London’s Home of Halloween unveils spectacular themed event in Holland Park on 31st October with week-long trail and activities programme.
This October, High Street Kensington will once again claim its crown as London’s Home of Halloween, when the streets come alive with playful oddities, including googly eyes, twisted trees, curious characters and a crazily peculiar take-over of Holland Park.
Throughout half term week (24-31st October), visitors will be able to follow a mapped Halloween trail in and around the destination’s shops with the opportunity to take in some strange sights, workshops and treats. Then, on All Hallows’ Eve from 4-7pm, Holland Park will transform into the Playful Park of Peculiar, a theatrical playground filled with monochrome characters, surreal and spooky installations, interactive games and quirky entertainment.
Providing a ready-made backdrop for the perfect Halloween insta-shoot, behind its swirling gates, visitors will encounter proper other worldliness at the new and must-see event. There’s the chance to cast spells with a talking frog, take a spin on the Turntable Trick-or-Treat game and join the Day of the Dead inspired Skeleton Serenade parade – complete with a 9ft dancing skeleton puppet and magical mariachi band. Jugglers and magicians, glow-in-the-dark hula hooping, a mad bubble professor, plus songs and stories from Wolfman and his band, the Howling Stones – are just some of the madcap and macabre characters in twilight programme.
Beyond Holland Park, visitors can enjoy a Halloween themed dog parade, refuel with a delightfully spooky afternoon tea and experience the best trick or treating in town – with the destination’s houses famed for their legendary Halloween makeovers.
Halloween and half term happenings throughout the week include:
Trail, treats and workshops
Families following the Halloween trail around High Street Kensington will be treated with some spook-tacularly themed workshops and in-store events throughout the half term. With QR codes providing extra detail, highlights include: for booklovers, Waterstones is hosting a drawing workshop with fun and games on Tuesday 28th October at 11am with children’s author and illustrator Adam Stower (tickets £5). Then on Thursday 30th October at 6.30pm, teens can enjoy a Halloween inspired evening of YA Romantasy with authors Rosie Talbot, Ova Ceren, and Marisa Linton (tickets £5).Throughout the week, Cass Arts will have craft workshops, plus giveaways for those visiting in dress up and a special treat on all purchases. Other happenings include a Halloween make-up masterclass at Kiko-Milano, pumpkin decorating at Wholefoods with plenty of food samples and tastings too; some sticker-fun at Petit Bateau and face-painting at Trotters. For the full programme with timings and dates see www.highstreetkensington.co.uk/halloween/
Halloween themed afternoon tea and cocktails at The Milestone Hotel
The Milestone Hotel will be offering a Halloween themed children’s afternoon tea and a hauntingly good Halloween Cocktail for the adults this autumn. Available from 27th October to 2nd November, as well as traditional sandwiches, savouries and clotted cream and jam scones, the special children’s Halloween menu will feature a pumpkin spice & white chocolate blondie, dark chocolate & raspberry choux plus a candy apple macaron (£45pp). https://milestonehotel.com
Haunted at Sambourne House 31st October
At Sambourne House’s ‘Haunted’ event on All Hallows’ Eve, visitors can expect night of Victorian intrigue and drama. Dressed in Victorian costume, ‘Mrs Marion Sambourne’ will take visitors on a spooktacular after hours tour of the house regaling stories about society as well as the lives and secrets of the Sambournes. Adding to the atmosphere the event will feature a new soundscape experience in their eerie dining room. The house – the former home of Victorian illustrator and photographer Linley Sambourne and his family – offers a perfect peek into the fashionable Victorian ’House Beautiful’ style. Tickets cost £30 and include a welcome drink and an introductory film, with slots at 6pm for 6.30pm and 7pm for 7.30pm. www.rbkc.gov.uk/museums
Halloween at Leighton House 25th October
There will be a touch of the Victorian super-sleuth Sherlock Holmes adding to the Halloween goings-on at Leighton House, the former home of Victorian artist Frederic, Lord Leighton this half term. On 25th October, children and their adults will work together to discover who stole Leighton’s painting, in an actor-led interactive crime mystery puzzle. There are two bookable slots at 11:00am and 2.30pm with tickets £5pp including free museum entry for one accompanying adult.
