Thousands expected as Paisley Halloween Festival brings parade and performances back to town

Paisley Halloween Festival will return to town next month to celebrate the spooky season with a packed programme of frightful fun for all the family.

The free-to-attend festival, which brings thousands of people to the town centre, will take place on Friday 24th October from 4pm–9pm and Saturday 25th October from 2pm–9pm.

The popular Halloween parade will serve as the centrepiece of the event, with more than 300 people participating. Inspired by popular children’s books and movies, it will wind through the town each night at 7pm to fright and delight visitors.

It will feature professional performers including Spark LED Drummers, Mr Wilson’s Second Liners and Uncle Doom and his Organ of Gloom, alongside community groups from the local area, with large-scale creations adding to the spectacle.

To allow people plenty of options to get the best view of the parade, the route will once again take in Mill Street.

As well as the parade, there will be live entertainment from professional acts including acrobatic group Black Eagles and comedic hula hoop cabaret act Maple Staplegun, plus performances from local dance and music groups on the stage at County Square. In addition, there will be street performances throughout the town centre, along with aerial taster sessions and displays with All or Nothing at the Cenotaph.

The funfair will be at the Lagoon Car Park and East End Park, offering plenty of opportunities to keep children entertained in the build-up to the parade.

The Art Department will run free creative arts and crafts sessions where visitors can make spooky masks and painted mannequins for Halloween. There will also be marshmallow pits and a devilish selection of street food options on offer.

Some of the town’s most well-known buildings will be dressed to impress with showstopping light installations and amazing giant inflatable monsters.

The event is free to attend with lots of great spots across the town centre to view the parade, but there will also be a small number of ticketed grandstand seats available, offering a fantastic view of the parade on Cotton Street.

Tickets go on sale from 11th September and are priced at £15 per person or a group ticket for four at £54. You can purchase tickets from www.paisley.is/halloween.

Numbers are limited for each night, so book quickly if you want to secure your seat.

In addition to the town centre programme, there will also be a jam-packed fringe programme, with local businesses and partners in Paisley putting on Halloween-inspired activities for visitors.

On Saturday 25th October, The Big Feed will host The Paisley Halloween Market at Paisley Town Hall, offering a fantastic range of goods including vinyl records and vintage clothing, as well as live music, cocktail bars and street food. More details are available on the OneRen website.

Pauline Allan, events manager at Renfrewshire Council, said:
“Paisley Halloween Festival is one of our biggest and most loved events. This year will see the return of the parade as well as a packed programme of live street performances and entertainment, with the whole town centre dressed for the occasion.

“The event not only provides a great visitor experience, it also creates opportunities for local people to take a direct role in the shaping and delivery of the event. This can be through volunteering, taking part in the parade or participating in workshops in the run-up to the event.

“Paisley Halloween Festival also provides a significant economic boost to the area. We have a bursting festival fringe programme this year, with so many local businesses and partners deciding to get involved by either staying open late or putting on their own events for visitors.”

The event is delivered by Renfrewshire Council in partnership with performance specialists Cirque Bijou and Woodroffe Bassett Design.

To book tickets for the grandstand seating please visit: https://www.universe.com/paisleyhalloweenfestival.