We’ve reached the time of year when Paisley town centre undergoes a spellbinding transformation as the renowned Halloween Festival makes its grand return from Thursday 26 to Saturday 28 October, running from 5–9pm each evening. 

Hailed as one of the biggest and best events of its kind around the UK, this three-day extravaganza promises to deliver enchanting street performances and eerie installations to get audiences into the spooky spirit. Paisley Halloween Festival is a free-to-attend event that attracts thousands of attendees year upon year. Set on a redesigned site, against a magnificent backdrop of the town’s 850 year-old Abbey, the surroundings tie perfectly into this year’s overarching theme, ‘Gothic Halloween’. 

For the first time, the festival has been split into two distinct zones; the Halloween Trail Zone, a captivating one-way route around the historic Abbey home to Frank & McStein’s Fire Show, the eerie Spooky Bat Cave, and the mysterious Raven’s Realm; and a Live Performance Zone, situated by Paisley Cross where mesmerising acts like Spark! LED drummers and Pyroceltica will be joined by sword-swallowers, stilt-walkers, and community music and dance performances. Vampires will soar through the air in aerial specialists All Or Nothing’s Halloween-themed piece, while a funfair, Marshmallow pits and delectable array of street food offerings will also be available all evening. 

This year’s festival, organised by Renfrewshire Council, is produced in partnership with globally acclaimed circus experts at Cirque Bijou and backed by EventScotland. Renfrewshire Council events manager Pauline Allan says: ‘Paisley Halloween Festival has grown over the years to attract thousands of people from across the country to experience everything Paisley has to offer. The event is a wonderful stage from which to showcase the many talented groups in Renfrewshire’s cultural scene, with young people getting the chance to perform beside and be inspired by professional artists.’

Come and join the fun by jumping on a short train journey from Glasgow to Paisley Gilmour Street station. For those arriving by car, free parking is also available.

Find out more about this year’s Paisley Halloween Festival at paisley.is