Looking to get scared silly this October? Tulleys Shocktober Fest is the UK’s number one Halloween event, with over ten haunts and attractions, street theatre and food stalls all in Europe’s largest scream park. Here’s everything you need to know about the world-famous Shocktober Fest scream park.
If you enjoy attending spooky attractions, walkthrough haunted houses or scare mazes, chances are you’ve heard of Tulleys Shocktober Fest. This giant scream park – based in Crawley in West Sussex – is world-famous thanks to its size and magnificent scare attractions.
Tulleys Shocktober Fest is more than just a scare attraction. From nine different mazes to a haunted hayride, everything takes place in what essentially is a Halloween theme park.
This means there are plenty of things to do other than the scare mazes!
Shocktober Fest also boasts fairground rides and fun street entertainment, where spooky and funny actors roam the grounds to chat with guests. You’ll also find tons of food vans with delicious variations of food and drink, plus two themed bars for Dutch courage.
As well as cosy firepits to sit around, there are a few different stages where live bands perform and a DJ stage. By day (and night!) Tulleys also offers pumpkin picking nearby.
Read more: The Howl Scream Park at Mead Open Farm Review
A Brief History of Tulleys Shocktober Fest
The idea for Shocktober Fest at Tulleys Farm first developed in 1994, when Stuart Beare (who joined the family’s Pick Your Own pumpkins business a few years prior) wanted to expand the Halloween industry in the UK to rival the way it was booming in America (don’t we all!). In 1995, the first-ever Halloween event was held at Tulleys: the Pumpkin Festival.
My Review of Tulleys Shocktober Fest 2023
This was my first time visiting Tulleys Shocktober Fest and I absolutely loved it. For years I have been endlessly jealous of the fact that the US has actual Halloween theme parks. Although the trend is growing over here in the UK, this is the first time I’ve really experienced anything on that level.
The whole night was fun from start to finish. From the moment I walked in, I was already experiencing a fun – and nervous – anticipation about the night ahead. Between mazes, the entire park offers a really fun and spooky atmosphere. Some of the scare actors were quite scary and really great at spooking us out. Others were just so funny and interesting to interact with.
I loved that there was so much to do between mazes. My favourite part of the night was the Haunted Hayride, which was just so fun and offered a unique experience. I also absolutely loved the Circus of Horrors. As a huge fan of burlesque and horror myself, this show perfectly combined the extraordinary with dark humour. I loved every minute of it.
As for the mazes, I thought every single one was so impressive. First and foremost, I couldn’t believe how long they were. Many scare mazes I have been to are just a few minutes long, either because they’re designed to be short or because I run through them too quickly! But each maze at Shocktober Fest was genuinely the right length to actually enjoy and take in each set whilst still getting spooked.
I had so much fun and was genuinely sad that we had to leave before the end of the evening show. The atmosphere was just turning towards more of a party one – I would have loved to have experienced that. Unfortunately, this wasn’t an option as we had a two-hour drive home. But next year we have decided to book a hotel and stay overnight to make the most of our visit.
Because we visited quite early in the month, the lines at Shocktober Fest were just right. We didn’t have to queue up for any mazes for long at all, and any that we did queue for really had a fun atmosphere whilst waiting. I think that’s super important and that the wait should build up the anticipation and fear for what’s yet to come, so they did a great job of that.
My only very small issue was that I wish the bars were serving some spooky-themed cocktails. However, I really loved the Reaper bar. This bar had a cool spooky theme, as well as a great view of one of the stages.
My favourite haunts would have to be Doom Town, The Village Coven of 13 and Wastelands Penitentiary!
See more: Come with us to Tulleys Shocktober Fest 2023
The Need-to-Knows
Tulleys Shocktober Fest is SO much fun and in my opinion, the best scare farm in the UK. But it is not for the faint-hearted! There are things to do if you’re too scared to head through the scare mazes, but you may get a little bored. If you don’t like being scared, then really think about if it’s worth attending.
They do allow under 16s to attend (when accompanied by adults), but I personally would say it’s too scary for anyone under the age of 14/15.
If you don’t live in the area, definitely consider booking their scream and stay package (or booking a hotel nearby), as you will want to have a couple of drinks to calm your nerves. The farm also has stages playing different music, so there is a party atmosphere towards the end of the night.
Tulleys Farm also offers pumpkin picking and pumpkin nights, which look really fun and wholesome! I think it would be a great idea to do pumpkin picking by day, followed by the scream park at night.
They also recommend buying a fast pass ticket for their busier nights. We had no problem with queues as we attended quite early in the month. If you don’t mind queuing, you may be fine as the queues are quite atmospheric anyway. But if you’re planning to attend within the last week or so of October, I would also suggest getting a fast pass.
If you love Halloween and getting spooked, you will LOVE Tulleys Shocktober Fest. It’s such a fun and scary atmosphere with so much to do. It really does feel like you’re attending a real scream park in America. From the haunted hayride to the circus of horrors, it’s such a great night out for couples and groups of friends.
What is the scariest haunt at Tulleys Farm?
It really depends on what scares you! If you have a fear of chainsaws like me, then I would say The Chop Shop Garage, whereas Electrick Circus is super scary if you hate clowns.
Many might suggest Hell-elements as the scariest haunt, but this didn’t really live up to its expectations in my eyes. I feel like they could have done a lot more with this one.
Can the actors touch you in tulleys farm?
No, they can’t! They do get quite close to you though and at times will jump in front of you or shout in your face to scare you. I can imagine that there may be occasions when you accidentally bump into them or vice versa however.
How scary is Shocktober Fest?
Very scary! I would rate the entire experience a 4/5, but this is an overall rating that includes the circus, the street theatre etc. I loved that there were things to do that were only scary in a fun way. Some of the individual haunts were definitely a 5/5 though, such as The Chop Shop Garage or Wastelands Penitentiary!
*Please note, I was kindly invited to attend this event free of charge. There is no obligation to post about my experiences. This review is entirely honest and unbiased.
Tulleys Shocktober Fest Scream Park
www.shocktoberfest.co.uk
Tulleys Farm, Turners Hill Road, Turners Hill, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 4PE
Dates from 30th September – 31st October.
Tickets from £42 when booked in advance.
There are public toilets, free parking and many food vans onsite.
Leave a Reply