Halloween is NOT cancelled!

Don’t panic! Halloween is not cancelled… well at least not in York. Despite popular belief, COVID-19 will not break our spooky spirit. Grab your witches hat or clown wig, and do the monster mash into October – or maybe you’ve already done the mash in September and are well into that Halloween spirit. If that is you – no judgment here. This is a safe space. *sips my pumpkin spice latte*
Now, grab a spicy beverage and get ready to soak up all of the Halloweeny goodness I am about to bestow on you…

All dressed up with no place to go

I know what you’re thinking… what’s the point in getting all dressed up in Halloween attire when I can’t even go to a party?! Well, in my opinion, you don’t need a party to show off your best costume, and let’s be frank, you’ve probably been planning it for the past year. Don’t lie.

You can still dress up for your Halloween extravaganza, even if that entails sitting at home with a witches brew. You could even invite one other household round – at a safe distance of course – and have a bit of a party… but remember not to exceed the six-person rule!

Places to get in costume:

Whether you want to pretend to be something scary or someone iconic, Festival of Fun will sort you out. This local shop has every costume you could possibly want, so you can impress all of your (five) friends… at a distance… in an outdoor space. You might be like me and only have five friends, and then it’s not an issue (R.I.P my social life).

If you’re after something a bit more out of the box, why not try Bowler and Betty – an independent vintage clothing shop, which sells true vintage and inspired vintage outfits. Spend your night as Daisy from The Great Gatsby, or if Danny from Grease is more up your street, this stunning retro shop is the place for you! An authentic array of costumes.

Places to get spooked:

On the topic of places to shop, let’s seamlessly move on to places to go. Yes, there are still event options, believe it or not! York never fails to bring us something spooky, even when it’s not Hallow’s Eve.

As you all probably know, York has a rich history of horror and spookiness, so it doesn’t really come as a surprise that there are many haunted tours around and attractions. York Dungeon‘s is open now and serving scary goodness as usual… the only difference being: you MUST book in advance, and you MUST wear a mask. But don’t worry – it will still be just as scary! Probably scarier if everyone’s in masks… (by masks I don’t mean Halloween ones – sorry.)

In terms of tours… a great one to get you in the ghostly mood is Mad Alice – a figure of local folklore who reportedly died in 1925. Spooked out already?
Follow Alice around York as she tells you the gory stories of the city. In costume. So, maybe you could also wear your amazing Halloween costumes on the tour? Just an idea.

Something similar, and a bit familiar, is the Ghosts, Witches and Dark Tales event. Spooky stories told by Helen Sant at The Trafalgar Bay Pub, famous for being the first to do a ghost tour in York! A perfect Halloween treat for those spook-seekers out there, and you get to enjoy a pint (or a non-alcoholic alternative) – even better!

Also, don’t forget the freaky Hallowtween event at York Maze – this is sure to get you screaming behind your mask! More on this here.

Places to eat pumpkin pie & all things spice:

I put a spell on you, and now you’re… hungry? If so, at the witching hour (not really but you get the reference), head to The Cat’s Whiskers Cat Cafe or Sandwitches. Yes, you heard right – sandWITCHES. You don’t need me to tell you that this is the ideal spooky place to have a festive feast.

Witches, you can find yourself a Salem to your Sabrina at the Cat Cafe in York. Be surrounded by your feline friends whilst you enjoy a nice cauldron of coffee and a slice of pie.

If cats aren’t your thing, but you still wanna’ go somewhere witchy – Sandwitches is the one for you. Renowned for its film and tv themed sandwiches… obviously.

As well as these spooky places, there are many, many other cafes, coffee shops, and restaurants around York that will probably serve some ghostly delights. Anywhere that sells pumpkin-spice syrup counts as a Halloween themed cafe, right?

Halloween is not dead yet…

Feeling more optimistic about Halloween now? I thought so! Once you start digging (a grave?) around for spooky activities to do, you realise how many there are! And there are definitely more than the list I’ve provided here. Head on over to our events page to keep up to date with all the spooktacular happenings taking place in York, we update it daily!

Get your pumpkins in order, grab an cinnamon apple martini, and book onto these gruesome events. Happy Halloween!