People looking for Halloween hijinks in Lincoln and beyond can fill their diaries with a host of spooky events this year.
For those who dare, the following list of haunted activities should offer something for all the family to enjoy:
Waddington Zombie Apocalypse
Brave enough to survive a zombie apocalypse?
Where: Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue training facility, Waddington When: October 31, 6pm – 9.30pm start times Price: £20 to register
A former Ministry of Defence site used as a fire training facility is to be transformed on Halloween into the scene of a zombie apocalypse.
Teams of six and individuals are being challenged to put their bravery to the test and take on an assault course at the site on the A15 opposite RAF Waddington.
Competitors will be taken to the atmospheric site by minibus before facing the invasion, which has been described as “like Crystal Maze but with zombies.”
For more information and to book your place, email [email protected].
Lincoln Ghost Bus Tour
The Lincoln ghost bus
Where: Departs from Lincoln Cathedral When: October 24, 6pm-7pm Price: £6 per person, no concessions
Up for a hair-raising ride around Lincoln? Then hop aboard the Lincoln Ghost Tour Bus with a local ghost expert.
A sister event to the city’s popular ghost walk, the bus will guide guests around the city’s most haunted addresses.
Seats will be allocated on a first come first served basis and yours last around 50 minutes.
Could you explore Lincoln Castle’s dungeons and dark holes?
Where: Lincoln Castle When: Tuesday, October 27 – Thursday, October 29 Suitable for: Ages 6-11 Price: £8 per child per session
Dress up like a prisoner, taste grizzly gruel, enter a dark cell and test out your bravery with an inside look at how prisoners were kept at Lincoln Castle through the ages.
Includes crafts activities you may wish to take home.
Sessions run 10am – 12pm & 1.30pm – 3.30pm Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Booking is essential.
Injured by a speeding car, poor Sparky is restored to health by Victor in the only way he knows how.
Where: The Venue, Langdales Road, Lincoln When: Saturday, October 31 – 2.30pm Price: £4
In 1984, just prior to his first feature, Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, Tim Burton made a short film about young Victor, his homemade horror movies and his dog Sparky.
Twenty-eight years on, Burton has resurrected it as a full-length animation, voiced by Charlie Tahan as Victor, along with suitably horrific luminaries Martin Landau, Christopher Lee, and Burton regular Winona Ryder.
Injured by a speeding car, poor Sparky is restored to health by Victor in the only way he knows how. But now sporting a bolt through his neck, the dog has mutated into a right little monster, and Victor has his work cut out to convince his terrified neighbours that Sparky means them no harm.
Halloween in Lincoln 2013. Photo: Flickr DeusXFlorida
Where: Doddington Hall, LN6 4RU When: October 24 to October 31 Price: £9 – £13
Join the team at Doddington for a haunted walk around the eerie grounds, with spectacular activities including apple bobbing, face painting and a main ring show.
Walking groups run at 5:30pm, 6pm, 7:30pm or 8pm on each day from Wednesday 28 to Saturday, October 31.
Tickets include a hot dog/burger, a drink and a spooky shortbread biscuit. Doddington Hall’s staff will be in costume so get into the spirit and join in!
Don’t forget you can also visit Doddington to pick your own pumpkin between 10am and 3pm until October 31.
Halloween Disco and Roller Disco
Photo: Fotolia
Where: Lincoln Fun Farm, Stephenson Road, North Hykeham When: Disco on Wednesday, October 28 – 6.30pm to 8.30pm. Roller Disco Friday, October 30 6pm to 8.30pm Price: £6.99 per child
Plenty of Halloween fun for all with a fancy dress competition, part games and lots of prizes. Food and drink is available to purchase throughout.
Limited tickets available at reception, or by calling 10522 695553.
Haunted Museum Family Fun Days
Lincoln Book Festival at The Collection Museum
Where: The Collection, Danes Terrace, Lincoln When: Tuesday, October 27 – Saturday, October 31 Price: Free with optional £1 activities
Take a spooky trip around the haunted museum! There will be lots of spooky family activities, including crafts, story-time and a free family film.
Then on Saturday 31 October, join in the Halloween celebrations as the popular Museums at Night event returns.
The Collection will remain open until 7pm. From 3pm you can take part in spine-tingling activities, have your face painted and enjoy a free Halloween family film. Entry is free, although there is again a £1 charge for the craft activities.
