Trafford's October half term is 26 to 30 October, with a free Halloween trail in Altrincham all week and no trams. What's on, with times and prices.

October half term in Trafford runs from Monday 26 to Friday 30 October 2026. Plan the week around one fact first: no trams run from Altrincham for the whole of it, because the line is closed from 19 October to 1 November.

The quick answer

  • Half term: Monday 26 to Friday 30 October. Schools go back on Monday 2 November. Altrincham Prep breaks from Friday 16 October.
  • No Altrincham trams from 19 October to 1 November. The replacement buses start at Sale, not Altrincham. The hourly Northern train to Piccadilly is the way round it.

  • Dunham Massey has a free drop-in craft session every weekday of half term, and the house closes for the season on Sunday 1 November.

  • Altrincham BID’s free Halloween trail runs 26 October to 1 November, 10am to 4pm. Details on our Halloween trail page.

Checked on 25 September 2026 on the organisers’ own listings.

Updated 5 October: Trafford Libraries has listed free Halloween discos at Urmston Library (Tuesday 27 October) and Timperley Library (Thursday 29 October), both 5pm to 6pm. Eric & Ern at Waterside has sold out.

Updated 28 September: Altrincham BID has listed Count-Alty’s Fang-Tastic Halloween Trail for 26 October to 1 November, 10am to 4pm.

The dates

Trafford’s published term dates close schools on Friday 23 October and reopen them on Monday 2 November. Not every school follows them. Altrincham Grammar School for Boys finishes on Thursday 22 October, and Altrincham Preparatory School takes two weeks from Friday 16 October. The full school-by-school table is on our Trafford term dates page.

Getting about: the tram line is shut

From Monday 19 October to Sunday 1 November no trams run on the Altrincham line while TfGM works at Deansgate-Castlefield and Trafford Bar. The routes and what to do instead are on our tram closure page. For a trip into Manchester, the hourly Northern train from Altrincham Interchange to Piccadilly, 28 minutes, is the obvious alternative. Check the tram position on TfGM’s works page before setting out.

Dunham Massey

All from the National Trust’s own Dunham Massey events listing. None needs booking. The Trust lists them as needing admission to the property, so normal entry charges apply.

What When Notes
October half term at Dunham Massey Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November, 10am to 4pm Family trail and self-guided autumn walks in the park and gardens
Collage Creations Monday 26 to Friday 30 October Drop-in postcard collage making with Cut Loose Creatives, for all ages
From Here to There: a tour for children Until Sunday 1 November Passport and stamp trail through the house with Speechly the Pineapple, who is “dressed for the season” in half term
Pineapple Post trail Until Sunday 1 November Clue booklet from Visitor Reception or the garden kiosk
sanctum Until Sunday 1 November Sound and light on water in the chapel
The Botanical World of Mary Delany Until Sunday 1 November Photographic display in the Orangery, with the British Museum

The house is open 11am to 4.15pm, last entry 3.30pm, until 1 November, according to the Trust’s house listing. The house listing ends on 1 November, so half term is the last week of it on the Trust’s calendar. The ticketed Christmas trail after dark starts on 20 November (see Christmas at Dunham Massey).

Waterside, Sale

From the Waterside what’s on listing. Waterside is at 1 Waterside Plaza, Sale, M33 7ZF.

What When Price Age
Camera Obscura: Experiments in Animation Opens Saturday 24 October, runs to 9 January Exhibition All
Not Now, Bernard Sunday 25 October, 2.30pm Adult £14, child £12 3+
Claymation Workshop: Boo the Halloween Ghost Thursday 29 October, 10am and 1pm £10, concessions £8 7+
Dayglo of the Dead Family Rave Saturday 31 October, 2.30pm £7 All ages

Not Now, Bernard is a 60-minute physical-theatre version of David McKee’s picture book, with integrated Makaton. The claymation workshop is run with the Cosgrove Hall Films Archive; children make a clay ghost and animate it, and go home with the finished film. The family rave on Halloween afternoon has a live DJ and UV face painting, and Waterside says it leans to Day of the Dead colour rather than scares.

For adults the same week: Frontier Sapiens Adventure Film Festival on Wednesday 28 October and Eric & Ern on Thursday 29 October, which Waterside now lists as sold out, with a waiting list.

Trafford Libraries: free Halloween discos

Trafford Council’s events calendar lists two free family discos, with dancing, games, treats and prizes for the best costume:

What When Where Price
Halloween half-term disco, Urmston Library Tuesday 27 October, 5pm to 6pm 34 Golden Way, Urmston, M41 0NA Free
Halloween half-term disco, Timperley Library Thursday 29 October, 5pm to 6pm 405 Stockport Road, Timperley, WA15 7XR Free

Still to be confirmed

  • Altrincham town centre Halloween trail details: the BID has listed the dates and hours but not yet the trail sheet pick-up point or theme. Last year’s started at Everyman on George Street; see our Halloween trail page.
  • More Trafford Libraries half-term sessions. Only the two discos above were on the council’s calendar on 5 October. We will check again in mid October.

Also on The Alty Post