Bucks &amp; Oxon

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scary-stately-homes">SCARY STATELY HOMES</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/10/Waddesdon_Halloween_Afternoon_tea-1000x667.jpg" alt="Waddesdon Manor Halloween Afternoon Tea" class="wp-image-172920" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/10/Waddesdon_Halloween_Afternoon_tea-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/10/Waddesdon_Halloween_Afternoon_tea-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/10/Waddesdon_Halloween_Afternoon_tea-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/10/Waddesdon_Halloween_Afternoon_tea.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Your kids can meet creepy critters at <a href="https://waddesdon.org.uk/whats-on/zoolab/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Waddesdon Manor </a>(Sat 19, Sun 20, Sat 26 &amp; Sun 27 Oct) as part of the Zoolab&#8217;s series of Autumn events as they get up close and personal with snakes, tarantulas and lizards and learn how they really were used in potions and cauldrons. For the peckish, there&#8217;s a <a href="https://waddesdon.org.uk/whats-on/spooky-afternoon-teas/?tduid=Cj0KCQjwu-63BhC9ARIsAMMTLXQZ5_Irbq0c6Zqv1vVBp7tn916o-OEkW8Jtu0fPyRhYR3yjxds7ppkaAmYmEALw_wcB_deviceid&amp;balocal=20363&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwu-63BhC9ARIsAMMTLXQZ5_Irbq0c6Zqv1vVBp7tn916o-OEkW8Jtu0fPyRhYR3yjxds7ppkaAmYmEALw_wcB&amp;progId=335720&amp;affId=653270&amp;utm_source=tradedoubler&amp;utm_medium=affiliate&amp;utm_campaign=Bargainarena" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Halloween-themed afternoon tea</a> at the manor too (Sat 26 &amp; Sun 27 Oct). <a href="https://www.blenheimpalace.com/whats-on/events/halloween-at-blenheim-palace.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Blenheim Palace</a> is in on the act too, of course, with getting the most out of the palace&#8217;s fabulous grounds with a spooky trail (Fri 25 Oct &#8211; Sun 3 Nov) and its own afternoon tea. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-demon-days-out">DEMON DAYS OUT</h2>



All aboard the Bucks Railway Centre&#8217;s <a href="https://bucksrailcentre.org/whats-on/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Halloween Spooktacular</a> on 26-27 Oct. Beloved of Bucks little ones year-round, BRC Halloween programme includes an interactive performance of Little Red Riding Hood, a steam train ride with Frankenstein, a ghost hunt and Halloween games for prizes, all for £10.50 per child and £14.50 per parent. Across at Chinnor, Oxfordshire there&#8217;s the <a href="https://www.chinnorrailway.co.uk/product.php/378/easter-with-kids-for-a-quid-3-15-years-just-1/5d6b15ab5ddadd6848e4d07cc64f0739" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hallowe’en Spooks &amp; Ghouls at Chinnor Railways</a> &#8211; ghouls on board, but with a promise of it not being too scary for little ones. At £1 travel for children you can take a punt on it! 







<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/10/Scarecrow_Competition_Walled_Garden-1000x667.jpg" alt="Scarecrow Competition West Wycombe Walled Garden" class="wp-image-172918" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/10/Scarecrow_Competition_Walled_Garden-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/10/Scarecrow_Competition_Walled_Garden-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/10/Scarecrow_Competition_Walled_Garden-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/10/Scarecrow_Competition_Walled_Garden.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Over in West Wycombe, the Walled Garden&#8217;s annual <a href="https://www.westwycombewalledgarden.com/ticketed-events/scarecrow-competition-c5f76" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">scarecrow competition</a> is back on, and the winning scarecrow will carry off a bottle of 100 Hills Sparkling Wine, family entry to Clara&#8217;s Corner and a free lunch at the charming Walled Garden Café. There&#8217;s also <a href="https://www.westwycombewalledgarden.com/ticketed-events/pumpkin-picking" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pumpkin picking</a> from 17 Oct to 31 Oct, and a make-your-own Halloween cat-and-moon hanger workshop.



