Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, and the weekend of Friday 30 October to Sunday 1 November 2026 is also the final weekend of York Ghost Week, the seventh run by The York Ghost Merchants. If you are looking for events in York this weekend, here is our pick of evenings for grown ups, each checked against the organiser's own listing. Most are ticketed with limited places, so book ahead.
On Friday 30 and Saturday 31 October, Treasurer's House in Minster Yard opens after hours for Deadtime Stories for Adults, a candlelit journey through the rooms uncovering tales of the people who lived and worked there. Sessions start at 6.30pm and 7.30pm, the event is for over 18s only, and the National Trust says it is the only chance to see the house after dark in 2026. A short walk away, Barley Hall in Coffee Yard hosts Haunted Hall: Dark Tales on the same two nights, an hour of storytelling from Edwyrdian Tales at 7pm and 8.30pm, aimed at over 18s.
At York Mansion House, Remember, Remember runs from Thursday 29 to Saturday 31 October at 7.30pm, with doors at 7pm. Created for Ghost Week, it brings the spirits of Margaret Clitherow and Guy Fawkes into the low-lit house, with period folk music played on traditional instruments.
On Halloween night itself, York Minster presents The Concert That Must Not Be Named in the Nave, from 7.30pm to about 8.45pm with no interval. Organist Andrew Forbes plays music from the Harry Potter films alongside Bach's Toccata in D minor, Gounod's Funeral March for a Marionette and Vierne's Feux Follets on the Grand Organ. Comedy fans can see Russell Howard's new stand-up tour, Don't Tell The Algorithm, at York Barbican on Saturday at 3.30pm and 7.30pm and on Sunday at 7.30pm. The Barbican says the best availability is on Sunday.
Ghost Week closes on Sunday 1 November with The Keening at Holy Trinity Church, Goodramgate: an hour of candlelit songs of mourning and remembrance in the Celtic tradition from folk musician Olivia Graham, at 7pm with doors at 6.30pm.
Tips for your visit
- By day, collect a free Silvertooth Trail pack from The Hatch beside The Dispensary in St Anthony's Garden, between 10am and 4pm, then gather tavern stamps and brass plaque rubbings around the city. Completed packs can be redeemed until 4pm on Sunday 1 November.
- Holy Trinity has no central heating, so the organiser advises dressing warmly. Seating is in historic box pews on a first come, first served basis.
- Seating at the Minster concert is unallocated, so arrive in good time for a good view.
- Check each organiser's page before you travel, as times and availability can change.
Planning a Halloween weekend for two inside the city walls, in the Skeldergate area, with secure parking? Check your dates and book direct with us. Book direct
Sources: The York Ghost Merchants: Ghost Week 2026 programme; National Trust: Deadtime Stories for Adults at Treasurer's House; York Archaeology: Haunted Hall, Dark Tales at Barley Hall; York Mansion House: What's on; York Minster: The Concert That Must Not Be Named; York Barbican: Russell Howard, Don't Tell The Algorithm; Olivia Graham Music: The Keening (Eventbrite)