Buddies prepare for a spook-tacular festival
Halloween Ball kicks off two days of frightful fun
Paisley’s annual Halloween Festival extravaganza returns this weekend with frightfully fun activities for all.
The two-day festival, which is now in its third year, will take place tomorrow and Saturday.
The spook-tacular event is part of the push towards Paisley’s bid to be UK City of Culture 2021.
Things get into full swing tomorrow night with the Halloween Ball taking place at Paisley Town Hall.
Revellers can don their ghastliest costumes and enjoy a night of music, haunted performers and ghoulish ghosts.
Also tomorrow night, budding sleuths can head along to Zambretto Italian Restaurant for its Murder Mystery night, where you can solve crime while enjoying a delicious three-course meal.
There’s also plenty of fun for the kids at Paisley Museum’s Friday Fright Night.
Children can have a go at devilish arts and crafts, follow the spooky Museum Train to win a prize or enter the Fancy dress competition.
Halloween will take over the town on Saturday as Paisley Town Hall transforms into Spook Central with a whole host of free fun activities for all the family.
There will be Halloween arts and crafts, mascot meet and greets, face painting, a Halloween market, zombie apocalypse workshops and much more.
Meanwhile, the Village Storytelling Centre will regale visitors with gruesome tales from Paisley’s past at Paisley Abbey – where there will also be scary pumpkin carving workshops.
Express readers who love to be scared can head along to the Brown’s Lane Cinema Yurt – both tomorrow and Saturday – to watch some spooky films, including classics Ghostbusters, Halloween and The Lost Boys, which was released 30 years ago.
Saturday’s activities lead up to the spectacular Halloween Parade, which is always a festival highlight.
This starts at New Street, going on to Causeyside Street at 6.30pm and will include a Fire Monster on a Paisley Chariot, the Spark! drummers, LED lanterns, Mr Wilson’s Second Liners Band and many more colourful participants.
Once the parade arrives at its final destination at Abbey Close, Walk the Plank’s spectacular Fire Garden installations, soundscapes, projections and illuminations will make for a real spectacle to enjoy.
The Fire Stage will then play host to the electrifying Flame Oz, 90s fusion music, the club sounds party vibe of Mr Wilson’s Second Liners and the spectacular Spark! LED drummers.
There is also a funfair and live entertainment from local dance and theatre groups in Abbey Close.
Paisley 2021 bid director Jean Cameron said: “Paisley’s unique Halloween Festival is a popular date in the town’s calendar which attracts people from all over Renfrewshire and beyond to enjoy all the spooky fun activities on offer.
“This year’s festival offers something for all ages to take part in and enjoy from museum fright nights and murder mystery to scary movies and live performances.
“It’s a real Buddie celebration of the season.”
Tickets for the Halloween Ball cost £8 plus booking fee and include a free drink on arrival.
Student tickets are available for £5 plus booking fee with valid student ID. Book your tickets now.
To book a space on one of the film screenings at the Brown’s Lane Cinema Yurt or for information on the other activities and events taking place over the course of the weekend please visit: http:// www.paisley2021.co.uk/halloween/