This is not a trick and more like a treat as the Halloween spirit is set to return bigger and better than ever before, with the ‘Halloween in the City’ trail set to be returning this Halloween. Every year for the past eight years, Mancs have been treated to the sights of cartoon-like monsters popping out of the city’s buildings – from huge tentacles to three-eyed monsters peeping out from high above. And this year, those cute-yet-spooky faces are set to grace Manchester once again alongside new monsters commissioned especially for Halloween this year.
Created by Filthy Luker and Pedro Estrellas from Designs in Air – the huge inflated creations will be put on display across Manchester city centre, and they’ll be available to see for a short time period only, officially creeping up on October 25 before slithering away on October 31 once Halloween is over. Come nightfall, buildings across the city will be turning a ghoulish green and thousands of pumpkin lanterns will once again adorn the city’s streets as the city gets into the spirit of Halloween 2024.
New for 2024, a brand new monster is in town and ready to join the celebrations. Invited by three of its underground Skeleton friends, The Leech – stretching eight meters long – is ready to worm its way around the city centre. Produced by Walk the Plank, partygoers will be able to catch The Leech having a boogie in St Ann’s Square with its spooktacular friends.
Other fresh beasts ready to make their terrifying debuts include Wibbly Wobbly Williams at AO Arena and Hellvis at Manchester Arndale. Named by the public via a recent competition, New Century at NOMA will be welcoming, not Miss Americana herself, but Wailor Swift! While Medlocktopus will be making an even bigger splash as this slippery monster heads to Mayfield Park, boasting a new look and more tentacles than ever before!
The Halloween monsters will be located as usual on rooftops throughout the city including:
- Harry & Gordon at Selfridges Manchester, Exchange Square
- Terrif-Eyes inside Corn Exchange Manchester (10.30am – 11pm)
- Krampus lurking in KAMPUS, Kampus Gardens
- Howler prowling through Spinningfields
- NV (Envy) creeping at the New Vic, Corporation Street
For two days only (October 26 & 27), visitors can also catch:
- Ooey and Gooey near the Main Stage in Exchange Square
- Charli XCX-Orcist being a brat opposite Selfridges Manchester, Exchange Square
- Boglin and Ziggy Scardust outside Harvey Nichols and Michael Kors on New Cathedral Street
Other thrilling highlights include Emmeline Planthurst at National Trust, Castlefield Viaduct (10am – 5pm), Liam & Noel at The Royal Exchange Manchester, and the terrifying Horrible Harvey at Harvey Nichols, on New Cathedral Street.
Guaranteed to make even the bravest souls shiver with excitement, the Halloween in the City festival line-up will be brimming with monstrous mayhem and eerie escapades. Featuring a massive monster music festival, as well as a frightfully fun fancy-dress challenge and a hair-raising monster procession, the festival is set to take place from Saturday 26 – Sunday 27 October.
Featuring spooky live bands and DJs, gruesome games and spine-tingling competitions the Monsters Rock! Music Festival will also return to the city, as well as the monsterific Rock! Party Procession designed and created by Walk the Plank, featuring giant puppet monsters, stilt walkers and a live band, who will be mashing their way through Manchester Arndale and Market Street.
Jane Sharrocks, Manchester City Centre Business Improvement District Chair and Store Director of Selfridges Exchange Square said: “Firmly established as the place to visit for a monster-sized, spooky celebration, Manchester will once again transform into the ultimate Halloween playground this October with the return of our iconic event, Halloween in the City.
“For seven years, we’ve led the way with our iconic inflatable MCR Monsters Trail, and this year promises to be our most thrilling yet! Join us in exploring new locations and discovering fresh, fantastical monsters that will make this Halloween unforgettable. As the first UK city to host these incredible creatures, Manchester has become the ultimate Halloween destination – don’t miss out on the city where monsters come alive!”
Look out for the Halloween monsters this year as Manchester gears up for another spooktacular Halloween.