday 24 start, but the Trust’s site blocked a second full read, so check the times when you book.

People with an RM13 postcode get into the hall free all year; the hall’s current exhibition of costumes from the film Sense and Sensibility runs to 19 December. Opening days for the rest of the year are on our Rainham Hall winter opening times page.

Spooky Sunday, Upminster Windmill

Upminster Windmill, 89 St Mary’s Lane, holds “Spooky Sunday” in the windmill and gardens on Sunday 25 October 2026, 11am to 4pm. The volunteers promise themed activities for children, refreshments in the garden and the sails turning if the weather allows. No price or booking link is published yet (Upminster Windmill what’s on).

Spooky species show, Hornchurch Country Park

Barleylands Farm brings snakes, lizards and minibeasts to the Essex Wildlife Trust’s Ingrebourne Valley Nature Discovery Centre, Squadrons Approach, Hornchurch, on Tuesday 27 October. There are two hour-long shows, at 1pm and 2.30pm, at £7.75 a person, adults included. Booking is essential and the Trust does not give refunds; parking at the centre is free (Essex Wildlife Trust).

Halloween treasure hunt, Elm Park Library

Elm Park Library lists a Halloween treasure hunt from Thursday 1 to Saturday 31 October, 2pm to 4pm. Ask at the front desk for the activity sheet, find the spooky items round the library, and take the sheet back to pick a prize. No booking is mentioned (Havering Libraries events).

Ghostly Ghouls and Monster Mayhem, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch

Queen’s Theatre in Billet Lane has two Halloween-themed Create and Play mornings in half term: Ghostly Ghouls on Monday 26 October and Monster Mayhem on Tuesday 27 October, both 10am for two hours at £12.70. They are drop-off sessions of drama games, a story and a craft, for children aged 4 to 6 only (Ghostly Ghouls, Monster Mayhem). The rest of the theatre’s half-term family shows are on our October half term page.

For adults: sold out

Havering Museum’s Halloween murder mystery on Sunday 25 October, 2.30pm to 5.30pm, was £13 a ticket when it went on sale. The museum’s listing now reads “Sold Out” (Havering Museum).

Not confirmed for 2026

  • Essex Halloween Land, Harrow Lodge Park. Search listings describe a Halloween lights trail at Harrow Lodge Secret Garden, Hornchurch, run for Mind in Havering, Barking and Dagenham. When we checked on 4 October, the charity’s ticket page showed “No events currently listed” and its own website said nothing about Halloween, so we have not listed dates or prices. Mind’s Christmas Land on the same site drew more than 32,000 visitors in 2025, the charity says (Havering Mind).
  • Romford Shopping Hall has run a half-term trick or treat trail in past years. Its website would not load for us on 4 October, so we cannot confirm a 2026 date.
  • Havering Council has a “Halloween in Havering” category on its events calendar. On 4 October the only listing in it was the general Havering Libraries entry (Havering events).

We will check again in the week of 19 October and update this page.

Parking and getting there

Only the Essex Wildlife Trust says its parking is free. For everywhere else, council car park charges are on our parking in Romford page, and road closures are on our roadworks and travel page.

Frequently asked questions

What day is Halloween 2026?

Saturday 31 October 2026. Havering’s half term runs Monday 26 to Friday 30 October, so the half-term week leads straight into it.

Is there pumpkin carving in Romford for Halloween?

Yes, at Rainham Hall in Rainham: £5 a pumpkin on 24, 25, 28, 29 and 30 October, 11am to 3pm, with a ghost trail included. Book through the National Trust.

Is there anything free for Halloween in Havering?

Elm Park Library’s Halloween treasure hunt runs through October from 2pm to 4pm, and the library does not mention a charge. Upminster Windmill has not published a price for Spooky Sunday.

Sources

Last checked 4 October 2026.