Follow the Tarot Trail, explore Chelmsford’s witchcraft history and discover a different free family activity every day of half term.
10am, Shire Hall
Start at Shire Hall, pick up your free spellbook and begin the Tarot Trail.
Thank you for joining The Witches of Chelmsford.
Every day this half term
Tarot Trail
Follow the trail around Chelmsford city centre, find 10 numbered tarot cards and put them in the correct order to reveal the secret spell word. Complete the trail and collect your exclusive Witches of Chelmsford stickers.
Essex Witch Museum Pop-Up
Step inside Shire Hall and discover Chelmsford’s witchcraft history. Find out why Essex became known as ‘Witch County’, what life was like during the witch trials and the difference between Cunning Folk and witches.
Look up!
As you follow the trail, keep an eye above the city for giant magical objects. Use the clues in your spellbook to find them all.
Get your spellbook
Pick up your free Witches of Chelmsford Tarot Spellbook from the Essex Witch Museum at Shire Hall throughout the event.
Or download a copy and print it at home.
Download the spellbook →What’s on each day
Choose a day or use the filters to find activities that need booking and those you can simply turn up to.
Showing all activities
Monday 26 October
Today2 activities
Stop-Motion Workshop
Create part of a short stop-motion film inspired by the real stories of women accused of witchcraft in Essex. Everything you need is provided and no animation experience is needed.
The Science Behind the Magic
Join the Science Made Simple buskers for hands-on experiments in flight and flotation. Spinning cups, rocket balloons, optical illusions and maths puzzles reveal the secrets behind the tricks.
Tuesday 27 October
Today3 activities
Drop-In Animation Studio
Try stop-motion animation, experiment with different techniques and create your own animated scenes inspired by the witches of Essex.
Wonderstruck Science Show
Can a witch’s broom really fly? Join the Wonderstruck scientists for explosive experiments exploring the basic principles of flight.
The Science Behind the Magic
Join the Science Made Simple buskers for hands-on experiments in flight and flotation. Spinning cups, rocket balloons, optical illusions and maths puzzles reveal the secrets behind the tricks.
Wednesday 28 October
Today3 activities
Magic Bath Bomb Making
Mix, mould and make your own Monster Scare Bear bath bomb with the LUSH team while discovering the science behind what makes bath bombs fizz.
The Science Behind the Magic
Join the Science Made Simple buskers for hands-on experiments in flight and flotation. Spinning cups, rocket balloons, optical illusions and maths puzzles reveal the secrets behind the tricks.
Spray Paint Workshop
Come and help paint a mural with Brave Arts and Flipping Zombies, in collaboration with Essex Witch Museum and Chelmsford For You. It’s inspired by the real people of Chelmsford and Essex affected by the Essex Witch Trials of the 16th and 17th centuries.
Fancy having a go? No experience needed. Messy clothes recommended, fancy dress encouraged!
Thursday 29 October
Today1 activities
Craft Your Own Witchy Wearables
Make your own witch or wizard hat, or design a spooky Halloween badge to wear home.
Friday 30 October
Today2 activities
Witch & Wizard Face Painting
Choose your magical look and transform into a witch, wizard or magical creature with our free face painters.
Charm Bracelet Workshop
Create your own witch’s charm bracelet using mystical beads and symbolic charms, then take your finished keepsake home.
Saturday 31 October
Today2 activities
Craft Your Own Witchy Trick-or-Treat Bag
Design and decorate your own witch-themed trick-or-treat bag, ready for Halloween.
Spooky ‘Scrap Store’ Crafts
Use reclaimed and waste materials to make mini broomsticks, spiderwebs or potion bottles, with artists on hand to help.
Sunday 1 November
Today1 activities
Witches’ Cauldron Slime Making
Mix and make your own cauldron slime while discovering how chemical reactions can make science look like magic.
Thank you for joining us for The Witches of Chelmsford.
Not just for the kids
We’ve lined up five Witches of Chelmsford events for adults, from a yoga and herbal workshop and an evening with a medium to an art exhibition and a pop-up market. The exhibition and market are free to visit; the other three need booking.
Rooted & Ritual
Start with an hour of slow, grounding yoga exploring the chakras and bandhas, then move from the mat to a hands-on herbal workshop. Blend your own herbal tea and make a nourishing lip balm to take home.
The Old Ways: Regressive Progression
A contemporary art exhibition by The Hive Artists Studios, the Chelmsford collective hidden off Beehive Lane since 2010. It turns away from modern tech overload, back to the old ways of making, being and ritual, and the handmade as a quiet act of rebellion.
Witches: Fact, Fiction & Fascination
Professor Marion Gibson, Professor Alison Rowlands and Essex Witch Museum founder Emma Wardall explore the people behind the witch trials, the role of folklore and magic, and why witches still capture our imagination.
Psychic Night with Jeanie Jackson
An evening of spiritual messages led by experienced medium Jeanie Jackson, a fourth-generation medium and Education Officer for the Institute of Spiritualist Mediums. One-to-one tarot readings (£10) can be booked on arrival, first come, first served.
Pop-up Market
Browse mystical traders, magical finds and mysterious treasures as The Witches of Chelmsford takes over Market Square for the day.
The Essex Witch Museum
We are proud to be teaming up with the Essex Witch Museum to bring you the Witches of Chelmsford. They are working to collate and preserve the history of the witch trials held in Essex between 1560 and 1735.
Their mission is to:
- Reform the lost history of the Essex Witch Trials
- Give voices to those who are persecuted and ‘othered’ by society
- Create a fun, safe, and equitable space for the community
- Offer an interactive museum which caters for different learning styles
- Inspire visitors to learn from the past, and build a more understanding and equitable society
Chelmsford