Stockport's October half term runs 26 to 30 October 2026. Bramall Hall's £3 witch's trail, Plaza shows, free storytimes and what still has to be announced.

October half term in Stockport runs from Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026 for schools on the council’s calendar, with pupils back on Monday 2 November. Some schools break a week earlier, so check yours first: our Stockport term dates page lists the ones that differ. The biggest family event already on sale is Bramall Hall’s Halloween trail, and the biggest free one is Merseyway’s Day of the Dead carnival on the first Saturday. Most of the rest of the week is still thin in the listings, and this page will be updated as organisers add their events.

The quick answer

  • Half term: Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026, back Monday 2 November.
  • Bramall Hall’s Witch’s Potion Trail, £3 per child plus adult admission, runs 22 to 25 October and 27 October to 1 November.
  • Free on Saturday 24 October: Merseyday of the Dead, Merseyway 12pm to 3pm and Redrock 5pm to 7pm.
  • Two-week half term at Stockport Grammar and Cheadle Hulme School, from 19 October.

Which dates are half term?

Stockport Council’s calendar puts half term at Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026. The exceptions we have checked:

School Off from Back
Council calendar Mon 26 October Mon 2 November
Stockport Grammar School Mon 19 October Mon 2 November
Cheadle Hulme School Mon 19 October Mon 2 November
Stockport School after Fri 23 October Mon 2 November
Cheadle Hulme High and Laurus Cheadle Hulme Fri 23 October (INSET) Mon 2 November

What is on, day by day

Everything below comes from the organiser’s own listing, most of them submitted to Stockport Council’s events calendar or One Stockport. Prices and times are as published on 25 September.

Date Event Where Cost
Thu 22 to Sun 25 Oct, 11am to 3.30pm The Witch’s Potion Trail Bramall Hall, Bramhall £3 per child plus adult admission
Sat 24 Oct, 12pm to 3pm and 5pm to 7pm Merseyday of the Dead Merseyway, then Redrock Free
Sat 24 Oct, 10am to 1pm Play Zone family drop-in Adswood Young People’s Centre £10 a family or £5 a child
Sun 25 Oct, 7.30pm Halloween In Concert Stockport Plaza See Plaza
Mon 26 Oct, 7pm K-Pop Dance Heroes Stockport Plaza See Plaza
Tue 27 Oct to Sun 1 Nov, 11am to 3.30pm The Witch’s Potion Trail Bramall Hall, Bramhall £3 per child plus adult admission
Wed 28 Oct, 5pm to 6.30pm Breakdance class, ages 8 to 16 Fresh Skillz, Princes Street £10
Fri 30 Oct, from 6pm Foodie Friday Market Place Free entry
Sat 31 Oct, 11am to 2pm Organ coffee morning concert Stockport Plaza Free
Sun 1 Nov, 10am to 11.30am Kids Car Boot The Kingsway School, Cheadle See organiser
Sun 1 Nov, 5pm Kennedy’s Performing Arts: Flashback Stockport Plaza See Plaza

Merseyday of the Dead, Saturday 24 October

Merseyway’s Halloween carnival is back for a second year, free for families: 12pm to 3pm in Merseyway and 5pm to 7pm at Redrock, with a spooky trail, crafts, live music and a Day of the Dead parade at Redrock. Costumes are encouraged. Merseyway says more than 1,000 families came last year (Merseyway). It falls on the Saturday before the council’s half term, but inside the two-week break at the schools that start on 19 October.

The Witch’s Potion Trail at Bramall Hall

The hall’s Halloween hunt: “Batilda the witch fell from her broom, scattering ingredients in every room”. Children find them all to make a potion, and there is a small prize for a full set. It is recommended for children aged 3 and up. Each £3 trail ticket covers one child, and every child must be with a paying adult (Stockport Council listing, 22 to 25 October; 27 October to 1 November).

Two practical points from the hall itself:

  • Booking on Eventbrite costs a fee but guarantees a set entry time. Paying on the day at the visitor centre is face value, but “subject to availability”, and the hall warns it may sell out or give you a later slot.
  • There is no trail on Monday 26 October. The hall is normally open Thursday to Sunday, 11am to 4.30pm, and closed Monday to Wednesday (opening hours), but the trail listings do run on Tuesday 27 and Wednesday 28 October.

Shows at the Plaza

Stockport Plaza’s programme for the week includes Halloween In Concert (“a frighteningly good night of graveyard smash hits”) on Sunday 25 October, K-Pop Dance Heroes on the Monday, and Kennedy’s Performing Arts’ annual variety show Flashback on Sunday 1 November. The organ coffee morning on Saturday 31 October is free to attend, 11am to 2pm. Prices sit behind each show’s ticket link.

Free every week: library storytimes

Stockport’s libraries keep their weekly storytimes going through half term, all free and aimed at pre-school children with a parent or carer. From the council’s calendar for that week:

  • High Lane Library: Monday 26 October, 11am
  • Bramhall Library: Monday 26 October, 2pm
  • Adswood and Bridgehall Library: Monday 26 October, 2pm
  • Hazel Grove Library: Tuesday 27 October, 11am
  • Marple pop-up library: Thursday 29 October, 11am
  • Cheadle Library: Thursday 29 October, 2pm
  • Offerton Library: Friday 30 October, 10.30am

The museums

The town centre museums are open through half term on their normal hours. Stockport Air Raid Shelters on Chestergate open Tuesday to Friday 1pm to 5pm, Saturday 10am to 5pm and Sunday 11am to 4pm, closed Mondays (council). Staircase House on Market Place is closed Monday and Tuesday, then open Wednesday and Thursday 10am to 5pm, Friday midday to 5pm, Saturday 10am to 5pm and Sunday 11am to 4pm, with last admission an hour and a quarter before closing (council). Its Halloween craft workshops (fabric pumpkins, beaded spiders) are on Saturday 10 October, before half term, not during it.

Our things to do in Stockport page has prices and details for the rest of the borough’s days out.

Still to be announced

At 25 September there was no half-term programme published for Hat Works, the Air Raid Shelters or Stockport Museum in the council’s events calendar. Bonfire night falls the following Thursday, 5 November: our Stockport fireworks page tracks the displays. We will check the listings again in mid-October and add anything new here.

Getting around

If you are driving into the town centre, our parking in Stockport page covers the car parks and this year’s charges, and the roadworks and travel page lists what is closed.

Sources