Spooky Happenings at Hartsholme
Hartsholme Park in Lincoln. Photo: Richard Croft
Where: Hartsholme Country Park, Lincoln When: Thursday October 27 to Saturday, October 31 – 12 noon to 3pm Price: £2.50 – £3.50
Trick or Treat? Hartsholme Country Park is offering you and your little ones the chance to take part in a series of spooky events for Halloween.
Taking place each day from Tuesday, October 27 until Saturday, October 31, the creepy Halloween Trail will lead you through the woods and to a delicious treat – if you make it!
The event will run from 12pm to 3pm, with a cost of £2.50.
Join the rangers to create your own spooky Halloween mask, which you can then take home with you in time for trick-or-treating. Mask Making will take place on Wednesday, October 28 from 1pm to 3pm.
There will be a cost of £3.50 for this event.
For more information or to book your place call the park rangers at Hartsholme Country Park on 01522 873735 or email [email protected]
Haunted Lincolnshire Libraries
Where: Lincolnshire libraries When: October 22 to October 31 Price: Free
Lincolnshire’s libraries will be home to some ghoulish goings on this Halloween, with a number of special activities for young people to sink their teeth into.
Join in the spooktacular events at Skegness Library on Thursday 22 October from 4-5pm, and on Thursday 29 October also from 4-5pm, with a number of free art and craft activities on offer for visitors including creating beastly bats and horrid Halloween heads.
On Saturday 31 October, Lincoln Central Library will also be joining in the Halloween spirit with a morning of creepy crafts, tricks and treats from 10am-1pm.
The events are suitable for children 5-11 years old but children under 10 must be accompanied by an adult.
Booking is advisable as places are limited. You can reserve your space either at the library or by calling the library service on 01522 782010.
Mask Making
Where: Hartsholme County Park, Lincoln When: Wednesday, October 28 1pm – 3pm Price: Free
Join the Hartsholme Country Park Rangers and make a mask. Call the park rangers to book on 01522 873577.
Hosting a Halloween event that’s not been included? Get in touch via [email protected].
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The 2024 Lincolnshire Business Excellence Awards are now open for nominations, seeking to spotlight outstanding businesses within the Greater Lincolnshire area.
Hosted by Stonebow Media, the publisher behind The Lincolnite and the MyLocal platform, this prestigious event is designed to honour the achievements of the regional business community.
Thanks to the headline sponsorship from the University of Lincoln Enterprise & Research department, the Lincolnshire Business Excellence Awards are a unique opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of local enterprises.
The awards are also sponsored by Ringrose Law, Duncan & Toplis, Sills & Betteridge and Pearson Hydraulics. A small number of sponsorship opportunities remain available. Contact [email protected] to discuss partnerships.
Businesses can nominate themselves across eleven awards categories:
The deadline for nominations is May 24, with the judges’ deliberation lunch set for May 29.The judging panel includes business experts and professionals from Lincolnshire and event sponsors.
The Lincolnshire Business Excellence Awards 2024 gala will take place at the Engine Shed on July 12, 2024.
Enhance profile & credibility: Securing an award or being shortlisted acts as a powerful endorsement, signaling trustworthiness to potential customers and helping to distinguish your business from competitors. Displaying the award on your communications can significantly boost your brand’s perception.
Insightful focus & feedback: The application process encourages deep reflection on your business strategy and direction, offering invaluable feedback and clarity, even for new ventures.
Team confidence boost: Recognition from the awards can significantly uplift your team’s morale, affirming the value and potential of your business in the eyes of industry experts.
Marketing & PR boost: Being associated with the awards, even as a nominee, can enhance brand visibility, providing ample content opportunities for social media and other marketing channels.
Networking opportunities: The awards connect you with local business leaders and experts, offering a platform to seek advice, share ideas, and foster future partnerships. The ceremony itself is an excellent occasion for networking with peers and celebrating mutual successes.
Potential to win: Entering offers a chance to win and gain all the associated benefits, but even without taking home a trophy, the process can yield significant advantages for your business.
A Lady Gaga loving kitten owned by a couple who run a charity for disabled pets featured on Channel 5’s The Pet Psychic.
Pet Psychic Beth Lee-Crowther comes to the aid of pet owners and in Tuesday night’s episode she met Cookie the kitten, a depressed camel, and looked at whether a dog can predict the future.