Spooky happenings!
Festival returns to get everyone in the spirit for Hallowe’en.
Owned by the National Trust, the 500-year-old house near Ormskirk is famous for its classic Tudor architecture and treasured collections, but it is outside where families are being invited to explore and discover expertly-crafted scarecrows.
The theme chosen for this year’s festival is ‘literary characters’, so visitors should expect to see plenty of familiar faces as they leap off the pages of everyone’s favourite books and appear before their eyes.
Visitor experience officer Catherine Hazley said: “Rufford’s Scarecrow Festival is becoming more popular every year, and this year is set to be the best one yet. We’ve had a sneak peek at some of the entrants and it’s safe to say we’re in for a treat… or more likely a scare!
“There will be lots of other half term activities for families to take part in too, including outdoor and indoor activity trails, magic shows, sports and free-to-hire balance bikes.”
The property and the festival will be open to explore until November 3, 11am-5pm, except October 31 and November 1 when Rufford Old Hall will be closed.
The Scarecrow Festival is a free event, though normal admission prices apply. Entry to the property is free for National Trust members and under fives.
For more information, visit www. nationaltrust.org.uk/ruffordoldhall or call 01704 821254.
Hallowe’en Fest at Martin Mere
There are loads of activities for the whole family to enjoy including pumpkin carving and a canoe scarefari, until November 3.
Activities include:
Pumpkin Hunt
Can you find all of the pumpkins hidden around the grounds to reveal the mystery spooky word? Get your detective hats on and see how many you can find – solve the puzzle and get your reward!
Time: 10am-4pm
Price: 50p per trail entry. Collect your trail card from the Exhibition Hall when you arrive.
Pumpkin Carving
Get creative in their pumpkin carving room! They’ve got all the tools you need to make the spookiest face you can in your pumpkin.
Time: 11am-3pm (available until October 31)
Price: £3 per pumpkin or two for £5 Broomstick Flight Training
Put yourself in the place of a migrating swan and try their broomstick flight training experience. Learn all about the incredible journey whooper swans make from Iceland to Martin Mere and work your way around our migration obstacle course – look out for predators, pylons and wind turbines.
Time: 11am-3pm (every half hour) Price: 50p per child
Canoe Scarefari
For those who want that extraspooky adventure, be sure to take a trip on their kilometre long canoe scare-fari. Dodge giant spiders and other critters as you sail across the water.
Time: 11am-4pm
Price: £8 per canoe (seats three). £3 per boat seat.
For more details visit: wwt.org.uk/ wetland-centres/martin-mere or call: 01704 895181.
Jack the Ripper: The Real Truth
At The Atkinson, Lord Street, Southport, Wednesday, October 30, 7.30pm-9.45pm, tickets £12.
Trevor Marriott is a retired British Police murder squad detective and leading Ripper expert. Since 2002 he has been conducting a cold case investigation into The Whitechapel Murders of 1888 which were attributed to a fearsome unknown killer, who came to be known as Jack the Ripper.
For the past 130 years this mystery has captivated the imagination of people worldwide and still does today.
Trevor has now finally concluded his long and protracted cold case investigation with startling new evidence and new facts, which now not only dispel but shatter the myth that has been Jack the Ripper for 130 years and he is now able to answer that long standing question, who was Jack the Ripper?
His two-hour one man audio / visual show is packed with pictures from 1888 showing original crime scene photographs of the victims, the suspects, and many other original photographs from 1888 relative to the murders.
This show contains some images of a graphic and disturbing nature. No one under 16 will be admitted without a parent or appropriate adult.
For more details visit: theatkinson. co.uk
Hallowe’en at Southport Pier
Enjoy a Hallowe’en party down at Southport Pier Pavilion with a fancy dress competition, disco, character visit, entertainment, and face painting.
Friday, November 1, 6.30pm10.30pm.
£20 per family of four for a table or £5 each entry.
For more details find Southport Pier Pavilion on Facebook.
Hallowe’en Party and Fairground
Bull and Dog Inn, Liverpool Road South, Burscough.
Friday, November 1, 6pm-9pm. Join them for their children’s Hallowe’en fancy dress party.
Prizes for best dressed, all the usual singing, dancing and party games, plus fairground rides and bouncy castle.
For more details please call 01704 631775.
Unite Hallowee’en Party
Unite Southport is hosting a Hallowe’en Party for children aged three years old and over this Saturday, October 26.
There will be lots of fun and games, including: wrap the mummy, bob apple, broomstick races, pass the pumpkin, bouncy castle and much more.
Book online at: unitemartialarts. com
Ages 3-7: 4pm-6pm.
Ages 7 and over: 6.30pm-8.30pm. Call Unite Martial Arts on: 0845 057 3733.