Hillingdon's half term is 26 to 30 October. A free pumpkin trail at Manor Farm, Spooky Squadrons at the Bunker, daily Lido trains and Compass sing-alongs.

October half term in Hillingdon runs from Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026, and the borough already has a week of things on: a free pumpkin trail at Manor Farm, Halloween crafts at the Battle of Britain Bunker, trains every day at Ruislip Lido and two film sing-alongs at the Compass Theatre on the Saturday. Every listing below is from the organiser’s own page. (Hillingdon Council)

The quick answer

  • Half term: Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026 for Hillingdon’s council-set calendar. Bishopshalt starts a week earlier, on 19 October, and Haydon runs on to 6 November.
  • Free: the Pumpkin Trail at Manor Farm House on Thursday 29 and Saturday 31 October, 10am to 4pm, and Spooky Crafts at Cranford Park on Friday 30 October.
  • Every day: Spooky Squadrons at the Battle of Britain Bunker, 26 to 31 October, included in admission, and under-16s get in free.

Check your school’s dates first

Not every school follows the council. Uxbridge High adds Monday 2 November, Bishopshalt and St Helen’s break from 19 to 30 October, Haydon from 26 October to 6 November, and Merchant Taylors’ from 18 October to 1 November. The full table is on our Hillingdon term dates page.

What’s on, day by day

When What Where Cost
Wed 21 to Sat 24 Oct Doctor Dolittle, family musical Winston Churchill Theatre, Ruislip £15 to £19
Sat 24 Oct Wonderland puppet show Compass Theatre, Ickenham £10
Sun 25 Oct to Sun 1 Nov Ruislip Lido Railway, trains daily Ruislip Lido from £2.50 child return
Mon 26 to Sat 31 Oct Spooky Squadrons Battle of Britain Bunker, Uxbridge in admission
Wed 28 to Fri 30 Oct Halloween musical theatre workshop, ages 6 to 14 Compass Theatre £35 a day, £90 for three
Thu 29 and Sat 31 Oct Pumpkin Trail Manor Farm House, Ruislip Free
Fri 30 Oct Spooky Crafts, ages 5 to 11 Cranford Park Free
Sat 31 Oct, 11am Frozen sing-along Compass Theatre £7, or £15 for a family of four
Sat 31 Oct, 12.30pm Ministry of Science Live! Beck Theatre, Hayes see Beck box office
Sat 31 Oct, 2pm Wicked: For Good sing-along Compass Theatre £8.50

The detail

1. Spooky Squadrons, Battle of Britain Bunker. Monday 26 to Saturday 31 October, 10am to 4.30pm. Children make a witchy paper aeroplane, a bat glider or a pumpkin parachute that actually flies. It is free with an admission ticket, and admission is free for under-16s; adults pay £14 and over-65s £11, with half off on a HillingdonFirst card. Wren Avenue, Uxbridge UB10 0GG. (Hillingdon Council, Battle of Britain Bunker) The Bunker is covered in more depth on our winter guide to the Bunker.

2. Pumpkin Trail at Manor Farm House, Ruislip. Thursday 29 and Saturday 31 October, 10am to 4pm, free, all ages. The pumpkins are decorated to represent periods of local history, from Tudor and Georgian dress to the Victorians and the Swinging Sixties. Manor Farm Site, Eastcote Road, Ruislip HA4 8BD. (Hillingdon Council)

3. Ruislip Lido Railway. The railway’s own timetable shows trains every day from Sunday 25 October to Sunday 1 November, on its “green” service: the first train leaves Woody Bay, by the beach, at 12.20pm and the last leaves Willow Lawn, by the car park, at 4pm. Returns are £5 for adults and £2.50 for children aged 3 to 15; a day rover is £10 and £5; under-3s ride free. Cards are taken, except American Express. (Ruislip Lido Railway)

4. Halloween musical theatre workshop, Compass Theatre. Wednesday 28 to Friday 30 October, 10am to 4pm, for ages 6 to 14, with songs and scenes from Wicked, Descendants, Hocus Pocus and The Addams Family. £35 for one day or £90 for all three. Glebe Avenue, Ickenham UB10 8PD. (Hillingdon Council)

5. Frozen sing-along, Compass Theatre. Saturday 31 October, 11am to 1pm. £7 a ticket, or £15 for two adults and two under-16s, or one adult and three. (Hillingdon Council)

6. Wicked: For Good sing-along, Compass Theatre. Saturday 31 October, 2pm to 4pm, £8.50, all ages. (Hillingdon Council)

7. Spooky Crafts at Cranford Park. Friday 30 October, 2pm to 4.30pm, free, for 5 to 11-year-olds: clay crafts and Halloween colouring. Cranford Park, The Parkway, TW5 9RZ. (Hillingdon Council)

8. Ministry of Science Live!, Beck Theatre. Saturday 31 October at 12.30pm, 1 hour 50 minutes with an interval, according to Parkwood Theatres’ booking system. Grange Road, Hayes UB3 2UE; box office 0203 342 9970. (Beck Theatre)

9. Wonderland, Compass Theatre. Saturday 24 October, the first day of the holiday weekend, at 11am and 2pm. A puppet version of Alice set in the hatter’s shop, for ages 4 and up, £10, and under-16 tickets include a puppet-making session. (Hillingdon Council)

10. Doctor Dolittle, Winston Churchill Theatre. WOS Productions’ family musical ends its run on Saturday 24 October with shows at 1.30pm and 6.30pm (and 7.30pm Wednesday to Friday). £19, £17 for students and over-65s, £15 for children up to 12. Manor Farm, Pinn Way, Ruislip HA4 7QL. (Hillingdon Council)

11. The Eras Experience, Beck Theatre. Sunday 1 November at 6pm, a Taylor Swift tribute by Xenna, the last night of the holiday, with a meet and greet at 5pm. (Beck Theatre)

12. Ruislip Lido itself. The railway’s timetable notes that “the Lido remains open at all times”, trains or not. The Lido main car park and Willow Lawn car park are council car parks. Our parking in Uxbridge page has the charges.

Not in half term, but close

  • The Pop-up Waste Drop is at Brookside Open Space car park in Hayes on Saturday 24 October, 10am to 2pm, if a half-term clear-out is on the list. See our Hillingdon tip opening times page.
  • Bonfire night: the “Uxbridge” fireworks are on Saturday 7 November, and they are in Harrow. Our Uxbridge fireworks page explains.
  • Roadworks: New Years Green Lane in Harefield has works from 5 October for about ten weeks. Check the Uxbridge roadworks and travel page before a day out.

Still to be confirmed

  • Library half-term activities: the council’s listings do not yet show a half-term programme. Two regular sessions are off that week: LEGO Club at Oak Farm Library has no session on 31 October, and the English Conversation Group at South Ruislip has none on 26 October.
  • Beck Theatre ticket prices for the two shows above: its seat-booking page, which normally shows them, blocked our check on 25 September. Ring the box office on 0203 342 9970.

Sources