Love Basingstoke Presents returns this October half term with five days of free spooktacular fun across the Top of the Town from Monday 28 to Friday 1 November, between 11am and 3pm.

All activities are free, most activities you can just turn up to enjoy, but some do require pre-booking (see links below).

Monday 28 October 2024

Head into town as we kick off our week of FREE Halloween fun! In Market Place, test your aim with our Fightfully Fun Fling Fest and see if you can get the ghost back in its grave or throw your axe at the target.

At Cross Street, drop in and create spooky builds with The Brick People Lego workshop. There is the chance to make a monster stress ball, a Halloween mask and a lantern, just pop along and join in. Also enjoy free face painting with Routine Riots.  

For the younger ones Pop-Up Play Make-believe will be at Cross Street, with a Witches' supermarket role-play along with a pumpkin themed sensory play and stick whittling to make magic wands!

Keep your eyes peeled to witness a spooky range of comic buffoonery with The (Miss) Fortune Sisters, who will be doing walkabouts at The Top of Town at 11am, 12.30pm and 2pm. 

Tuesday 29 October 2024

For an exciting adventure head to Market Place for a caving experience. Explorers will wear a torch and helmet to aid them as they enter the two-tier tunnel system. Children must be able to climb in unaccompanied to take part.

Keep your eyes out for select spooky characters walking about at The Top of Town at 11am, 12:30pm and 2pm. 

At Cross Street, there is the chance to paint your own pottery with a Pots2Paint 1 hour ceramic painting workshop. Your fantastic new creation will be taken away to be fired and collected at a later date. Prebooking is essential for this workshop. - 

11am - Pre-booking required - FULLY BOOKED
12.30pm - Pre-booking required - FULLY BOOKED
2pm - Pre-booking required - FULLY BOOKED

If your little one loves getting messy, join in with a Slime Workshop, which will take place every 30 minutes. Pre-booking is essential due to popular demand. Book your Slime Workshop place here.  - FULLY BOOKED 

For arts and craft lovers, there will be the chance to decorate your own unique hessian Halloween treat bag, with Lizzie. You will be able to add a themed picture to your new bag, such as a cat or bat. It will be available from 11am to 3pm, at Cross Street. 

Wednesday 30 October 2024

Get enrolled at the 'Whispering Willows, School of Enchantment', the town's premier institution for witches and wizards of all ages in London Street!  Enjoy wondrous disciplines, from spell casting and wizarding PE. classes starting at 11am, 12pm and 2pm, and lasting approximately 35 minutes.

Wizards and witches can prepare for The School for Witches and Wizards, with Louise Hight, by making their very own wand and hat to take home!

Halloween isn’t complete without a potion! Head along to Cross Street and get ready to explore your creativity to make your own a magical, fizzing potion to empty into your next bath.

Drop in and join local artist Junk Jodie for some fun free Halloween crafts at Cross Street. 

Thursday 31 October 2024

Calling all Dinosaur lovers! Thursday will bring the exciting Dino Dome Experience! See Dinosaurs come alive in the amazing immersive Dino Dome at Market Place. There will also be six giant Dinosaurs rampaging through the Top of the Town. 

Keen treasure hunters can pick up a trail map for the BVA Pumpkin Trail from The Orchard and find the hidden pumpkins in the War Memorial Park. Explorers can then return for a special treat! 

Friday 1 November 2024

Don’t miss out on a jam-packed last day of spooky fun!

Be enticed by a spooky tale with Jack O’Lantern at The War Memorial Park. Jack will be telling his story every 30 minutes until 4pm, with a short break between 12pm and 2pm.  

For older children the Gaming Van will be parked at Market Place, allowing gaming-lovers to indulge in popular video games such as Fortnite, Minecraft, Rocket League, Call of Duty and FIFA!

Have some ‘fang’tasic fun and play an exciting game of Laser Tag in a pop-up Laser Tag maze at The War Memorial Park.

Join in with Diwali celebrations and decorate your own FREE Diwali scarf with Junk Jodie at Cross Street.

If you are looking for other ideas to keep your little ones or not so little ones entertained then see our ‘fang-tastic’ guide to what’s on in Basingstoke and Deane.

Love Basingstoke Presents is organised by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council. Booking will be required for workshops where spaces are limited and these spaces can be reserved via a third party website, Eventbrite. Clicking the links to book will take you to the Eventbrite website. Please familiarise yourself with its Privacy Policy. If you have any queries or would prefer not to use Eventbrite please get in touch via hello@lovebasingstoke.co.uk. Workshop places are free of charge.

September 2024