Halloween in London

How to celebrate Halloween in London

Elizabeth Webster
2 min readAug 26, 2024
Photo by Beth Teutschmann on Unsplash

Halloween was originally a pagan holiday known as Shannamah and was thought of as when the veil between the worlds was at its thinnest. For the majority of people in 2024 it is about dressing up and eating chocolate.

Here in the UK Halloween is celebrated, in a scattered, inconsistent way. Parents may carve pumpkins with their children, some parents may take their children trick or treating. But even trick or treating is a controversial topic. I know, people who signal that they are open to trick or treating by putting a pumpkin outside their front door. Whereas I know just as many people who put signs in their windows saying ‘No Trick or Treaters’. So how do you celebrate Halloween in the UK, when there isn’t nearly as much going on as i.e. in the US?

Living on the outskirts of London I have been on the hunt in recent years for Halloween themed things to do.

London Dungeons

Each room has a different theme, i.e., the Fire of London, Jack the Ripper or Sweeny Todd. There will be an actor in each room ‘playing the part’, the rule is that they won’t touch you, so you shouldn’t touch them. It is well done, and a great few hours. It is also centrally located, on the south bank, right next to the London Eye. There are plenty of food options…

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Elizabeth Webster

I am a Londoner and a traveller, a lover of history, events, midwifery, art and everything this wonderful world has to offer.