Everything there is to do in Sussex this half term

Alfriston Shriek Week Drusillas Park from October 26 to November 3 Drusillas Park has had a spooky make-over this Halloween, with a special emphasis on creepy-crawlies at The Discovery Centre. There will also be a Mummy Maze and a visit from The Gruffalo on October 30. Ticket prices vary. To book tickets and to find out more about Drusillas Park, visit their website. Amberley Halloween evening Amberley Museum, Nov 1 from 6.30pm to 9pm. Tickets cost £10 per person The Halloween night at the Amberley Museum will feature a haunted ghost trainand a spooky trail around the 36 acre site. Other half term events at Amberley Working Museum include marble paper printing and Relief printing workshops. For a full list of half-term events at Amberley Working Museum, visit the museum’s website here Arundel Pond Dipping Arundel Wetland Centre every weekend from September 7 to November 2. Sessions last from 11am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm. Explore underwater life with nets, microscopes and an identity chart at the newly expanded Wetland Centre pond. To find out more about the Arundel Wetland Centre and for more details about Pond Dipping, visit their website. Meet the Bowdleflodes Arundel Museum, all half term, from October 25 to November 3. As part of the “Get Creative Week”, Arundel Museum will be showcasing 32 art works from children from schools across West Sussex and Hampshire. All of the schools took part in the Bowdleflodes Wildlife Project, a free educational activity, which teaches children about conservation using art, and the exhibition at the Arundel Museum represents the best and most enchanting of these artworks. Though the exhibition is free and runs throughout half term, guests on Saturday October 26 will get a chance to meet children’s author and creator of the Bowdleflodes, Neil Lawson Baker, as he reads from his first book, “Tea with the Queen”. Neil Lawson Baker will be at the Arudnel Museum, reading and meeting fans from 2.30pm, with complimentary tea and cupcakes. For more events at Arundel Museum, visit their website here. To find out more about the Bowdleflods Art Project, visit their website. Nocturnal Nature Half Term Arundel Wetland Centre from October 26 to November 3 This half term event gives families the chance to explore the nocturnal life of the wetland centre’s many bats, barn owls and eels in the safety of daylight. For more about Nocturnal Nature Half Term at the Arundel Wetland Centre, visit their website. Wicked Wetlands Arundel Wetland centre from October 26 to November 3 Aside from offering kids the chance to engage with their favourite nocturnal animals up close and personal, the Arundel Wetland Centre will also be hosting a variety of Halloween events over the half term. There will be a spooky Halloween trail full of the sights, sounds and smells of the night’s interesting creatures, and the chance to dissect a real owl pellet to discover the tiny bones inside, learning more about their unique diet. Participation is included in the price of admission. To find out more about the Arundel wetland centre, activities held there and the cost of tickets, visit their website. Norman Knights at The Castle Arundel Castle on October 31 from 10 am until 3.30 pm. 12th century knights will take over Arundel castle this halloween with weapons, archery and armour displays going on throughout the day. The cost of the event is included in regular admission fees. To find out more about the armoured knights and Arundel Castle itself, click here. Battle Spooky Battle Abbey. Battle of Hastings Abbey and Battlefied. From October 26 to November 3. A week of Halloween-themed arts, crafts and costume contests at The Abbey. Tickets are included in the price of admission. To find out more about Battle Abbey, visit their website. The Wizard of Oz screening Battle Memorial Hall on October 30 from 7pm to 9.30pm. To celebrate the 80th anniversary of the technicolour masterpiece and as part of Battle Festival, this early evening screening will give film buffs the chance to fall in love with The Wizard of Oz all over again.. Tickets cost £4 for adults and £3 for children. To book and to find out more, visit the Battle festival website, here. Fantasy Art Workshop with Juliette Dodd Battle Memorial Hall’s Shepherd Room on October 31 from 10am to 12pm. Another Battle Festival event, this is a pastel, watercolour and coloured pencils art workshop aimed at all ages and abilities. A great way for creatives- grown up or not- to spend their time this Halloween. Tickets cost £25 and are available directly from tutor Juliet Dodd or from the Crafty Norman shop. To find out more visit the Battle festival website. https://battlefestival.co.uk/events/2019/mermaid-fantasy-art-workshop-with-juliette-dodd Bexhill Halloween at The Manor Barn The Manor Barn on October 31 at 