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 five 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. In addition to the Halloween monsters located on rooftops at Manchester Arndale, Selfridges, The Royal Exchange Manchester and Kampus, visitors can get up close and personal and grab a selfie (if they dare) with those located in St Ann’s Square, Exchange Square and New Cathedral Street from October 28-30.
Spot 14 monsters as they take over the city’s streets and rooftops and share your pics at #MCRMonsters. Here’s a list of where to find them.
- Snozzer – Manchester Arndale, above Next
- Sprites – Selfridges, Exchange Square
- Horrible Harvey – Harvey Nichols, New Cathedral Street
- Eye-Scream – Skate Manchester, Cathedral Gardens
- Rex-Tacular – Royal Exchange Manchester, St Ann’s Square
- Dave – The Oast House, Spinningfields
- Superstar Mon-star – AO Arena
- Bloodoo Child – New Century at NOMA
- Sucker – The F E Sea monster – The Stile, Meadowside
- Krampus – The Bungalow, Kampus
- Lockelin – Whitworth Locke, Princess Street
- Scary Garry – Opposite Selfridges, Exchange Square (28 – 30 October only)
- Spooky Nelson – Outside Zara, New Cathedral Street (28 – 30 October only)
- Ooey & Gooey – St Ann’s Square, opposite McDonald’s (28 – 30 October only)
New for this year is the Monsters Rock! Music Festival, featuring monster bands, scary DJs, a glow in the dark dance party, Halloween vogue balls and a pumpkin patch chill out zone, spanning the city’s St Ann’s Square, Market Street and Exchange Square. There’s also a Monsters Rock Procession courtesy of Walk the Plank featuring giant puppet monsters, stilt walkers and a live band, a family-friendly freakshow Carnival Zone with roaming circus acts and freaky fun rides.
If you’ve got it, haunt it – families are encouraged to come dressed up in their coolest costumes to take part in the official Halloween in the City Fancy Dress Challenge and unlock VIP experiences, rewards and prizes throughout the weekend. Visitors in costume will be able to claim a free wristband and choose to become part of either Team Trick or Team Treat.
Both teams will be competing to be named the spookiest team, with lots of opportunities to win points for your team during the weekend including dance-offs, costume catwalks, games, screaming competitions and more. Those unable to come dressed up don’t need to miss out with free Halloween masks and monstrous crafting available at points throughout the festival area.
Manchester’s annual pumpkin lanterns should also be making their autumnal return to accompany the Halloween fun, alongside ScareSkate, Manchester’s outdoor ice rink in Cathedral Gardens, which will be opening this October. There, guests will be able to skate to their heart’s content, all the while donning their best Halloween costumes and skating away from a number of monsters who’ll be sliding around the ice.