Halloween lands on a Saturday this year, and Cambridge has responded by transforming from a city of quiet academia into a hub of spooky celebrations. The Junction is giving its whole building to a zombie festival, the National Trust estates are running their Halloween trails again, and there’s ghost punting on the Cam for anyone who thinks the college backs aren’t eerie enough already.
Here’s what Halloween events are on in and around the city this October, plus one event 40 minutes up the A14 that we’d argue is worth the drive. We would say that. It’s ours.
1. Top Local Halloween Activities for Adults in Cambridge
The city centre offers plenty of dark delights for those looking to celebrate without the kids. Grab your costumes and prepare for a sophisticated or entirely chaotic night out.
Zombie Fest 9 at Cambridge Junction
- The Experience: The biggest indoor Halloween event in East Anglia, and it takes over the entire Junction: six stages across J1, J2, J3 and the car park, with over 70 acts playing house, drum and bass, jungle, trance and 90s/00s classics. Fire breathers, stilt walkers and costume competitions between sets.
- Perfect for: Students, groups of friends, and anyone looking for a high-energy, guaranteed night of fun.
- Date: Saturday 31st October, 3pm – 11 pm, with a separate ticketed afterparty until 3 am.
- Price: from £25 plus fees. Early bird tickets already sold out.
Scaresville – The Haunted Village
(Approx. 55-minute drive from Cambridge)
Just a short trip into Suffolk, Scaresville at Kentwell Hall is Cambridgeshire’s nearest major adult-focused immersive horror experience. And regularly rated among the best in the country. A haunted village of woods, buildings and fields, patrolled by live actors who are very good at their jobs.
- The Experience: Renowned for its terrifying creativity, this is not for the faint-hearted. You will navigate a haunted village of woods and buildings, where highly trained actors deliver live, intense scares. It is consistently named one of the best haunted attractions in the UK.
- Perfect for: Adrenaline junkies and groups determined to find the scariest Halloween activity for adults outside of London.
- Dates: Selected nights from 15th – 31st October.
- Age Restriction: Strictly for older teenagers and adults.
Cambridge Ghost Hunts and Tours
Cambridge has centuries of material: plague pits, cursed scholars, and colleges that look haunted in broad daylight. Guided ghost walks run through October, and a couple of the punting companies do after-dark ghost trips under the college bridges. Operators publish their Halloween week dates through September, and the 31st goes first.
2. Family & Daytime Halloween Events in Cambridgeshire
Looking for thrills that are less terrifying and more traditional? These local options are perfect for half-term fun near Cambridge:
Trails at Anglesey Abbey and Wimpole
(20-30min drive from Cambridge)
The two reliable National Trust (NT) options. Anglesey Abbey runs a daytime Halloween trail with riddles through the gardens. Wimpole goes bigger with an illuminated evening trail: light installations, soundscapes and street food. Both use timed slots and both fill up, so book rather than turn up.
- Dates: both estates run through late October and half term. 2026 dates are yet to be announced; check each estate’s Halloween page (Anglesey Abbey, Wimpole). Last year Wimpole’s trail ran 23 October to 2 November.
- From Cambridge: Anglesey Abbey is 6 miles east, about 20 minutes. Wimpole is 11 miles south-west, about 30 minutes.
- Price: Anglesey Abbey’s trail is a small charge on top of normal admission (free entry for NT members). Wimpole’s illuminated trail is separately ticketed — prices not yet published.
Pumpkin picking at Milton Maze
(Cambridge City Centre)
The closest patch to the city. Pre-booked tickets only, on selected October weekends and then daily through half term.
- Dates: selected weekends from early October, then daily over half term. Book ahead on their site, no walk-ups allowed.
- From Cambridge: 4 miles north, 10–15 minutes by car, just off the A10.
- Price: £9.95 entry, with under-2s going free. The pumpkins are priced by size.
The Halloween Express at Audley End Miniature Railway
(About 35mins from Cambridge)
A themed train ride through the woods near Saffron Walden, aimed at younger children. Gentle by design: trackside scenes, the Pumpkin Queen, potion-making and a pumpkin village at the end of the line.
- Dates: 17–18 October, then 24 October to 1 November 2026. Booking essential; no tickets on the day.
- Price: £19.25–£20.75 for adults and children over 92cm, £9.63–£10.38 for children under 92cm, under-1s free.
Local museum Halloween Events
(Cambridge City Centre)
The Museum of Zoology runs its free Fearsome Family Fun day with a spider corner and animal handling. The Museum of Cambridge, a 17th-century coaching inn with its own resident ghost stories, does trails and crafts through half term.
3. The Ultimate Action Destination: Planet Laser’s Halloween Spooktacular
If you are looking to make a thrilling day trip, just a 35-45 minute drive (or a short, direct train ride) along the A14 towards Suffolk lies a destination worthy of the travel: the Planet Laser Halloween Spooktacular in Bury St Edmunds.
As home to one of the UK’s largest multi-level laser tag arenas, this is the ultimate gaming experience fused with pure Halloween horror.
- Why It’s Worth the Trip from Cambridge:
- The Arena: An immense, multi-storey 6,000 sq ft arena, far beyond your typical local tag venue.
- The Transformation: The entire labyrinth is overhauled with terrifying decorations, haunting music, and special spooky lighting effects for the Spooktacular and scare actors.
- A True Adult Activity: Fancy dress encouraged, prizes for the best costumes. £22 a head with food (scaredogs, chips and two drinks, cocktails and mocktails included), or £18 without. We cap it at two groups so there’s room to actually play. It’s an unforgettable Halloween activity for adults that’s worth the short journey.
Key Details:
- When: Saturday 31 October 2026, 7 pm–10 pm.
- Where: Planet Laser, Western Way, Bury St Edmunds IP33 3SP. About 40 minutes from Cambridge by car.