6pm until 9pm. Kids will get to celebrate Halloween in style, with scary characters, balloon modelling, face-painting and a deliciously gruesome buffet. There will also be a Halloween disco and a fancy dress competition. Tickets cost £3.50 for adults and £8.50 for adults. It is also possible to buy a family ticket for £22. To book tickets and find out more, visit the Manor Barn website. https://www.manorbarnbexhill.co.uk/halloween-at-manor-barn/ Bognor Regis Snow White: The Ballet The Regis Centre- Saturday October 5. A critically acclaimed Vienna Ballet staging of the classic Fairy Tale. Perfect for kids obsessed with dance, princesses and fairy tales. Tickets cost £22 for adults and £16 for children under 16. For a cast list, timings and to book tickets, visit the Alexandra Theatre website. Brighton and Hove Click here for our guide to all the best family-friendly events in Brighton this half term. Chichester Halloween fun at Half Term Chichester Golf Club -October 19- October 31 Kids will get a chance to try out a variety of adventure golf courses. If they bring their own pumpkin and participate in the best carved pumpkin competition, they can play two courses for the price of one. No bookings are required, but balls and putts will be provided on the day. To find out more about Halloween happenings at the Chichester Golf Club, click here. Spooktacular Halloween Fun Aldingbourne Country Centre, October 28 to October 30 Families are invited to the Aldinbourne Country Centre for a half term of Halloween fun. The woodland walk will give children a chance to spot zombies, ghosts and witches, the Pumpkin Treasure Hunt will give them a chance to hunt through the woods, looking to a prize treat, and children can enjoy story time and a musical trail on their non-scary Halloween hunt. Participation in the events is included in the £6 admission fee to the grounds. For more information about the Aldingbourne Trust Charity and the grounds themselves, visit their website. Roman Army Week Fishbourne Roman Palace- October 28- November 1. The doors will open at 10am each day. Eager young romans will learn all about roman military equipment and tactics, get the chance to dress up as roman soldiers and take part in a variety of activities including archery, sword andspear practice. For ticket prices, timings and to learn more about Fishbourne Roman Palace, click here. Wonderful World: Family Activities Chichester Cathedral on November 1 from 10am. Children and families will get the chance to take part in crafts workshops, follow a trail and collect a prize. Tickets are available at the door and cost £2.50 per child. To see what else is happening at Chichester Cathedral, visit their website. Crawley Family festival of light- October 25 Fireworks display at Three Bridges Primary School from 5.30pm to 7.10pm. tickets cost £3.50. To buy tickets, visit the friends of three bridges website. Autumn foraging course October 26 Smith and Western, Tilgate Park from 12pm to 3.30pm A brief introduction to foraging wild food and fungi on a two and a half hour nature walk. Click here to find out more and book your slot. Broadfield Academy Fireworks Broadfield Academy on November 2. Gates open at 5.30pm, display begins at 7.30. An evening of fireworks, stalls, hot food and music. Some charges on the door. To find out more about the fireworks and to book a place, click here. Ditchling Halloween activity trail Notcutts Garden Pride Centre, Ocotber 26 to November 3. A free family Halloween trail, which gives kids of all ages the chance to hunt around the garden centre for spooky characters, like Billy the Bat, Olivia the Owl and Peter the Pumpkin, hidden among the plants and, once they’ve unravelled all the clues, pick up a tasty treat at the end of the trail. Attendance is free. To find out more about Notcutts- a group of family owned garden centres, all with their own unique characteristics, visit their website. Eastbourne Twilight Tours Eastbourne Redoubt from October 25-27. 19:30 each night. Tickets cost £6. A series of spine-chilling tours through the ghostly corridors of the Eastbourne redoubt. Only suitable for children aged thirteen and over. Because tours tend to operate in groups, pre-booking is essential. To book those tickets, click here. Beachy Head Marathon- October 26, starts at 9am. A marathon and a 10km event along the coastline and South Downs, which attracts hundreds of runners from around the world every year. Starts and finishes at Bede’s School BN20 7XL To find out more about the race and the route, visit the beachy head marathon website. Nightmare Before Christmas Screening and Pumpkin Carving. Eastbourne Redoubt- Oct 26, 1.00pm A screening of Tim Burton’s classic animated film The Nightmare Before Christmas followed by pumpkin carving. Tickets cost £8. Click here to book tickets. Halloween Party and fireworks Eastbourne bandstand, October 