The Hogshaw Farm and Wildlife Centre in MK becomes the <a href="https://hogshawfarm.co.uk/events/halloween-day-out-wizard-school/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hogshaw School of Witchcraft and Wizardry</a> around this time of year (Sat 26 Oct &#8211; Fri 1 Nov). Kids follow the Herbology Tutor through the Wizarding Walled Garden to find out their wizard house before coming face to face with their potential peculiars to decide which curious creature they connect with. The Owlery will be putting on magical owl shows and the day finishes up with potion-making pumpkin selection and decoration.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-arts-amp-culture">ARTS &amp; CULTURE</h2>



The Twits have long been acknowledged as a horror couple, and on Wed 30 Oct children and their families can <a href="https://www.roalddahlmuseum.org/event/twilight-tricks-halloween-special/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stay late at the museum</a> for a range of activities about the beardy weirdies, including the &#8216;Twit or Treat&#8217; scavenger hunt down the high street, and mischievous mask-making. Meanwhile in South Buckinghamshire The Chiltern Open Air Museum <a href="https://www.coam.org.uk/events/halloween-spectacular">Halloween Spectacular</a> is back on Fri 1 Nov from 5pm to 9pm with its famous mega-bonfire, perfect for marshmallows and ghoulish tales. The buildings will get a malevolent makeover for the occasion and there&#8217;s word of a fire performance too.



There&#8217;s a theatrical thrill on offer with Creation Theatre&#8217;s weekend of <a href="https://creationtheatre.co.uk/show/evenstranger/">Ghost Stories</a>, from Fri 25 to Sun 27 Oct. Samuel Taylor Coleridge&#8217;s Rime of the Ancient Mariner is performed by this fabulous Oxford-based theatre company. Meanwhile across at Science Oxford, there&#8217;s a chance for kids to learn about <a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/nature-club-brilliant-bats-tickets-990292500527?aff=ebdssbdestsearch&amp;_gl=1*1hd2sup*_up*MQ..*_ga*NzQ1ODIxNjI3LjE3Mjc3NzQ1MTI.*_ga_TQVES5V6SH*MTcyNzc3NDUxMi4xLjAuMTcyNzc3NDUxMi4wLjAuMA.." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brilliant Bats</a> on Sat 26 Oct.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-halloween-for-grown-ups">HALLOWEEN FOR GROWN-UPS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="660" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/10/Story_Museum_Oxford-1000x660.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-172928" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/10/Story_Museum_Oxford-1000x660.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/10/Story_Museum_Oxford-800x528.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/10/Story_Museum_Oxford-400x264.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/10/Story_Museum_Oxford.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



I&#8217;m a big fan of <a href="https://www.storymuseum.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Story Museum</a> in Oxford &#8211; highly creative, it&#8217;s designed primarily for families but it&#8217;s also offering a <a href="https://www.storymuseum.org.uk/whats-on/halloween-late-for-grown-ups" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Halloween Late for Adults</a> on the 31 Oct with story-telling, short talks on how ghosts connect different cultures, and silent horror films shown including The Cabinet of Dr Caligari and Nosferatu with live, improvised accompaniment from violinist Mike Simmonds (Nick Cave, Bonobo, Quantic). 



Bucks Railway Centre in Quainton, North Bucks, is doing its bit for fully-grown phantoms at <a href="https://bucksrailcentre.org/events/night-fright/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fright Night</a>. with live music from Petit Rouge, tarot card readings and a horror tour, The Stationmaster&#8217;s Revenge, a spooky tale played out all around you by professional actors. My idea of hell, but maybe that&#8217;s the point.



Still in Buckinghamshire, The Crazy Bear&#8217;s<a href="https://crazybear-events.giftvouchersolutions.com/events/friday-25th-vampire-ball/"> Vampire Ball</a> in Stadhampton (Fri 25 &amp; Sat 26 Oct) is glam and quite possibly debauched (here&#8217;s hoping), offering a three course dinner plus an evening of cabaret-style entertainment for £79.

Spooky Halloween activities: they’re frightfully good

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