Record-setting Ghost Fest draws Spooktacular crowds to Oxford

We have enjoyed one of our biggest spooky seasons on record with sell-out experiences and even an unexpected appearance from one of our ghostly residents.

Almost 500 guests attended our Spooky Tours in which guides lead them on an after dark exploration of the castle and its grounds, to learn about some of its most famous – and some of its lesser known – terrifying tales.

To end the tours on a high, one courageous pair took on the ultimate haunting experience. We launched our first-ever Crypt Challenge at Halloween to offer the ultimate prize for only the most daring. The winning couple were ‘locked in’ our Norman crypt – believed to be home to several ghostly apparitions – armed with a plethora of ghost-hunting apparatus to help them detect who may or may not be with them.

The 30-minute stint in the pitch-black darkness of the crypt, said to once be a store for 500 dead bodies. The eerie space below St George’s Tower is also reportedly the spot where a little girl has been known to stand beside guests.

Just days later, we also hosted Most Haunted parapsychologist Dr Ciaran O’Keeffe for a sold-out Paranormal Dinner and Investigation. Guests enjoyed a meal in the surroundings of the castle before Ciaran led on a paranormal investigation, in which guests reported experiencing unexplainable phenomena – the latest of several recent unexplainable experiences felt by guests, ghost hunters and team members in recent weeks.

But the fun wasn’t limited to adults. We also held sold out Potion Making in the crypt where almost 200 children visited during the October half-term to become wizards for the day and create a range of ghoulish concoctions.

The range of activities was part of Ghost Fest – our celebration of all things spooky around Halloween. To launch the festival, we launched a ‘zombie invasion’ of Oxford city centre alongside our friends at City of Oxford College. Almost 30 students emerged from the crypt before making their way into Oxford where they staggered through its historic streets and passed key locations including the Radcliffe Camera, Westgate Shopping Centre and Broad Street. The activity hit the headlines on the BBC and Oxford Mail, helping to drive interest in Ghost Fest.

Ghost Fest will return in 2025. In the meantime, check out our upcoming events here.