Photo credit: Mike Jones

The year seems to be flying by! With October now officially in full swing and half term approaching at the end of the month here’s a round-up of some of the events happening across Sussex that might be of interest.

Something spooky…

Why not embrace all things Halloween – there’s plenty of fun to get involved in whether you are a quiz master or master crafter! Here’s a selection of Halloween events.

Lantern Parade and Proclamation – Saturday 31 October | 4pm
Join Chichester City Council’s free Lantern Parade on Saturday 31 October. The procession will set off from the Council House on North Street at 4pm as part of the Council’s 800th anniversary celebrations. Start creating your lanterns and get ready to take part in this unique community celebration.
Find out more: Lantern Parade Information

Halloween Spooktacular – Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November | 10am – 4pm
Get ready for a week of Halloween fun supporting the Aldingbourne Country Centre. Includes the Monster Maze where creepy characters lurk around every corner and try to lead you astray before you reach the graveyard and find your way out! Plus Pixie Hollow, a magical Halloween world in an Enchanted Woods filled with spooky games, enchanting activities, storytime, crafts, and our Jam Jar Rainbow Ghosts Workshop. Perfect for little witches, wizards, fairies, and monsters! Plus pumpkin carving, halloween crafts, face painting & more!
Find out more: Halloween Spooktacular

HalGLOWeen – Wednesday 28 October to Saturday 31 October | 5:45pm – 7:30pm
HalGLOWeen UV night walk at Rowfant Trail returns this October with brand-new scenes for 2026! Armed with your very own UV torch, you’ll journey through the Rowfant Trail woodland as glowing installations and hidden surprises are revealed along the trail. Watch the forest come to life as ultraviolet light uncovers enchanting Halloween scenes, all created from over 90% reclaimed materials. With no permanent lighting in the woodland, HalGLOWeen offers a magical night out with minimal environmental impact. Ready to light up the night?
Find out more: HalGLOWeen

Monsters Party – Saturday 31 October | 6pm -9pm
A fun, and little bit scary, event for all the family. Only £2 per person. Bring your carved pumpkin to win a prize, come dressed up and you may win another prize, listen to scary story telling, enjoy the music and craft table, try your luck at the tombola, have a drink (soft drinks available), eat a sausage roll, the kids can have a tuck box. Learn a Halloween dance with Mel and have a laugh with pass the parcel! To end the night there will be a mummy competition.
Find out more: Monsters Party

Halloween Junk Journal – Wednesday 28 October | 10:30am – 12:30pm
It’s Half Term and it’s time to have some spooky fun being creative! Junk Journal is a fun creative way to use skills with paper craft. There will all materials available to design and create the back and front cover of the journal. Plus make some Halloween inspired pages for inside the Junk Journal.
Find out more: Halloween Junk Journal

Halloween Quiz – Wednesday 28 October | 6pm – 9pm
Fundraising quiz, open to all. Teams of up to 6. Prizes for winner and best fancy dress! SSW are delighted to be holding a Halloween Quiz at The Rose & Crown. Join in the spook-tacular fun and test your knowledge on all things ghostly, witchy and spooky. Teams of up to 6 people, and there will be a prize for the winning team. Book ahead or turn up on the night. We also encourage you to dress the part, with a prize for the best Halloween outfit.
Find out more: Halloween Quiz

Something cosy…

We might have had a gloriously warm and long summer but autumn is definitely here now. Don’t fight the earlier nights, embrace them by trying something new. There’s plenty of indoor activities on offer, see some examples below.

Film Screening: The Railway Children Return – Saturday 31 October | 2:30pm – 5pm
A special screening of The Railway Children Return will be held at 2.30 pm on Saturday 31 October at St Peter’s Church, Sompting. Set during the Second World War, this warm-hearted family adventure follows a group of children evacuated to a Yorkshire village. When they discover a young American soldier hiding in a railway yard, they are drawn into a story of friendship, courage and mystery. Ticket prices include refreshments. Come along for an enjoyable afternoon of family cinema in the welcoming surroundings of St Peter’s Church.
Find out more: The Railway Children Return

Echoes of Landscape – Thursday 15 October | 6pm – 8pm
Join Pallant House Gallery for an evening of music and poetry in a collaboration with South Downs Poetry Festival. The event will begin with a performance from pianist Elena Toponogova and Soprano Eleanor Penfold exploring early to mid-20th century lyricism, where music becomes a form of ‘landscape painting’ in sound. The programme traces a journey from the lyrical, poetic stillness of Roger Quilter and Thomas Dunhill, through the vivid, pictorial settings of Michael Head, to the more complex, shifting harmonic landscapes of Frank Bridge and John Ireland. After a short interval, regroup for a poetry promenade curated by the South Downs Poetry Festival and led by Barry Smith. Distinguished prizewinning poets including Stephanie Norgate, Naomi Foyle and poet-musician Chris Hardy will present new works inspired by the British Landscapes: A Sense of Place exhibition and the wider landscape. The audience will be treated with pictures in words and sounds to complement and enhance the visual representations.
Find out more: Echoes of Landscape

Chichester Light Experience: Illuminating Art – Friday 23 October to 31 October | 6pm – 8pm
A spectacular after-dark immersive installation by Luxmuralis. Chichester’s Annual Light Experience returns this autumn with Illuminating Art – a spectacular after-dark immersive installation by Luxmuralis, following the success of last year’s sell-out debut. Transforming Chichester Cathedral into a breathtaking canvas of light, sound and digital art, the experience invites visitors of all ages on a mesmerising journey through four centuries of artistic imagination. Using monumental projections, immersive soundscapes and an original score by composer David Harper, the Cathedral’s ancient architecture is reimagined in extraordinary new ways. Chichester’s Annual Light Experience: Illuminating Art runs from 23–31 October 2026. Early bird tickets are available for a limited period.
Find out more: Chichester Light Experience

Autumn Art at Sullington Manor – Thursday 29 October to 8 November | 10am – 4pm
Rooted in celebration of the creative community exhibiting wood, ceramics and paintings. All for sale. A carefully curated programme showcases a diverse range of contemporary works by both emerging and established artists. The exhibition is rooted in celebration of our local and creative community and the pieces range from wood, ceramics and paintings. The café will be open daily for the exhibition, free entry & parking.
Find out more: Autumn Art

November awaits…

With Bonfire Night and Remembrance day on the horizon find out what’s happening near you this November by searching for events here.
Not sure what you are looking for? Select ‘all events’ to see everything listed on our website in chronological order. There’s bound to be something that piques your interest.