Things to do over October half-term

18-20 October, Cardiff

Now in its 12th year, the multi-venue Sŵn Festival returns to take over city centre spaces with brand new acts. This year’s line-up has a healthy mix of household names including Gruff Rhys and We Were Promised Jetpacks, as well as plenty of equally great emerging talent.

All week, across Wales

Tech and the great outdoors come together in the brand new free Wales Coast Path app for the 870-mile Wales Coast Path. It uses augmented reality to bring the coast to life. Use it to uncover wondrous legends through interactive learning, play family-friendly games and wander paths to particular points of interest along the Welsh coast.

19 October -26 January , Cardiff

As part of his UK tour, Dippy the Diplodocus – a 70ft (21.3m) plaster-cast sauropod replica – will be taking residence in National Museum Cardiff. Pop along and see if you can count all of his bones (there are 292 in total!)

19 October, Llangollen

If riding around on a heritage steam train stocked with decent tipples is your idea of fun, jump aboard The Real Ale Train on the Llangollen Railway. You get to take in the scenic North Wales landscapes while downing pints of real ale. Now that does sound good...

All week, Bridgend

There’s no better way to quickly let off steam than at Jump Jam trampoline park. There are over 100 interconnected trampolines, making it Wales’ biggest indoor trampoline park, so there’s plenty of room – even at peak periods. On Saturday mornings, there’s a family jam session where kids and adults can bounce along tracks, over obstacles and off the walls together.

19-20 October and 26 October-2 November, Narberth

Wales’ largest theme park always makes an effort at Halloween. This year’s spooky attractions include Witch Hunt, a scare maze that’s already impressed members of the horror industry. There are also live action zombie and scare actors roaming around and late night openings on certain dates so you can enjoy the park’s rides in the dark.

21-25 October, Cilgerran

The friendly folks at Fforest are holding a week of family-focused autumnal events at Fforest Farm to coincide with the season. There will be pumpkin carving, gorge walks, cosy meals in their Bwthyn pub, time spent in front of toasty fires, cedar barrel sauna sessions and all sorts of other niceties by the gorgeous Teifi gorge.

25-27 October, Conwy

Gwledd Conwy Fest sees Wales’ largest celebration of music, art and food take over the medieval town of Conwy for the weekend. Everywhere from the quayside to the castle has something going on, so let your senses guide you around this annual event.

26-27 and 30-31 October, Pontypool

Don your Halloween costume or put on a brave face to ride on this spooktacular ghost train from The Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway. Trains run at regular intervals from 4pm to 9pm between the spookified Furnace Sidings station and Whistle Inn.

29 October-4 November, Wrexham

At Erddig, an epic National Trust estate with walled gardens, there’s a bumper crop of apple-themed activities over the half-term holiday. Have a go at apple dipping or apple printing, follow the fun apple trail, solve apple puzzles, toast marshmallows in the Wolf’s Den or listen to apple-inspired stories.

All week, Abergavenny

The wild, open hilltops of the Brecon Beacons are fantastic for a spot of leaf-peeping, with Upper Tarell Valley’s ancient woodlands, frosty summits and boundless riverside trails waiting to show off their autumnal colours. The Angel Hotel in Abergavenny is running a special Leaf Peeping Break, where you can enjoy a three-course meal for two, an overnight stay in a luxury bedroom and a hearty breakfast before setting off to the woods. Guests receive a complimentary copy of expert Rob Penn’s book, ‘Escape to the Woods’, and guides to the best leaf-peeping spots in the area.

There's plenty more happening across Wales during October - check out our October events page for more info.