Are you brave enough to step into the unknown in Hertfordshire this Halloween?

Boomtown's theatrical director, Martin Coat, and experiential event experts Sneaky Experience will debut The Veil of Despair – a truly terrifying immersive journey – at Hatfield House next month, along with bringing The Sneaky Sisters Sideshow Spectacular to town.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: The Sneaky Sisters Sideshow Spectacular is coming to Hatfield House this Halloween.The Sneaky Sisters Sideshow Spectacular is coming to Hatfield House this Halloween. (Image: © Leora Bermeister Farelight Productions)

Pitching up at the Hertfordshire estate this Halloween for four nights, the team behind the travelling Sneaky Sisters will showcase its first carnival of the downright weird and wonderful from Thursday, October 28 to Sunday, October 31, 2021.

Involving a theatrical experience, The Veil of Despair, plus a carnival-flavoured festival night out with The Sneaky Sisters Sideshow Spectacular, guests can expect to feel both unnerved and captivated.

Julia Benfield, founder of Sneaky Experience, said: "After missing out on last year’s opportunity for adventure and mischief, we wanted to create an alternative night out for experience seekers and Halloween enthusiasts.

"Working with Martin Coat, we have created a vivid, frightening narrative with The Veil of Despair and twisted party vibes with The Sneaky Sisters Sideshow Spectacular.

"We promise this will be an exhilarating and exciting experience."

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Sneaky Experience will bring The Veil Of Despair to the grounds of Hatfield House.Sneaky Experience will bring The Veil Of Despair to the grounds of Hatfield House. (Image: Scott M Salt Photography. Supplied by Sneaky Experience)

While The Veil of Despair will offer an immersive experience of dark horror, The Sneaky Sisters Sideshow Spectacular presents a musical line-up of festival favourites and a collection of intriguing sideshow experiences.

Theatrical director Martin Coat added: "We've curated a deliberate mix of creativity and chaos designed to offer guests a thrilling escape.

"The Sneaky Sisters Sideshow Spectacular offers an alternative Halloween night out filled with high-energy live music, performance and entertainment that can be enjoyed by all.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: The Sneaky Sisters Sideshow Spectacular is coming to Hatfield House this Halloween.The Sneaky Sisters Sideshow Spectacular is coming to Hatfield House this Halloween. (Image: Leora Bermeister Farelight Productions)

"For those looking to take things to the next level, however, The Veil of Despair is a highly immersive, highly visual journey designed to test your courage. It’s certainly not to be attempted by the faint-hearted."


What is The Veil of Despair?

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Sneaky Experience presents Hatfield House and the Veil of DespairSneaky Experience presents Hatfield House and the Veil of Despair (Image: Sneaky Experience)

For those with an appetite for a fright this Halloween, The Veil of Despair offers a never-seen-before immersive journey that promises to chill participants to the core.

Uncovering a dark history, participants step back in time to the year 1930 to join the search party for a young girl who has gone missing during an innocent game of hide and seek in the woods of Hatfield House.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Sneaky Experience will bring The Veil Of Despair to the grounds of Hatfield House.Sneaky Experience will bring The Veil Of Despair to the grounds of Hatfield House. (Image: Scott M Salt Photography. Supplied by Sneaky Experience)

With attempts already made by the country’s most courageous soldiers to retrieve the missing child, His Majesty’s Forces are unwilling to lose any more good men to the Veil of Despair.

Desperate for his granddaughter’s return, Lord Wellingham promises to reward anyone who can find the child.

However, there’s just one problem. Stepping into the mysterious veil of light, participants must come face-to-face with a series of disturbing and truly terrifying atrocities…

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Sneaky Experience will bring The Veil Of Despair to the grounds of Hatfield House.Sneaky Experience will bring The Veil Of Despair to the grounds of Hatfield House. (Image: Scott M Salt Photography)

Are you brave enough to walk into the unknown?

This immersive experience is not to be attempted by the fragile and faint-hearted.


What is The Sneaky Sisters Sideshow Spectacular?

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Sneaky Experience presents The Sneaky Sisters Sideshow Spectacular at Hatfield House this Halloween.Sneaky Experience presents The Sneaky Sisters Sideshow Spectacular at Hatfield House this Halloween. (Image: Sneaky Experience)

Bringing together an assortment of travelling sideshow entertainment, live music and carnival cabaret, The Sneaky Sisters Sideshow Spectacular will transform the grounds of Hatfield House into a captivating playground of the downright weird and wonderful.

Presenting an unforgettable line-up of acts and experiences, guests will be able to enjoy some of the best names in cutting-edge music and performance the UK has to offer.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: The Sneaky Sisters Sideshow Spectacular is coming to Hatfield House this Halloween.The Sneaky Sisters Sideshow Spectacular is coming to Hatfield House this Halloween. (Image: Sneaky Experience)

The line-up includes Mama Jinx Cabaret and Zoinks Sideshows plus an eclectic mix of music across the weekend from Ibibio Sound Machine, The Skints, Dr Meaker LIVE, Dutty Moonshine Big Band, Oh My God! It’s The Church, and Cut Capers.

Visitors will also meet enigmatic hosts and curious creatures, enjoy sideshows and circus inspired entertainment, and discover street food stalls and debaucherous bars.

All events are held safely outdoors, in the grounds of Hatfield House.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Hatfield House in Hertfordshire.Hatfield House in Hertfordshire. (Image: Hatfield House)


Booking information

The Veil of Despair and The Sneaky Sisters Sideshow Spectacular run from Thursday, October 28 to Sunday, October 31, with access from 5pm.

Tickets for The Veil of Despair are £55 per person, and includes automatic access to The Sneaky Sisters Sideshow Spectacular.

The event is suitable for those aged 18 plus.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Sneaky Experience will bring The Veil Of Despair to the grounds of Hatfield House.Sneaky Experience will bring The Veil Of Despair to the grounds of Hatfield House. (Image: Scott M Salt Photography. Supplied by Sneaky Experience)

Access to the immersive, intimate journey is limited to 15 people per slot, so early booking is advised to avoid disappointment. Each journey will last approximately 45 minutes.

Tickets for The Sneaky Sisters Spectacular are available from £20.50 per ticket and grant you full entry to live music and entertainment from 5pm.

Visit Sneaky Experience to book tickets.

Sneaky Experience also presents Half Term Halloween at Hatfield House, a jam-packed day of family fun during the day.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Sneaky Experience presents Halloween fun for kids at Hatfield HouseSneaky Experience presents Halloween fun for kids at Hatfield House (Image: Sneaky Experience)