Southend's October half term is 26 to 30 October 2026. Seafront fireworks on both Saturdays, a circus in Chalkwell Park, pumpkin patches and Halloween events.
October half term in Southend runs from Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026 for schools on the council’s calendar, with the weekends either side making it nine days off. Children go back on Monday 2 November.
It is a busy week locally. There are seafront fireworks on both Saturdays, a circus in Chalkwell Park, Halloween at Adventure Island, pumpkin patches, and cheap workshops in Leigh.
The quick answer
- Half term: Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026, back to school Monday 2 November.
- Seafront fireworks at 7:30pm on Saturday 24 and Saturday 31 October, free, from a barge east of the pier.
- The Southend Halloween Parade is on Saturday 31 October, 6pm to 7:45pm, on Eastern Esplanade.
Check your school’s dates first
The dates above come from Southend-on-Sea City Council’s term dates page and apply to its community schools. Most academies and grammars match them, but not all.
Westcliff High School for Boys, for example, has a staff day on Monday 2 November, so its pupils go back on Tuesday 3 November (WHSB). Our Southend school term dates page compares the big schools.
What’s on in Southend over half term
Every entry below is from the organiser’s own listing the city’s official Visit Southend half term guide, or the council’s autumn events list, checked on 24 September 2026. Book ahead where the organiser asks you to.
| Date | Event | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 31 October | Scott's Pumpkin Patch | Scott's of Southend, Rochford | See organiser |
| 23 October to 1 November | The Revel Puck Circus | Chalkwell Park | Adults from £12.50 |
| 23 to 30 October | Scott's Family Halloween Party | Scott's of Southend, Rochford | £15 adults and children |
| 23 October to 1 November | Southend Food and Drink Festival | High Street venues | Free to attend |
| 24 October to 1 November | Halloween Fright Fantastic | Adventure Island | See organiser |
| Saturday 24 October | Seafront fireworks, 7:30pm | Southend seafront | Free |
| 24 and 25 October | Pumpkin patch and petting farm, 11am to 4pm | Prittlewell Priory | Under-3s free |
| 26 October to 1 November | Halloween adventure golf | Garon Castle Adventures | £10 child, £12 adult |
| Monday 26 October | Halloween cupcake workshop | Leigh Community Centre | £6 per child |
| Wednesday 28 October | Children's Halloween party, 1pm to 3pm | Leigh Community Centre | £6 per child |
| Wednesday 28 October | Spooky Animal Encounters, 7pm to 8:30pm | Belfairs Nature Discovery Centre | £10 per person |
| Thursday 29 October | Halloween Lego pop-up, 10am to noon | Grumpy's Diner, Southchurch Road | See organiser |
| Friday 30 October | Halloween lantern workshop | Leigh Community Centre | £6 per child |
| Saturday 31 October | Southend Halloween Parade, 6pm to 7:45pm, then fireworks at 7:30pm | Eastern Esplanade and seafront | Free |
Southend Food and Drink Festival
Southend-on-Sea City Council lists a Food and Drink Festival across the city centre from 23 October to 1 November, with special menus and offers at participating High Street venues. It is free to attend (council news, 24 September 2026).
Seafront fireworks on both Saturdays
The Southend City Fireworks run on Saturday nights through the autumn and are in their 30th year. The two in half term are on Saturday 24 October and Saturday 31 October at 7:30pm. They are launched from a barge in the estuary just east of Southend Pier, so you can watch from anywhere between Sea-Life Adventure and the Genting Casino. Displays can be cancelled in bad weather (Visit Southend, 24 October; 31 October).
The ticketed Round Table display at Shoebury East Beach is the week after, on Saturday 7 November. Our Southend fireworks page has the details.
The Revel Puck Circus in Chalkwell Park
The East London circus company brings its Edinburgh Fringe show, The Wing-Scuffle Spectacular, to its big top in Chalkwell Park from Friday 23 October to Sunday 1 November. The organiser prices adult tickets from £12.50, and says 10% of all tickets are kept at £3 for low-income families, no questions asked (Revel Puck Circus). The show runs about 100 minutes including an interval (Visit Southend listing).
Halloween at Adventure Island
Halloween Fright Fantastic runs from Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November, with trick-or-treating, a treasure hunt, free face painting and a best-dressed competition, and the rides open (Adventure Island). Check the park’s opening times calendar for each day’s hours before you go.
Pumpkin patches
- Prittlewell Priory, Victoria Avenue, on 24 and 25 October, 11am to 4pm: a pumpkin patch on the lawn with a visiting petting zoo from Stanton’s Farm, face painting, crafts and a trail. Adult and child tickets, under-3s free (Visit Southend; tickets on Eventbrite).
- Scott’s of Southend, Sutton Road, just over the boundary in Rochford: the pumpkin patch, barn and maize maze are open daily through October, 10am to 5pm (Visit Southend). Its evening Family Halloween Party runs from 23 to 30 October in 90-minute sessions at £15 for adults and children, with babies in arms free (Scott’s of Southend).
Garon Castle adventure golf
Garon Castle Adventures in Garon Park dresses its course for Halloween from Monday 26 October to Sunday 1 November, at £10 per child, £12 per adult or £34 for a family of four (Garon Castle Adventures).
Cheaper workshops in Leigh and Southchurch
The Ironworks runs three £6 fundraiser sessions at Leigh Community Centre, all bookable on TicketSource: a cupcake workshop on Monday 26 October (10:30 or 11:30), a children’s Halloween party on Wednesday 28 October from 1pm to 3pm (adults free), and a lantern workshop on Friday 30 October (10:30 or 11:30).
Essex Wildlife Trust’s Spooky Animal Encounters at Belfairs Nature Discovery Centre is on Wednesday 28 October, 7pm to 8:30pm, at £10 per person. Book at the centre or on 01702 477467 (Visit Southend listing).
Grumpy’s Diner on Southchurch Road has a Halloween Lego pop-up on Thursday 29 October, 10am to noon (Visit Southend listing).
The Halloween Parade
The Southend Halloween Parade is in its sixth year and, for the first time, falls on Halloween night itself: Saturday 31 October, 6pm to 7:45pm, on Eastern Esplanade, with street performers, live music and illuminated displays (Visit Southend; organiser). The seafront fireworks follow at 7:30pm.
Getting there
Our parking in Southend page has the car park charges, and Southend roadworks and travel lists closures that week.
Still to be confirmed
Prices for the Adventure Island Halloween week, the Prittlewell pumpkin patch and the Lego pop-up are on the organisers’ booking pages rather than their listings. We will add more events as organisers publish them in October.
Last checked 24 September 2026.
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