York’s spooky autumn starts with Ghost Week VII

York’s autumn calendar gets a suitably eerie opening this year with Ghost Week VII, running from Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November 2026. Organised by The York Ghost Merchants, it brings together ghost hunts, trails, workshops and small-scale events across the city centre. It is a family-friendly way to explore York’s haunted reputation before Halloween itself, although some activities are aimed at adults or need advance tickets.

The most accessible event is The Little York Ghost Hunt, taking place from 6pm to 8pm each evening between Monday 26 and Wednesday 28 October. It is free, open to all ages and does not require tickets. Around 250 small ghosts will be hidden in the streets around York Minster, with maps available from mid-October at The York Ghost Merchants, partner venues and other city-centre businesses. Children under three should not take part, and organisers advise care around traffic on High Petergate and Goodramgate. The ghosts are not placed on private property, while Greys Court Hotel’s courtyard and the Minster Refectory gardens are out of bounds. On Sunday 27 October, collectors can also meet and swap their finds at Bedern Hall from 11am to 3pm, with coffee, cakes and a “Ringing The Ghost” game costing £2 per turn.

There are several other ways to join in without committing to a full evening event. The Mr Silvertooth Trail runs throughout Ghost Week, with free packs available from The Hatch in St Anthony’s Garden between 10am and 4pm. Collect five objects from pub stamps or brass plate rubbings and you can buy the polished black Mr Silvertooth Ghost for £30. The trail is restricted to adults aged 18 and over. The Seed Ghost Search is also free, with 400 tiny Seedlings hidden around the event map, though they are not suitable for small children. At the National Railway Museum, Ghosts of Station Hall offers a free family hunt from 24 October to 1 November, with 30 handmade ghosts hidden among the exhibits and railway carriages.

For a more traditional heritage setting, Fairfax House presents Sine Dominis: Without Masters throughout the week, from 10am to 5pm, with shorter Sunday hours. Admission is £9.50 for adults, £8.50 for concessions and free for under-16s; candlelit evenings on 26, 28 and 30 October cost £15, or £12 for concessions. Barley Hall is running daytime HAUNTED HALL: Ghost Hunters! tours from 24 to 31 October, priced at £15.50 for children and £5.50 for adults. Its evening Dark Tales sessions on 30 and 31 October cost £20 for adults.

The programme also has plenty for people who prefer making, browsing or watching. The free Penny Bazaar at Central Methodist Church takes place on Monday 26 October from 11am to 3pm, with 28 stalls and parlour games raising money for Survive. At the York Centre for Print, the Ghost Postcard Club costs £4 at the door on selected dates, while limited-edition Ghost Week posters cost £35, with 25 of each design released daily. Clay Space York is offering tankard-making sessions at £65 per person on dates across the week. Other options include the free Candlelit Mouse Hunt at Holy Trinity Church on 26 October and the family Deadtime Stories sessions at Treasurer’s House on 29 October, costing £12 for children and £6 for adults.

Some events are already sold out, including the Heritage Printing Workshop and Printing House After Dark. The Black Box Ghost Sale at the Mansion House runs from 26 October to 1 November, with 2,000 £70 pottery pieces available, but it is restricted to adults aged 18 and over, with under-16s accompanied. The Ghost Merchants Auction at Bedern Hall on 25 October is also an adults-only event, while the Keening with Olivia Graham at Holy Trinity Church on 1 November costs £11.55 for adults. With free trails alongside ticketed talks, crafts and evening events, Ghost Week offers several different ways to spend an autumn day in York without waiting for the Halloween rush.