Haunted Halloween Escape — Spirits of the Foyle
Dates
October 17, 2026
Doors
Early evening
Where
St Columb's Park
Tickets from
Price range: £14.00 through £70.00
Book your experience
- Instant e-ticket by email, with a QR code per guest
- Secure card checkout — final total confirmed at checkout
- Every activity on the night is optional
Inside the venue
Gallery
About this
Event Description
A full Halloween scare park at St Columb’s Park, Derry/Londonderry.
Derry/Londonderry already draws enormous Halloween tourism as the “Home of Halloween,” hosting Europe’s largest Halloween street festival across the Cityside walls — but the city has no large-scale ticketed scare park with rides and mazes. Sited across the River Foyle in Waterside, this event is designed to complement the free street festival rather than compete with it, capturing the same wave of visiting tourists while easing crowd pressure on the historic Walled City centre.
Each day splits in two: a fully family-safe Daylight Session of rides, trails and entertainment, then a separate Scarefest Session for ages 12+ built around live-actor scare mazes, shows, a horror market and street food.
Tickets
- Daylight Session — Adult £24, Young Person (12–15) £19, Child (4–11) £14. Full daytime access including all rides and family attractions. Under-4s go free and do not need a ticket.
- Scarefest Session — Adult £30, Young Person (12–15) £23 (with a guardian). The full evening scare event. Under-12s are not admitted.
- Family (2 adults + 2 children) — £70, a discounted Daylight Session ticket.
- Season Pass — £55, covering both sessions across all 17 days.
Dates & times
17 October – 2 November 2026 (17 days). The Daylight Session runs 10:00–16:00; the Scarefest Session runs 17:30–23:00. Last entry for the Daylight Session is 15:00 and for the Scarefest Session 21:30. Please leave within 30 minutes of the advertised end time.
Good to know
- Two sessions each day: a family-safe Daylight Session, then a separate Scarefest Session for ages 12+ (16+ for the most intense mazes).
- Every standard ticket includes full access to the ride zone at no extra cost — there are no ride tokens or pay-per-ride charges.
- All mazes are no-touch: actors may startle but never make physical contact. A ‘no-scare’ wristband is available on request.
- Full-face masks are not permitted for guests aged 16+ during the Scarefest Session; half-masks and face paint are fine.
- Wrap up warm and wear sensible footwear — much of the event is outdoors on parkland.
- Shuttle timings are coordinated to avoid clashing with the Derry Halloween carnival parade and fireworks on 31 October.
Daily Schedule — Two Distinct Experiences
The park runs two clearly separated sessions each day, with a full changeover in between so family guests never encounter night-time scare content.
| Session | Time | Audience | Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight Session | 10:00 – 16:00 | All ages, families, under-12s | Rides, pumpkin trail, kids’ disco maze, face painting, magic show, trick-or-treat trail, and family-friendly entertainment throughout the park. |
| Changeover | 16:00 – 17:30 | Park closed to guests | Full site reset: lighting rig, fog systems, actor call, safety checks, and a final walkthrough before the evening session opens. |
| Scarefest Session | 17:30 – 23:00 | Ages 12+ only (16+ for extreme mazes) | Live scare actors, 5 scare mazes, fire show, horror market, and late-night attractions. |
Last entry for the Daylight Session is 15:00; last entry for the Scarefest Session is 21:30.
Scare Mazes (Evening Session)
| Maze | Concept | Min. Age |
|---|---|---|
| The Drowned Ferry | A sunken Foyle passenger ferry, half-submerged and creaking. Water effects, submerged actors, wheelhouse-bell jump-scare finale. | 16+ |
| The Fever Sheds | Recreation of a 19th-century quayside quarantine shed from the famine-era emigration ships. Tight corridors, live actors, scent effects. | 15+ |
| Asylum Ward 9 | Abandoned psychiatric ward theme. Strobe lighting, restraint-chair scares, no physical contact with guests. | 16+ |
| The Harvest Reaper | Outdoor maize maze with harvest-horror theme, chainsaw (no chain) actor finale; a family-lite version runs at dusk with reduced scares for younger guests. | 12+ (lite version 8+) |
| Grianan Woods | Woodland trail inspired by the ring-fort legends of nearby Grianan of Aileach. Hanging fog, distant howls, and a single high-intensity jump-scare cabin at the midpoint. | 13+ |
All mazes are no-touch: actors may startle but never physically contact guests. Guests may request a “no-scare” wristband to pass through with reduced actor interaction.
