Halloween in Leeds is something celebrated every year by thousands of students who hope to top their outfits from the previous year and look even more gory! From liquid latex to SFX wax to fake blood; here are some tips and tricks for celebrating in Leeds - including the best and cheapest places to go, and the best shops to make sure your outfit is in order!

What day do people celebrate?

Halloween can always fall on an awkward day. It can be confusing which day to head out in your fancy dress if the 31st October doesn’t fall on the weekend – you don’t want to be the only one dressed up! Lucky for students, Halloween in Leeds is normally celebrated the weekend before, the night of and the weekend after thanks to the sheer number of events that are on. That means there’s plenty of choice what day to go out and celebrate, and it’s always guaranteed to be busy no matter when you choose. Weekdays however are normally considerably cheaper than Saturday nights so bear this in mind when picking your events.

Events

Bongo’s Bingo and Sticky Feet Halloween Special
With Canal Mills announcing earlier this year that they were shutting down in the New Year, this makes this year’s Halloween event the last ever to be held at the venue; meaning they’re going all out. The night starts with a spooky edition of Bongos Bingo. For those that don’t know, Bongos Bingo is a hilarious version of bingo where you dance on the tables and win some very random prizes! Don the fancy dress and get your tickets fast as this is an event guaranteed to sell out. Then, straight after bingo follows Sticky Feet’s Halloween Special, hosted by none other than the amazing Sticky Feet DJs; Dan Hills, Livsey and Danny James. Word on the street is that another very special guest will be joining them too on the 31st October.

Detonate Halloween
An event held every year at the O2 academy, this is definitely something not worth missing. Famous DJs Redlight, Wilkinson and Shy FX will be playing, and this venue offers two different rooms and three levels and is open till 5am. Tickets start at £20 which is a little pricey for a night out in Leeds, so make sure not to overspend on your Halloween costume if you plan on going. It’s worth the money though, as this is an event that tops itself year after year.

Twisted Circus: Halloween Special
Offering three creepy rooms full of House, R&B and Techno, The Space club is also renowned for being one of the cheapest nights out on offer in Leeds (from my experience). This event is always reliable for a good but not “over the top” night. It’s perfect for those looking for a more casual Halloween. Whip out your clown costume and save the date; Saturday 27th October 2018.

Projekt Halloween Part 1 and 2
Hosted again at the O2 academy, Projekt can be found to be full of giant oversized balloons, plenty of fog canons and a lot of confetti as well as offering cheap entry. It’s on for two dates (27th October / 31st October) to guarantee you can get to at least one of them! This is also a considerably big venue, so plenty of room to show everyone your costume.

Where should I get my costume from?

Here is a list to set you on your way to finding some unique and quirky outfit ideas, whether you want to go all out and completely unrecognisable, or if you fancy only putting on a bit of fake blood. Look no further than these places as they’re are some of the best and cheapest shops available to students (also offering student discount!)

  • Dress Up and Party: Headingley
  • The Magic Wardrobe Fancy Dress: Hyde Park
  • Luvyababes: Albion Street, City Centre
  • Party Supplies: Albion Street, City Centre
  • RnLs Store: 48 The Headrow, City Centre

I don’t know what to wear?
Wear whatever you want to and don’t worry about going over or under board with your costume. Halloween is the one night its acceptable to go out and dress as whatever you want; from a pirate, zombie or mermaid, the floor really is yours. So plan carefully and make sure you top all your friends for outfit choice.

Remember though, fake blood stains faces, so you might want to bear that in mind if you have a lecture the next day….

Emily

I'm Emily, I'm a second year student studying Digital Journalism at Leeds Beckett University. I'm from North Yorkshire and love anything to do with photography, art and music. In my free time I'm either editing or going out for food. 

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