Family-friendly events this October half term

By Lucy Neill | 9 October 2026

Looking for fun things to do with the family during October half-term week? Our libraries across Suffolk are running special autumn and Halloween-themed events for all ages to enjoy!

Browse our top events for children and families this half-term week.

This is just a small number of the wide variety of events our libraries are running this summer – head to our What’s On page to browse more events near you!

Play with Clay: Wildlife Offerings Workshop

Saturday 24 October at Kessingland Library

Join artist Lucy Wheeler for this drop-in family workshop and make clay sculptures inspired by the unique wildlife of East Suffolk! Learn about the creatures, plants and animals roaming this landscape now and in the past.

This drop-in session gives you the chance to get messy with clay, and learn about the biodiversity of East Suffolk, too. You’ll make a sculpture inspired by the flora and fauna of the past and present, and take it home to cherish.

Halloween Mask Creation

Sunday 25 October at Oulton Broad Library

Halloween is almost here! Have you got your costume ready yet?

Come down to Oulton Broad Library and join in with our fun Halloween Mask crafts session, suitable for all ages!

We’ll have a variety of arts and crafts supplies available for children and teens to get creative and make their own unique Halloween-inspired mask to take home with them.

Cosy Book Club

Monday 26 and Thursday 29 October at Bury St Edmunds Library

Come along to Bury St Edmunds Library and join us for a quiet and cosy story time session this October half-term! Listen along to an engaging story and then spend some time with your little ones exploring the library and sharing the magic of books.

Storytime takes place in the Family Hub with hot chocolates available afterwards in the Activity Space.

The Katharine of Aragon Pop-up Experience

Tuesday 27 October at Sudbury Library

Grab a pair of headphones and explore the library space while listening to the story of Katharine’s love of books and her role in championing women’s education at this pop-up experience for all ages, all recorded here in the heart of East Anglia.

Through a masterful blend of text and innovative binaural soundscapes, explore Katharine’s devotion, defiance, and resilience, and discover why her story resonates so powerfully today.

Forest of Stories Playscape

Tuesday 27, Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 October at Capel St Mary Library

Come along to Capel St Mary Library and enjoy the Forest of Stories Playscape, filled with different sensory play activities for children to enjoy!

Explore an immersive playscape linked to stories, forests, animals and the great outdoors, sparking their imaginations, and fostering a love for the environment.

Half-Term Halloween Crafts

Tuesday 27 October at Saxmundham Library

Join us at Saxmundham Library for some spooooky crafts! Get involved in making a variety of Halloween-themed crafts for you to take home with you. Perfect to keep the little ones busy this October half-term!

Ghost Type Pokémon Hunt

Tuesday 27 October to Sunday 1 November at Stowmarket Library

Calling all Pokémon trainers! Grab your Pokédex and join in with a fun hunt around Stowmarket Library!

Ghost-type Pokémon have escaped and are hiding all around the bookshelves. There’s Haunter, Sableye, Mimikyu and more! If you find them all, you will win a prize!

Pool, Table Tennis and VR Gaming

Wednesday 28 October at Gainsborough Community Library

Join us at Gainsborough Community Library and enjoy a selection of gaming activities, suitable for families of all ages!

We’ll have table tennis, pool tables and VR gaming set up in the Community Room. There’ll also be some fun nature-themed wand making crafts in the main library space!

Autumn Pottery Painting

Wednesday 28 October at Southwold Library

Join us for an autumn-themed pottery painting session with Southwold-based illustrator Gallery Thea! Children and teens can get involved with creating their own hanging decorations, mugs, tiles, trinket boxes and more!

Autumn Crafts for Children

Wednesday 28 October at Hadleigh Library

Celebrate the changing seasons with a free craft activity for children!

We’ll have a variety of autumn and tree-themed craft activities available, including leaf rubbing, fingerprint tree painting, making woodland mice and creating a group tree collage to display in the library. As well as autumn colouring fun!

Biodiversity Data Detectives

Wednesday 28 October at Newmarket Library
Thursday 29 October at Lowestoft Library

The friendly faces behind the European Bioinformatics Institute will teach you all about how they use biological data to understand the world around us at this informal drop-in for all the family!

Take part in fun, hands on activities that explore the biodiversity all around us, from insects to plants, find out about how they are all connected and how data can be our tool to help protect and restore our environment.

We have sessions available at Newmarket Library and at Lowestoft Library.

Three Billy Goats Gruff Puppet Show

Thursday 29 October at Felixstowe Library

Join us for a fun puppet show performance at Felixstowe Library! Suitable for young children and their families.

Billy Goats Gruff is the simple story of three hungry goats and a grumpy old troll, told with a gentle ecological message.

Watch out for the dance of the goats, the flying troll and loads and loads of rubbish. And don’t forget to make friends with a little green frog hopping about…

VTuber Character Design Workshop

Friday 30 October at Ipswich County Library

Join us at Ipswich County Library for a free half-term digital art workshop for 10-16 year olds!

In this workshop we will be designing our own unique VTuber characters, then using VRoid Studio to bring our character to life!

Author Stories with Dominique Valente

Friday 30 October at Thurston Library

Welcome to the first in our series of special storytelling’s by authors reading their own books!

Dominique Valente will be visiting Thurston Library for a special storytelling session, reading from her latest in her Starfell series, answering any questions you may have about the books, being an author or even her favourite things!

Live Theatre: Jekyll & Hyde

Saturday 31 October at Glemsford Village Hall

Join us at Glemsford Village Hall for a live theatre performance of Jekyll & Hyde by Ropetackle Storytellers! Suitable for ages 12+.

Get ready for a gothic thriller as Lawyer Gabriel Utterson is drawn into a sinister case involving blackmail, murder and his close friend, Dr Henry Jekyll!

As he investigates a series of strange encounters and unsettling confessions, Utterson uncovers the dark connection between the celebrated doctor and the monstrous Mr Hyde. But where does the truth really lie?