With Halloween falling on Saturday 31 October, shopping centres in and around London are preparing to welcome children dressed as witches, ghosts, and monsters for a weekend of fun. Here are some of the confirmed Halloween events taking place at shopping centres this weekend — all of them free.
The Glades, Bromley
The Glades in Bromley is hosting a free Halloween celebration, complete with a trick-or-treat trail, prizes, and activities for children. Taking place in the shopping centre’s central atrium, the event will include Halloween face painting, colourful hair braiding, and the chance for children to decorate their own treat bags. Spooky characters will also roam the centre throughout the day.
Families can take part in the Your Bromley Trick or Treat Trail, which involves finding hidden sugar skulls at 12 businesses around Bromley town centre. Children must collect the letters displayed at each location and solve a mystery Halloween word before returning to The Glades to claim a prize. Maps are available from guest services on the upper mall, and prizes can be collected between 11am and 4pm on Saturday, subject to availability. Organisers have warned that activities could be busy and queues may close early if capacity is reached.
Outlet Shopping at The O2, Greenwich
Families visiting Outlet Shopping at The O2 in Greenwich can take part in a free Halloween adventure trail this weekend. The experience starts at the top of the golden staircase, where children will be given a trail to follow around the shopping destination. Along the way, families can discover hidden characters, complete spooky challenges, and enjoy Halloween surprises.
The trail is suitable for children aged four and over, with each experience lasting approximately 30 minutes. Groups of up to 15 people will set off every half hour, and no advance booking is required. There will be a break between 2pm and 2.30pm.
Other activities include a trick-or-treat station at Cineworld from 11am to 2pm, where children could win sweets, chocolates, or free cinema tickets, although some may receive a bag of fake spiders instead. Haidilao is also offering a free noodle-making activity for children from 1pm to 2pm on both days, with small gifts available while stocks last.
Westfield London — LEGO scavenger hunt
Westfield London is offering children a chance to take part in a Halloween scavenger hunt at its LEGO Store. Running until Saturday 31 October, the activity challenges visitors to find brick-built scary creatures hidden around the shop. Children who complete the hunt can receive a treat, while supplies last. The event is taking place at the LEGO Store on Level 0.
Westfield is also offering Halloween-themed shopping and activities, including seasonal products, costumes, and a gymnastics camp for children aged three to eight. Note that the LEGO hunt is a confirmed in-store activity rather than a shopping-centre-wide trick-or-treating trail.
Broadway Shopping Centre, Bexleyheath — Scare Fest 2026
Broadway Shopping Centre in Bexleyheath is hosting its free Scare Fest 2026 event, with trick-or-treating, Halloween crafts, and entertainment for children. Families can decorate their own cauldrons before following a trail around the centre to collect spooky treats.
The activities will begin at the event zone near Costa, although advance booking is required for the cauldron crafts and trick-or-treat trail. Parents must book one ticket per child, but accompanying adults do not need tickets. There will also be a Witch Hunt, challenging children to find witches hidden in shop windows. The first 400 successful participants will receive a Halloween goody bag.
Free comedy and magic shows from Anton Ghoul will take place at 11.30am, 1.30pm, and 3pm, with no tickets required for these performances. Families are encouraged to wear fancy dress.
Bluewater — trail and parades
Bluewater, just outside south-east London, is hosting a Halloween trail and spooky parade. Families can collect a Halloween trail map from guest services before searching for hidden Halloween icons in shop windows across the centre. Once they have completed the challenge, children can return their maps to claim a sweet treat. The trail runs from Friday 30 October until Sunday 1 November.
On Halloween itself, Saturday 31 October, Bluewater will also host four free parades featuring clowns, ghosts, zombies, and other spooky characters. The parades will begin at midday, 1pm, 2pm, and 3pm, with each lasting approximately 15 minutes. Bluewater has warned that some characters may be frightening for younger children.
With several free activities available this weekend, families looking for an alternative to knocking on doors can enjoy Halloween fun at shopping centres across the capital — and the new London Museum at Smithfield and U2’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium dates are among the other big dates on the city’s calendar.
