Pumpkin picking and messy play at Ballymena Halloween bash with SEN-inclusive slots
Tuesday 13 October 2026
A free two-day Halloween event in Ballymena will include a dedicated day for children and young people with additional needs, alongside pumpkin picking, a disco and a sensory corner.
Turning Point NI’s Halloween Inclusive Spooky Bash takes place in the Des Allen Suite at Ballymena Showgrounds on Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 October, with activities for residents and families from the Ballymena Borough.
Monday’s sessions are exclusively for children and young people with special educational needs (SEN). Tuesday’s activities are open to all children, young people and families within the event’s Ballymena Borough eligibility area.
Dedicated SEN sessions
Monday’s relaxed and inclusive sessions will be facilitated by W.A.V.E.S, with each 45-minute slot capped at 20 children.
Tuesday’s sessions will also last 45 minutes, with a maximum of 40 children per slot. Tickets must be booked for everyone attending, including accompanying adults.
Pumpkins and Halloween activities
Children are welcome to dress up in costume and choose a pumpkin from the patch to paint. The programme includes:
• Pumpkin patch and pumpkin painting.
• Messy play.
• Disco.
• Halloween-themed games.
• Halloween-themed arts and crafts.
• Sensory corner.
• A goodie bag for each child.
Dates and venue
• Monday 26 October 2026: SEN-only sessions for children and young people with additional needs, facilitated by W.A.V.E.S.
• Tuesday 27 October 2026: sessions open to all children, young people and families from the Ballymena Borough.
• Venue: Des Allen Suite, Ballymena Showgrounds, Saint Patrick’s Barracks Link Road, Ballymena, BT43 7FU.
• Entry and parking are free.
The event is fully funded under the PEACEPLUS Strengthening Communities Programme. PEACEPLUS is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).
How to book
Under-18s must attend with a parent or legal guardian, and adults must accompany their own children throughout the event.
Families should reserve the appropriate number of tickets for their chosen 45-minute slot, including tickets for adults, through the booking page below:
When booking, choose Monday for the dedicated SEN-only sessions or Tuesday for the sessions open to all eligible local families.
