Halloween events Edinburgh 2020: best spooky activities, screenings and parties taking place in Scotland’s capital

Plenty of events in Edinburgh this Halloween

Halloween may be a little quieter than normal in 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic continues to affect socialising, but there are still plenty of opportunities to embrace the spooky season this October.

Although some events have been cancelled due to Covid-19, Edinburgh has plenty of opportunities for celebrating Halloween. Here’s everything you need to know about what’s on in the city during October.

Where’s Wally? Spooky Museum Search

A family-friendly opportunity to explore the National Museum of Scotland like never before, as you search for Wally around the corridors packed full of history and spooky secrets.

Pick up an activity sheet and find Wally hidden around the museum. Spell out a spooky phrase with the letters alongside Wally and receive a special “I found Wally!” bookmark.

You also have the chance to enter the Where’s Wally? and Kids in Museums grand prize draw competition to win an ArtFund Family Membership and a bundle of Where’s Wally? Goodies.

The event will be tailored within the museum to comply with their social distancing measures.

It is running from 16 October to 1 November, between 10:30am and 4:30pm.

The event is free but requires pre-booking. You can book tickets on the National Museum of Scotland website.

Conifox Halloween Spooktacular

Follow the spooky trail around the Conifox Adventure Park in Kirkliston, and get creative while you carve your own pumpkin.

This event is perfect for families looking to escape the house for a few hours. All kids will receive a goodie bag filled to the brim with Halloween treasures.

To keep visitors safe, tickets are currently only available to pre-book and some attractions will be closed at certain times throughout the day for deep cleaning.

Tickets cost £2 per child, plus park entry. Tickets can be purchased via the event’s Facebook page.

The event runs from 17 October to 1 November, between 10am and 5pm.

Nerf Zombie Wars

Also at Conifox Adventure Park, zombies are taking over. Join in the ghoulish outdoor Nerf war, where you’ll have 30 minutes to play Halloween games, dodge firing darts and battle against other teams for ultimate victory.

Come dressed up in your scariest Halloween costume and the best dressed will win a free pumpkin and goodie bag.

The event is aimed at children aged six or over, but under 12, so social distancing rules can be followed. All Zombie Wars will take place in an outdoor Covid-19 safe environment. There will be plenty of space for parents to watch and even enjoy a coffee or a spot of lunch whilst they wait.

Limited spaces are available on 24 and 25 October, as well as 31 October and 1 November. There are six time slots per day, from 11am to 3pm. Blasters and darts are provided - kids do not need to bring their own.

Tickets cost £5 per child. Park entry is not included. Tickets are available from the event website here.

EIFF and Unique Events present: Drive In Movies

A chance to watch some of your favourite Halloween classics on the big screen as the Edinburgh International Film Festival and Unique Events present a special edition of Drive In Cinema.

The Halloween special is running from 29 October to 1 November, and features a packed programme of classic films, including Ghostbusters, The Lost Boys, Jaws, Halloween and much more.

There will also be an interactive quiz and prizes for the spookiest Halloween costumes, along with fright-filled singalongs before the films start.

Price per car entry is £33. Tickets are available from the event website here

The Bloody History of Surgery: Online Workshop for Adults

If you can’t get out of your house this spooky season, there are some online events to keep you entertained.

You can join Surgeons’ Hall Museum for some hands-on learning via an online Zoom workshop.

On Halloween itself, Museums Learning Officer, Carl Ronan, will guide you through the bloody history of surgery in this adults-only workshop. You’ll learn about the procedures performed by surgeons in the past, including amputations without pain relief.

You’ll then get hands-on with an experiment to turn red cabbage into a chemical indicator. You don’t need prior knowledge of chemistry to try your hand with this kitchen science.

Tickets cost between £9 and £12, and the event runs from 2pm to 3pm on 31 October. Tickets can be purchased from the events website here