26 from 8pm to 9.30pm. An evening of fireworks and live music with The Zoots, a tribute band playing legendary hits from the seventies. Advance adult tickets cost £7.95. Children’s tickets cost £5.95. Full price tickets are available on the door and cost 9.50 for adults and 7.50 for children. To find out more about The Zoots and to book tickets in advance, click here. Indoor trail Birling Gap Children will love learning about wriggly worms, creepy crawlies, beastly bats and more at an indoor Halloween trail in the Birling Gap Visitor centre. Admission to the visitors centre is free, but tickets for the trail cost £2 per child. For more information about Birling Gap, visit their website, East Grinstead Half Term Fun Standen House October 26 to November 1 A fun trail inspired by the Autumn harvest, clay-craft activities and autumnal strolls through the National Trust parkland will all help keep children occupied this Half term. Tickets are included in the cost of admission. To find out more about Standen House- a family home set in a gorgeous hillside garden, visit their website, Hastings Bottle Alley Light show Bottle Alley every night at 7.30pm from September 18 to December 31. Bottle Abbey gets its name from the thousands of pieces of glass embedded in the promenade that runs between Hastings Pier and Warrior Square in St Leonards. Stop off there at the right time for a spectacular nightly light show. For more information about Bottle Alley and the history of the light show, click here. Halloween Hacker The True Crime Museum, everyday from October 26 to November 3 from 10am to 5pm Families will get the chance to don trench coats and wield magnifying glasses on the hunt for a mysterious True Crime Museum murderer. General admission costs apply. For more Halloween fun at the True Crime Museum, click here. Half term trick or treating Priory Meadow. 11am to 3pm on October 30 Children are invited to decorate their own bags and go trick or treating along a pre-set route. For details on the trick or treating route, click here. Hayward’s Heath Halloween at Borde Hill Garden Borde Hill Garden October 26 to November 3 The parklands will be hosting a variety of events to help keep the kids entertained this half term, including a Halloween challenge trail. There will also be a pumpkin carving event on October 27, during which guests will be invited to decorate their very own pumpkins and visit them later that day, as part of Borde Hill Gardens’ during the Pumpkin Glow event in the afternoon. There will be story telling and arts and crafts stalls the following day, on October 28 and 29. After that, on Wednesday 30 October and Friday 1 November, guests will get the chance to meet a real life creepy crawly. In between that, on Halloween itself, Professor Hiccup will captivate audiences with his magic shows. The half term week will finish off with a bang on Sunday November, with an explosive reaction show, which will give children the chance to get stuck into making their own slime. Ticket prices vary based on date and event To find out more about the events, timings and ticket prices, visit the Borde Hill garden website here. Half-term Pop-up Pumpkin Patch The Nymans, October 26 to November 3. Little ones will get the chance to take part in a variety of Pumpkin-inspired activities at the Nyman pop-up pumpkin patch and family trail. Attendance is included in the price of admission. To find out more about the Pumpkin patch and the Nymans, visit their website. Exhibition: Flights of Fancy: The Wondrous World of Quintin Blake. Nymans, October 26 to April 19. An exhibition exploring the mind, creativity and original works of beloved children’s illustrator Quentin Blake. Featuring original illustrations from his books and artwork from his art in hospital projects. The cost of the exhibition is included in the regular admission fee. For more information about the Nymans- A series of intimate garden set around a Romantic house and ruins- visit their website. Horsham Horsham Fireworks Night Horsham Sports Club at October 26 from 5pm to 7.30pm In their tenth annual fireworks display, Horsham Sports Club are promising a spectacular fireworks show, vintage fairground rides and delicious food stalls. Early bird tickets cost £6 but standard advance tickets cost £8. Booking fees apply. To save yourself some money and book those early bird tickets, click here. Halloween at Leonardslee Leonardslee gardens October 26- November 3 from 10am. Guests will get the chance to tackle a Halloween themed obstacle course, complete a skele-hunt and participate in a variety of other ghoulish activities. Entrance is free for members, but non-members will have to pay the standard entrance fee of £12.50 for adults and £6.50 for children. To book your spot, visit the leonardslee gardens website here. Horsted Keynes Witches and Wizards at Bluebell Railway 26 October- 3 November