Running in tandem, the exhibition Ghost Objects: Summoning Leighton’s Lost Collection (on until 1 March 2026) will feature striking life-size paper replicas of four original objects once owned by Leighton, reimagined by acclaimed artist Annemarieke Kloosterhof (who has worked on the Bridgerton television series as well as for Hermès, Bottega Veneta). For more information: https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/museums/100-years-leighton-house
The Great Kensington Dog Parade – 31st October
Kensington is set to go barking mad this Halloween as Independent design boutique Fable & Mirth hosts its inaugural Great Kensington Dog Parade. The paw-sitively delightful costume parade, will take place from 4.30pm within Holland Park’s Playful Park of Peculiar and will see four-legged fashionistas (and their humans) strut in spooky, silly and creative costumes, with proceeds going to Dogs Trust. For more information visit https://www.instagram.com/fableandmirth
Goth-inspired Vintage Flea Market on Saturday 25th October
Steering away from novelty costumes and cobweb bunting, the Big Kensington Vintage Flea will be reimagined for Halloween with a seasonal twist of gothic elegance.
On Saturday 25th October, London’s most stylish vintage street market returns with its signature line-up of mid-century furniture, fashion, homewares, art and design but with a darkly decadent edge (think grand candelabras, Victoriana gowns, black lace and moody florals). It’s perfect for those hunting a Halloween look that’s more Morticia Addams at a cocktail party than fancy dress. Alongside the curated vintage stalls, there will be pumpkin decorating, a musical performance, street food, hot chocolate and autumnal treats to ensure those browsing stay toasty, warm and entertained.
The market will take place on Phillimore Walk, W8 7RG (just off High Street Kensington and a two-minute walk from the Tube) from 10-4.30pm. For more information see: https://highstreetkensington.co.uk/
Hair-raising Halloween Discovery Days in Hyde Park 28-30th October
Quirky half-term fun for families will take place at Hyde Park’s Hair-raising Halloween Discovery Days (28-30th October from 11-3pm). Combining nature with spooky goings on, highlights include ‘feely boxes’ in the Witches’ Den, a nature trail, bat discovery sessions and ghostly stories throughout the day. The activities are free but must be pre-booked. For more information https://www.royalparks.org.uk/whats-on
Design Museum
Halloween in Kensington wouldn’t be complete without a dose of creativity from the team at the Design Museum. Throughout half term, there will be some family-friendly activities where children can conjure up their own curious creations, plus a smattering of other Halloween pop-ups (from staff dress-up, to themed café treats, some amazing carved pumpkins on display in and around the grounds, and spooky shopping opportunities). Open until 8pm on 31st October, visitors will also get the chance to see another type of costume at the special late night viewing of the museum’s latest exhibition, Blitz: the club that shaped the 80s. Running until March 2026, it tells the story of the famous 1980s club and scene that launched the music and theatrical look of the new romantics and beyond. For more information https://designmuseum.org/
Halloween for the Clubbers at Kensington’s New Gallery
Gallery, Kensington’s new late-night club is getting ready for Halloween with a costume contest, themed pre-parties leading up to and through the weekend of 31st October, and an unmissable DJ set they’ll be announcing soon. Located at 2a Kensington High Street, the 400-capacity hotspot has an edgy, East London vibe, complete with a 360° DJ booth, state-of-the-art sound and artistic performances. Tucked inside is a secret pizzeria, a Cuban bar and a hidden studio room for the curious. Open from Wednesday to Saturday, to see what’s on, DJ listings, and more information: https://www.galleryclublondon.com/ or @galleryclublondon
For more information about the full High Street Kensington Halloween programme visit www.highstreetkensington.co.uk/halloween/
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