Thursday 23 October 2025
From parades to pumpkin picking – Southend gears up for a frightfully fun half-term! Events for all ages are taking place across the city, including free and family-friendly options. Residents are encouraged to explore local attractions and make the most of the spooky season.
Southend-on-Sea is set to come alive this Halloween, with a range of events taking place across the city. From pumpkin patches and parades to fireworks and spooky storytelling, there’s something for everyone to enjoy this October half-term.
Here are five fun things to do this Halloween in Southend:
- Prittlewell Pumpkin Patch & Petting Farm
- When: Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 October, 11am – 4pm
- Where: Prittlewell Park
- Pick your perfect pumpkin, meet friendly farm animals, and enjoy the autumn outdoors at this family-friendly event.
- Southend Halloween Parade
- When: Saturday 25 October, 6:30pm – 7:45pm
- Where: Marine Parade, Southend seafront
- The city’s famous Halloween Parade is back and bigger than ever! Expect illuminated floats, street performers, music, and costumes, ending with a spectacular fireworks display.
- Spooky Space Day
- When: Wednesday 29 October, 11am – 5pm
- Where: Southend Central Museum & Planetarium
- Step into a world of intergalactic spooks with themed planetarium shows and hands-on activities for curious space explorers.
- Southend City Fireworks
- When: Every Saturday evening until 15 November
- October fireworks: From 8pm
- November fireworks: From 7:30pm
- Where: Southend seafront
- Free fireworks light up the night sky every weekend—the perfect way to round off your Halloween celebrations.
- When: Every Saturday evening until 15 November
- Library Halloween Fun
- Where: Hosted by Southend Libraries
- Enjoy a host of free and low-cost family activities taking place across Southend Libraries this half-term, perfect for younger children and families looking for indoor Halloween fun.
- Kent Elms Library – Friday 31 October, 11am–12pm: Celebrate Halloween with spooky stories and ghoulish games galore!
- Southchurch Library – Four sessions throughout half-term: Spooktacular craft activities from paper plate monsters to scarecrow spoons.
- The Forum Library – Tuesday 28 October, 11am–1pm: Bone Appétit! Join a Halloween Craft Event and make your very own paper skeleton to take home.
- Extra Fun! Kent Elms Library is also running a children’s competition throughout October to name the library skeleton and a Halloween Cat Hunt around the library.
Cllr Matt Dent, cabinet member for Business, Culture, Music and Tourism, said: “It’s fantastic to see our community come together to celebrate Halloween in such creative and inclusive ways. These events showcase the spirit of Southend and offer something for everyone to enjoy, from outdoor parades and pumpkin patches to indoor family-friendly library fun. We encourage all residents to get involved and make this half-term a memorable one.”