Best Halloween nights out: Game of Thrones-themed raves, Circus of Horrors, big monster balls and more

Too old to trick or treat? There’s still plenty going on around the UK over Halloween to get you into the spirit

Halloween promises to be a great night out for the fancy dress-inclined

Halloween has crept up on us once again. And where in the past this has meant a half-hearted fancy dress party at best, these days venues all over the UK are putting in that extra bit of effort for the spookiest day of the year. We asked nightlife experts DesignMyNight for the lowdown on the best Halloween events worth travelling for.

Halloween Circus of Horrors, Nottingham

On All Hallows’ Eve, in darkest Nottingham, the Circus of Horrors tent lures you into its gloom for some good old-fashioned, gruesome entertainment. Expect everything from chainsaw stunts and sword swallowing to fire eating and mind reading. If you can stomach it, keep your eyes peeled for the “human chopping board” (whatever that may be) and the bed of nails. Two themed music rooms will also battle for your attention – one thumping with deep soulful house, the other with guilty classics (there’s little scarier than adults dancing to cheesy hits, after all).

Friday 28 October, 8pm-3am, tickets £12-30 (0115 9867 960; riverbanknotts.co.uk)

Rave of Thrones, Edinburgh

It doesn’t get much gorier than Game of Thrones, hence this party themed around all things Westeros. Rave of Thrones will transport you to a soiree worthy of the elite of the Seven Kingdoms, with a fully themed venue, actors and a DJ set from Kristian Nairn, also known as Hodor. Forget winter, folks. Halloween is coming.

Monday 31 October, 10pm-3am, tickets £12.50 (0131 2252 564; liquidroom.com)

DJ Hodor will be on the decks at Edinburgh's Rave of Thrones

The Phantom of Stanmer House, Brighton

Brighton’s Grade I listed building, Stanmer House, is undergoing an eerie transformation this Halloween to host a truly theatrical Phantom of the Opera dining experience. The venue will be converted into a world of decadence and debauchery with West End performers and immersive experiences. There’s also a three-course sit down meal with each course inspired by key scenes from the Phantom – expect the likes of blood orange and ghost chilli mousse.

Saturday 29 October, 6.30pm-2am, tickets £20-120 (01273 680 400; stanmerhouse.co.uk/halloween)

The Twisted Circus Halloween Extravaganza, London

Piccadilly's Rah Rah Room is offering some creepy fun with freak shows including a dude hammering nails into his nostrils. There’ll also be the requisite world-class DJ line-up and strict fancy dress code.

Saturday 29 October, 10pm-4am, tickets £25 (020 7734 9116; rahrahroom.com)

Brighton's scary Stanmer House is going all out for Halloween

Monster’s Ball at the Annison Funeral Parlour, Hull

Have you got the guts to spend Halloween weekend in Hull? Sorry, we mean in Hull’s most haunted building? If so, make your way to the Annison ex-funeral parlour for Bongo Bongo’s 14th annual Monster’s Ball. Expect epic soundtracks, plenty of freaks and, ahem, “devil-may-care” dancing until the early hours.

Saturday 29 October, 9pm-5am, tickets £5 to the first 100 entrants and £10 after (01482 2225 55; bongobongos.co.uk)

Halloween Weekender, Birmingham

Legendary DJs Craig Charles and Joey Negro are setting up their decks for a two-day bonanza at Birmingham’s Night and Day Markets: Halloween Weekender. Alongside bone-rattling tunes, you can expect a Day of the Dead theme with a bespoke banquet of entertainment, arts, liquor and ale. And you can kill your hunger by digging your fangs into some street food from Meat Shack, Buddha Belly and Cake Doctor.

Friday 28 October, 5pm-midnight; Saturday 29 October, 3pm-midnight, tickets £15-40 (07969 988 706; nightanddaymarkets.co.uk/about)

Get ready for a gory night at the Circus of Horrors in Nottingham

Witch One Dunnit, Glasgow

Murder mystery time: Glasgow’s Loks Bar and Kitchen is hosting an experiential Halloween event that rewinds the clock back to 1696. You’ll find yourself celebrating the Lairds’ first wedding anniversary, but not all is as it seems; a terrible murder unravels before you and the other guests. In a time where witchcraft is rife, your job is to keep your head, interrogate the characters and solve the crime.

Friday 28 October, 7pm-10pm, tickets £28 (0141 6325 727; loksbarandkitchen.co.uk)

Penny Dreadful Halloween Special, Manchester

Top Manchester Prohibition-style bar The Fitzgerald is hosting a Penny Dreadful-themed night drenched in Victorian horror. Entertainment-wise, black-and-white scary movies will screen all night, while a live jazz band fills the eerie air. Sweeney Todd will be behind the bar serving you creepy cocktails and there’s a bottle of Tanqueray gin up for the best dressed.

Saturday 29 October, 5pm-2am, free entry (0161 2286 629; thefitzgeraldnq.co.uk​)

For more information on the best nightlife events across the UK and to book tickets, visit designmynight.com