Symphonic Sessions: Family Takeover (Halloween Special)

The CBSO are bringing a Halloween special to Herbert's Yard at the CBSO Centre on Tuesday 27 October, part of their Symphonic Sessions: Family Takeover series. It's a family-friendly afternoon of orchestral music, and this one leans right into the spooky season. The programme pairs ghoulishly delightful classics from Ghostbusters, Beetlejuice and The Addams Family with Saint-Saëns' eerie Danse Macabre, so it's a mix of recognisable film themes and a proper orchestral piece that fits the mood.

It's built for families and younger listeners as an introduction to orchestral music, and the format keeps things manageable: the performance runs for around an hour, it's BSL interpreted, and there are free craft activities to get stuck into for up to an hour before the music starts. The CBSO recommend it for children aged six and over, so it's a good one if you've got kids in that bracket and want to get them into a concert without it feeling like a chore.

There's a bit more to it than just the music, too. The session comes with wicked food from one of the on-site street food vendors, so you can sort lunch and the afternoon's entertainment in one go. Between the crafts, the music, and the food, it's a full afternoon rather than just a quick trip in and out.

Doors open at 13:00, with the live music starting at 14:30. Tickets are £15 for adults and £7.50 for children, and each booking includes up to two free child tickets, which makes it a fair bit easier to bring the whole lot along. You'll find it at Herbert's Yard, inside the CBSO Centre on Berkley Street, B1 2LF.