Horsham's October half term runs 26 to 30 October. The 24th fireworks were cancelled; The Wheatsheaf's are on the 30th, plus Halloween trails and a ghost train.

October half term in Horsham is Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026, and for many families it starts early: Millais and Tanbridge House close on Friday 23 October for an INSET day, but Horsham Sports Club’s fireworks on Saturday 24 October were cancelled over severe weather warnings. This year two of the town’s half-term regulars are shut, Horsham Museum until 5 January and The Capitol until 29 November, so the week leans on the gardens, the nature reserve and the attractions just outside town. Here is what the organisers have published so far.

Overview

  • Half term is Monday 26 to Friday 30 October for West Sussex state schools. The two big independent schools break up on Friday 16 October. Every school’s dates are on our Horsham term dates page.
  • Confirmed so far: a bonfire and fireworks night at The Wheatsheaf, Plummers Plain, on Friday 30 October (the Sports Club’s 24 October display was cancelled), Leonardslee’s Halloween trail from 17 October to 1 November, Amberley Museum’s half-term days and ghost train on 31 October, and Fishers Farm’s Halloween event from 24 October to 1 November.
  • The council’s programme is out: a free dinosaur pop-up on Tuesday 27 October, Halloween forest school at Leechpool Woods on Wednesday 28 October and animal encounters at Warnham on Friday 30 October, though both paid sessions had sold out by 18 October (waiting lists are open). Details are on our Horsham Halloween page.

Updated 25 October: Horsham Sports Club cancelled its 24 October fireworks night on 20 October because of severe weather warnings; tickets are being refunded. The Wheatsheaf’s display on 30 October is the one in half term.

Updated 6 October: Horsham District Council published its half-term programme.

What’s on, day by day

When What Where Cost
17 Oct to 1 Nov, daily The Potion Master’s Quest Halloween trail (ages 2 to 11) Leonardslee, Lower Beeding £3 per child plus garden entry
Sun 25 Oct, Wed 28 to Fri 30 Oct, 11am to 2pm Leaf Detectives workshop and trail Amberley Museum Free with admission
Thu 29 Oct, 10.30am to 3.30pm Have-a-go wood turning Amberley Museum £2
Thu 29 Oct, 4.15pm to 8.30pm Family Spooky Silent Disco Leonardslee Booking required
24 Oct to 1 Nov Freaky Fishers Halloween event Fishers Farm Park, Wisborough Green Bookings not yet open
Daily, 10am to 4pm Walks, bird hides and the Discovery Hub Warnham Local Nature Reserve Children free, adults £4.50
Fri 30 Oct, from 5pm Bonfire and fireworks night The Wheatsheaf, Plummers Plain Not published
Sat 31 Oct, 6pm to 9pm Halloween Evening and ghost train (12 and over) Amberley Museum £17
Sat 31 Oct, doors 6.30pm, last entry 8.30pm Halloween Adult Silent Disco, over 18s Leonardslee Booking required
Sun 1 Nov, 10.30am Fungus Foray Warnham Local Nature Reserve £4 non-members

The details

Fireworks. Horsham Sports Club cancelled its Saturday 24 October display because of severe weather warnings, and is refunding tickets: automatically on Eventbrite, or at the club office for tickets bought there (Horsham Sports Club). The one display inside half term is now The Wheatsheaf at Plummers Plain on Friday 30 October, from 5pm, with a bonfire, bouncy castles and music (Visit Horsham). The Shelley Arms follows on Saturday 31 October, and every display is on our Horsham fireworks page.

Leonardslee, Lower Beeding. The Potion Master’s Quest runs from Saturday 17 October to Sunday 1 November. Children collect an activity book, solve riddles, tackle an obstacle course and claim a prize at the end; it is aimed at ages 2 to 11 and goes ahead in the rain. Trail tickets are £3 per child, or £2.50 for members’ children, pre-booking is essential, and non-members also need garden entry. Free Halloween crafts run in The Studio every day of the trail (Leonardslee, Potion Master’s Quest). Garden tickets start at £15.50 for adults and £8.50 for children aged 2 to 16 (day tickets). From Monday 26 October the gardens switch to winter hours, 9am to 4pm with last entry at 3.30pm (Leonardslee). The Family Spooky Silent Disco is on Thursday 29 October from 4.15pm to 8.30pm, and an adults’ Halloween silent disco follows on Saturday 31 October (Leonardslee events).