Rides — Included in Standard Ticket
A dedicated ride zone operates on the show meadow throughout the Daylight Session. All rides below are included in the standard admission price at no extra cost.
| Ride | Description | Age/height guidance |
|---|---|---|
| The Walled Wheel | A 20-metre Halloween-themed Ferris wheel with gondola seating and views over the Foyle and city walls. | All ages; under-6s with an adult |
| Samhain Carousel | A traditional carved carousel with a harvest-and-lantern paint scheme. | All ages; under-4s with an adult |
| The Pumpkin Patch Hayride | A gentle tractor-drawn hay-cart circuit around the pumpkin trail and riverside meadow. | All ages; under-3s on a guardian’s lap |
| Crypt Coaster Jr. | A small-scale family roller coaster with mild dips, no inversions. | Min. height 100cm, or 90cm with an adult |
| The Spinning Cauldrons | Tea-cup-style spinning ride in cauldron-shaped cars. | Min. height 90cm, or any age with an adult |
| Foyle Ghost Train | A dark-ride style trackless train looping through a mild-scare tunnel, lit for family viewing. | All ages; may not suit very young or easily frightened children |
Ride queues are timed and marshalled; each ride is inspected daily by a qualified engineer under UK-wide ADIPS requirements and Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) guidance before opening.
Before you visit
- Entry & timings: Daylight Session 10:00–16:00 (last entry 15:00); the 12+ Scarefest Session 17:30–23:00 (last entry 21:30). Timed-entry e-tickets are scanned at the Main Gate, with a bag check at all entry gates. Re-entry is allowed once per day with wristband and hand-stamp.
- Parking & getting there: Free on-site parking, approx. a 10-minute walk from the Cityside walls via Craigavon Bridge. Shuttle bus from Foyle Street bus depot and Ebrington Square on event evenings, and a short walk from Waterside rail station.
- Code of conduct: The Daylight Session is for all ages; the Scarefest Session is 12+ only (16+ for Asylum Ward 9 and The Drowned Ferry) and photo ID may be requested. Guests under 12 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. No personal fog, smoke or effects props; no running inside mazes. Zero tolerance on alcohol intoxication, harassment of actors or staff, or unsafe behaviour — grounds for immediate removal without a refund.
Getting there
Where
Venue
St Columb's Park
Please allow extra travel time — several of our venues are rural, with limited public transport. Parking details are shown on your ticket.
Event dates
October 17, 2026
Instant e-ticket
In your inbox the moment you pay
Secure checkout
Encrypted card payment
Guide-supervised
Every vigil led by experienced staff
Date changes
Move night up to 48 hours before*
Still deciding
Questions
Is anything staged?
No. Nothing is staged and no outcome is ever promised. These are genuine historic buildings, investigated with structured vigils and traditional techniques.
What happens after I pay?
Your e-ticket is emailed straight away, with a unique QR code for every guest. Save it as a PDF, add it to Apple or Google Wallet, or resend it anytime from My Account.
Which ticket should I choose?
Twilight for families and first-timers, Standard for the full after-dark tour, Premium if you want a small-group vigil with equipment, VIP for the extended late session on 31 October.
Can I change my date?
You can move to another available night up to 48 hours before, subject to availability on the night you move to. Get in touch and we will sort it.
Do I need any experience?
None at all. Guides run every session, explain the equipment, and stay with your group the whole time.
Price range: £14.00 through £70.00
Early Bird — 30% off
