Events

Celebrate Easter, Halloween & Christmas with unforgettable family fun!

Get ready for a spellbinding Halloween adventure at Matlock Farm Park! 🎃👻

This October, enjoy a magical autumn wonderland packed with family-friendly Halloween fun and plenty of pumpkin-filled excitement.

Venture through our Spooky Woodland Trail full of prop-based Halloween scenes and magical surprises, but don't worry... it's more fun than fright! Keep your eyes peeled for Playful Characters* as you take on our Ghoul Games along the way.

On Saturday 24th October, don't miss the chance to meet the enchanting Elphaba and Glinda, who'll be casting their wicked spells and creating unforgettable photo opportunities.

No Halloween visit would be complete without a trip to our Pumpkin Patch! Every child with a paid park entry ticket receives a FREE pumpkin*. Collect your token, grab a wheelbarrow and head into the patch to choose your perfect pumpkin. Then carve your masterpiece at our carving stations or take it home to decorate for Halloween.

Little witches and wizards can also join Witch Wendolyn's magical craft workshops to create enchanting keepsakes. As the afternoon draws to a close, keep watch... you might just catch a glimpse of the mysterious Headless Horseman riding through the park!

Your Halloween adventure also includes all the fantastic daily attractions that make Matlock Farm Park a family favourite. Meet friendly animals, cheer for the exciting Sheep Races, enjoy Meerkat Talks, Wallaby Encounters and fascinating Creepy Crawly Sessions, plus children can enjoy our popular Pony Rides* too!

And when it's time to burn off some energy, there's even more fun to discover with our large covered Enchanted Hamlet multi-zone play area, the fantastic Rainforest indoor play barn and the UK's largest Jumping Pillow.

A magical mix of pumpkins, play, animals and Halloween fun awaits – the perfect autumn family day out!

*Pumpkins subject to availability. Playful Characters appear 28th-31st October only. A small charge applies to pony rides.

Each of the three Christmas events are pre-book only. Farm park also open for general entry without the need to pre-book.

Breakfast with Santa

Settle in for a delicious festive breakfast in our cosy café, where Santa himself will join you at your table for a lovely chat - he will know all about his special diners! Share your wishes and capture those precious moments together. Every child will also receive an early Christmas gift from Santa. Afterwards, gather with Mary Christmas to enjoy a wonderful Christmas story. Then, make the most of your day with full access to all the fun and festive attractions at Matlock Farm Park.

Relaxed Santa Experience

(Suited for those with additional needs, such as Autism, who may require a very tailored experience)

Enjoy a truly magical Santa experience, thoughtfully tailored to your loved one. Our Relaxed Santa Sessions are carefully designed and offer extra time, a peaceful environment and a personalised approach for children and young people who benefit from a calmer setting, to help make their experience as comfortable and memorable as possible. With a dedicated time slot, fewer crowds and a gentler pace, there’s plenty of time to settle in and enjoy the magic. Before your grotto visit, you can enjoy a one-to-one small animal petting session with our caring team. Then it's time for your private Santa visit, share Christmas wishes and enjoy a special festive moment created just for your family.

Santa's Grotto Experience

Make Christmas extra magical with a very special visit to Santa at Matlock Farm Park!
Step into a world of festive fun beginning in our enchanting Christmas Craft Workshop. Meet Chief Elf, write a letter to Santa and post it in the magical North Pole Post Box, before creating a beautiful keepsake to take home. Discover whether you’ve made Santa’s Naughty or Nice List with our fun-filled Naughty or Nice-o-meter! Your journey continues through our sparkling Ice Tunnel, where an elf awaits to guide you into Santa’s enchanting grotto. Meet Santa, share your Christmas wishes, capture cherished memories and receive an early Christmas gift from the man himself.

Also available at Christmas time:

Festive pony rides*
Christmas carol singing/brass band music
Christmas treasure trails
Market stalls (selected dates)

*From 2.5 years. Small charge applies

28th March – 12th April

Spring is in the air and it’s such a special time of year at Matlock Farm Park. Come to our lovely Sheep Maternity Ward and Nursery in The Ark and see if our expectant mums have any gorgeous new additions. Get up close to the lambs and learn more about the lambing process too with our staff guided talks.

There's all the usual daily fun of the farm park with sheep racing, small animal petting, meet the reptiles wallaby encounters, meerkat feeds, ferret racing and more! Children can also follow an Easter Treasure Trail every day of the Easter school holidays.

Of course, Easter wouldn't be Easter without the very jolly Easter Bunny who makes an appearance morning and afternoon from Good Friday to Easter Monday to help with our famous Easter Egg Hunt, with sweet treats available for children involved. Over this weekend, there's also our Find the Golden Egg feature at the park, with a super prize to be won.

On Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, we will also be joined by external entertainers - check out our What's On page before you visit!

Picnics are welcome for visitors to consume at outdoor picnic tables around the park.

Please note, food obtained from outside the farm park cannot be consumed inside our Cafe or Rainforest Coffee shop, except in the case of baby food for little ones in high chairs.

Seasonal