There’s plenty of spooky half term fun to be had at the Horsted Keynes Bluebell Railway heritage train station. There will be fancy dress competitions, arts and crafts stalls and more throughout the half term, but visitors to the station on Halloween itself (October 31) are in for an extra special treat, with an additional evening train, pumpkin lighting and a disco for small children. Guests who bring a carved pumpkin for the display will get into the station for free on October 31. Participation is included in the admission fee which varies dependent on date, time and membership status. Bluebell Railway is an eleven mile heritage line running classic steam engines throughout most of west and parts of East Sussex. For more information about ticket prices, how to get to the Horsted Keynes rail way station and Blubell Heritage Railway, click here. Littlehampton Day of the Dead artisan market Littlehampton high street on November 2, from 10am to 4pm. Celebrate local performers, artists and creators at the 4th annual Day of the Dead market. it’s a wonderful chance to get a fresh perspective on Littehampton’s community of creators and clubs. To find out more about the market, and the kind of stalls you’ll find there, click here. Petworth Halloween trail Petworth House and Park, October 26 to November 3. A fun and imaginative Halloween trail will be offering up some spooky fun this October as little ones help a small bat plan a party. Tickets cost £3, plus admission. To find out more about the event and Petworth House, visit the Petworth House website. Build a Bat Box Petworth House and Park, October 29 to 31 Children will get the chance to design and decorate their very own Halloween bat box to take home and help keep a bat safe this Autum Tickets cost £5 plus usual admission. To find out more about Petworth House and the activities there, visit their website. Rogate Rogate Pumpkin Patch-October 25-31 10am to 4pm each day Families will get the chance to participate in a variety of activities. Rogate will have everything from picking pumpkins and a spooky maze, to a fully fledged vintage faire. Entry prices are yet to be released. To keep up to date with the Pumpkin Patch, visit their website. Shoreham Shoreham Eco/Vegan Festival Shoreham Centre on November 2 from 10am to 4pm Shoreham’s first ever vegan festival will be sharing tips on how to live a more sustainable, eco-friendly lifestyle with a variety of ethical stall holders. To stay up to date with Shoreham’s first ever vegan festival, visit their website. Steyning Arthur’s Dream Boat The Steyning Centre, October 26 A children’s show with breath-taking puppet work based on the book by Polly Dunbar. This play follows a young boy, Arthur, who dreams about a pink and green boat with a stripy mast, When he wakes up the next morning, he can’t wait to tell everyone about it, but no one seems interested. They don’t even notice when that very same boar starts growing on his head! Before he knows it, Arthur is bouncing along the waves on his very own dream boat. The play is brought to audiences by Long Nose Puppets and Applause Rural Touring, a charity committed to bringing affordable, challenging and inspiring performances to the heart of rural communities. Tickets cost £6 for adults and £3 for children. A family ticket, costing £15 is also available. To find out more about Arthur’s Dream Boat and Appluase Rural Touring, click here. Worthing Jack on the Green Beach House Park on October 26 from 6pm to 8.30pm Experience a beautiful lit trail through Beach House Park. There will also be free craft workshops on both days from 2pm and 4pm. Everything made there will be displayed on the trail, so keep an eye out for you own creations! To see pictures from previous events and get a taste of what you might be in for, visit the Jack on the Green website. Worthing Spooky Tours The Pavillion Cafe, from 7pm on October 27, October 31 and November 2. Tours last an hour and a half. Join a tour for an hour and a half of chilling tales from Worthing and its history. Tickets are £7.50 for adults and £5.00 for children To book advance tickets, click here. Dark Run Beach House Grounds on November 2 from 5pm to 6.30pm Runners get the chance to don glowsticks, head torches, glow-in-the-dark paint and iridescent clothes for a 5km dark run along Worthing’s seafront. The first 150 spaces will be free but tickets after that will only be issued with a minimum £3 donation, so avid runners should sign up sooner rather than later. To find out more about Worthing’s first ever dark run, visit their website. Worthing Lions Firework Festival Worthing Pier on November 5 from 7.30pm. A stunning fireworks display organised by The Worthing Lions. Attendance is free, but this is a charity event, so make sure to dig deep and donate. To find out more about the Worthing Lions and there fireworks display, visit their website.