Halloween lands on Friday this year, and Putney is pulling out all the stops with over a dozen events packed into just three days. Whether you’ve got kids looking for pumpkin patches and face painting, or you’re planning your own night out with costume competitions and DJ sets running until 2am, we’ve done the legwork so you don’t have to.
See the full Halloween guide with times, prices, and venues →
Thursday kicks off with kids’ events
If you’ve got children and Thursday works better than the weekend rush, there are two family events running:
The Children’s Pumpkin Hunt starts at 11am on Wimbledon and Putney Commons (by the Windmill). For £3, kids get reptile encounters, face painting, a colouring competition, and the actual pumpkin hunt. It runs until 4pm.
Later, Studio Art Cafe is hosting a Halloween party from 4:30-6:30pm. This one’s £39 per child but includes DJ entertainment, craft activities (making Halloween bag charms), cupcakes, drinks, and temporary tattoos. Plus one parent gets in free. The winner of their best dressed competition gets a free art activity voucher.
Check exact addresses and book links in the full guide →
Friday is packed from noon to 2am
Halloween itself – Friday 31st October – is when things get properly busy. You’ll need a plan if you want to hit the best events.
The free daytime celebration
Positively Putney runs its free town centre Halloween from midday to 5:30pm. This is the big family-friendly event with:
- A pop-up pumpkin patch in Church Square (12-4pm) where you can pick and carve pumpkins
- Face painting and balloon modelling outside Putney Arts Theatre (1-3pm)
- A trick-or-treat trail around 50+ participating businesses (1-5pm)
- Two pyro and fire shows in Church Square at 4pm and 5pm
If you’re planning to do the trick-or-treat trail, you’ll want the map of which shops are participating. We’ve linked to it in the guide.
Get the participating business list and trail map →
Evening: seven different venues hosting parties
Here’s where Friday gets complicated — seven different Putney venues are running Halloween events from 7pm onwards, and they’re all quite different:
If you want live music (free): East Putney Tavern hosts the Putney Social Group’s regular Friday music night with a Halloween twist. Music starts at 9pm, no entry fee, fancy dress optional. Reserved area for the group.
If you want to dance salsa: Putney Salsa Club at Dance Lab Ballroom Hall runs 7pm-11:45pm. Includes a free Bachata class at 7:30pm, salsa classes from 8-9pm at all levels, professional dance shows, then DJ Jeff spinning Latin music all night. £10 entry, absolute beginners welcome.
If you want a pub with a terrace: The Spotted Horse’s Terrace Halloween Party (7-10pm) has a fancy dress competition with prizes for best dressed. Outdoor terrace, community vibe.
If you want live music (with a beer sponsor): The Coat & Badge is doing a Jubel takeover from 7pm with live music, best dressed competition, and a “Race to the Bar Minute” competition. It’s on Lacy Road, just off the main high street.
If you want late-night dancing: Putney Pies (The Vault) has DJ Billy Idle spinning from 10pm-2am. Free entry if you arrive before 10pm, then £10 after that. No dress code required but costumes welcome.
If you want cocktails and dancing: Tequila Mockingbird’s basement tunnel bar becomes a Halloween party zone. Themed cocktails, DJs, open until 2am. Happy hour 2-4-1 cocktails until 8pm.
The guide breaks down exact addresses, timings, and what makes each venue different so you can pick the right one for your group.
Compare all seven venues side-by-side in the guide →
Saturday: the over-30s daytime party
If you missed Friday or prefer a more mature crowd, Le Fez is running an Over 30s Halloween Day Party on Saturday 1st November, 3-9pm.
This is daytime clubbing (so you’re home at a reasonable hour) with DJs playing 80s, 90s, and 2000s hits. Age policy is 30+ (though 25+ friends can come if accompanying you). Costumes encouraged. Last entry is 5pm.
Snacks
We’ve also listed where to get Halloween treats (Gaya Bakery does pumpkin cupcakes, GAIL’s does skeleton biscuits), where to buy pumpkins if you missed the Church Square patch, and safety tips if you’re taking kids trick-or-treating.
The guide is your evening planner
Halloween in Putney is now big enough that you can’t just “turn up and see what’s happening” anymore. Friday night alone has seven different paid events plus the free daytime stuff. They’re all good, but they’re all different.
- See everything in one place with times and prices
- Filter by what you want
- Get addresses
- Find events that are free or cheap (there are several)
- Plan a route if you want to hit multiple venues
Whether you’re organizing for kids, planning a night out with friends, or just want to know what all the costumes and noise are about on Friday, we’ve got you covered.
Have fun!
