Halloween in Jesmond

With its steep-sided wooded valley, Victorian bridge and unlit paths after dark, Jesmond has more than enough atmosphere for spooky season. Here is what to look out for in and around the neighbourhood. Halloween programmes change every year, so always check each venue for this year's dates and to book ahead, as the popular events sell out.

Spooky evenings in Jesmond Dene

In past years Jesmond Dene has hosted after-dark Halloween happenings, with the wooded valley given over to lantern-lit trails, spooky characters and family scares under the trees. Events have run under names like "A Scream in Jesmond Dene" and Halloween Hauntings. It is a genuinely eerie setting once the light goes: the Ouseburn, the waterfall, the ruins of St Mary's Chapel and the dramatic Armstrong Bridge all take on a different feel by torchlight. Do check this year's programme before setting off, as the Dene's paths are unlit and there is no guarantee an event is running in any given year.

By day the Dene is worth a wander too, with autumn colour at its best through late October and free entry to Pets' Corner for younger children who would rather meet a goat than a ghoul.

Family parties and ghost walks

For an indoor option, the Holiday Inn Newcastle Jesmond has in past years put on a family "Spooktacular" Halloween party, typically a meal with a disco and games for children in costume. Check whether it is running this year and book directly, as places are limited.

Older children and adults might prefer a Halloween ghost walk. Newcastle Ghost Walks run atmospheric guided tours through the city's dark history, with both adult evening walks and gentler family sessions around Halloween. The city centre is a short Metro ride from Jesmond, so it makes an easy evening out.

Halloween nearby at the Great North Museum

A pleasant walk or one Metro stop away, the Great North Museum: Hancock usually lays on a Halloween programme during the October half-term, with themed activities, trails and hands-on fun aimed at families. Entry to the museum is free, though special events may be ticketed, so check the museum's what's-on listings before you go.

For the full picture, including pumpkin patches, haunted halls and spooky trails right across the region, see our round-up of Halloween across the region.

Know a Jesmond Halloween event we should add? Get in touch via our contact page.