Amberley Museum. On Sunday 25 October and Wednesday 28 to Friday 30 October, 11am to 2pm, there is a free drop-in Trees for Trades trail and Leaf Detectives workshop with leaf rubbing and zig-zag books. On Thursday 29 October the West Sussex Woodturners teach the basics of wood turning for £2, and all through October, Wednesday to Sunday, the pottery runs Halloween pumpkin pinch pots for an extra £2.50 a head. The museum is open 10am to 4.30pm and bus and train rides are included in admission (Amberley Museum, October half term). It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, so check the day before you go (opening times).

The Halloween Evening and ghost train on Saturday 31 October runs 6pm to 9pm, with ghost trains every 15 minutes from 6.30pm until the last at 8.15pm. It is not suitable for under-12s, tickets are £17 each, and dogs cannot come (Amberley Museum, Halloween Evening).

Fishers Farm Park, Wisborough Green. Freaky Fishers runs from 24 October to 1 November (Fishers Farm events). The event page says 2026 bookings are “coming soon”, so prices and times are not yet published (Freaky Fishers). The park is on Newpound Lane, a few miles west of Billingshurst.

Warnham Local Nature Reserve. Open every day, 10am to 4pm from October, with the cafe closing at 3pm. Children under 18 get in free and adults pay £4.50; the reserve is card-only and dogs are not allowed (Horsham District Council, Warnham Local Nature Reserve). The Friends’ next events are a Fungus Foray on Sunday 1 November at 10.30am and a seasonal walk on 7 November, both £4 for non-members and booked on 01403 756238 (Friends of Warnham LNR, what’s on).

What’s shut this half term

  • Horsham Museum closed on 7 September for roof repairs and does not reopen until Tuesday 5 January 2027, so last year’s half-term trail and crafts there will not happen (our report).
  • The Capitol is closed for its refurbishment and reopens with the pantomime on Sunday 29 November (our report). Its half-term Artworks craft sessions and children’s films will not run this year.

The council’s programme, this year and last

Horsham District Council publishes its own half-term programme about two weeks before the holiday. Last year’s, announced on 10 October 2025, included a Lost Dinosaur Trail at Southwater Country Park all week, den building at Leechpool Woods, a Pop Up in the Park sports session at The Needles, a Halloween trail and crafts at Warnham, a junior nature craft workshop at Horsham Park Barn, and a Hocus Pocus Friday Late in the Carfax on Halloween, 6pm to 8pm (Horsham District Council, 10 October 2025). This year’s programme is on the council’s Halloween in Horsham page: Pop-up in the Park, Dino Edition (Tuesday 27 October, 10am to 12pm, free, called off if it rains), Wonderbugs forest school at Leechpool Woods (Wednesday 28 October, 11am for ages 5 to 9 at £3, 1pm for ages 9 and over at £3.50), Animal Encounters at Warnham Local Nature Reserve (Friday 30 October, sessions 10am to 2.15pm, £4 a child), a session for SEND children at Chanctonbury Leisure Centre (Friday 30 October, book on 01403 213590), the wardens’ free family quiz in Pulborough and the Halloween Friday Late in the Carfax (Friday 30 October, 6pm to 8pm).

Getting around: see Horsham roadworks and travel and parking in Horsham.

FAQs

When is October half term 2026 in Horsham?

Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026 for West Sussex state schools. Some schools add an INSET day on Friday 23 October.

Is Horsham Museum open at half term?

No. It is closed for roof repairs until Tuesday 5 January 2027.

What is on for Halloween near Horsham?

Leonardslee’s Potion Master’s Quest trail (17 October to 1 November), Amberley Museum’s Halloween Evening and ghost train on 31 October, and Freaky Fishers at Fishers Farm Park from 24 October.

Sources

Checked against each organiser’s own page on 25 September 2026.