Paisley’s Halloween celebrations will be Out of this World

Paisley’s popular Halloween celebrations will make a welcome return for 2021 as Paisley Halloween Festival presents Out of this World.

This year will see a twist on the annual fright fest’s usual format as the town centre will be transformed into an immersive ‘otherworldly’ experience with a series of spectacular installations and light displays concentrated around Paisley Abbey, Town Hall and the River Cart from Thursday 28 October until Monday 1 November – illuminated from 5pm-10pm for visitors to enjoy.

It promises to be a real spectacle with an alien invasion, creatures from the deep and a constellation of stars providing some fun, free family entertainment.

Paisley Halloween Festival is supported by EventScotland through Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters 20/21 and Scotland’s Events Recovery Fund.

To celebrate the Year of Coasts and Waters 20/21 the area around the River Cart will be transformed into the centrepiece of the Out of this World experience. A series of artists have been commissioned to develop the spectacular installations to help bring an unearthly experience to Paisley – attracting locals and visitors to the area around the river that runs through the heart of the town.

The river will become a must-visit spot on the trail as Mike Jones’ ‘Orionids’ installation will echo the breath-taking beauty of a meteor shower cascading across the Cart to create an enchanting web of light on the water.

Other installations being created include ‘Nova’ and ‘Ursula Lassos the Moon’ created by Studio Vertigo. The ‘Nova’ sculpture is based on the mystical Star of the East, which astronomers now believe was actually a nova. Visitors will be dazzled by the sight of this mighty new star. While ‘Ursula Lassos the Moon’ is a mysterious and enchanting structure on the River itself, which showcases the powerful heroic force and divine beauty of the Moon – offering a real spectacle for visitors to marvel at.

Ursula Lassos the Moon EP (Photo by Topher McGrillis) Lucy McDonnell

The trail is being delivered by Renfrewshire Council in partnership with sustainable, not-for-profit street theatre specialists, Cirque Bijou, who will help create a weird and wonderful experience that can be enjoyed by all.

Pauline Allan, Events Manager for Renfrewshire Council, said: “We are so happy to be able to celebrate Halloween again in Paisley with this unique, immersive trail that offers something a little different from our usual annual Halloween Festival.

“We’re working with some fantastic visual artists to transform the town through these breath-taking installation and lights displays – it’s going to look really spectacular! Everything will be in place for five days, so there’s more opportunity than ever before to come into the town centre and experience the trail. Come in when it’s dark and all lit up – that’s when it will really shine! This year, as part of Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters celebrations, we have the opportunity to really spotlight the River Cart in a spectacular way, as you’ve never seen it before.

“Some of the things we’d have in our traditional ‘Halloween festival’ just can’t happen this year. There will be no Halloween parade, and we don’t have the performances we might usually. But Paisley Halloween Festival presents Out of this World will offer visitors the opportunity to come into town and enjoy the Halloween celebrations in a safe way at a time that suits them.”

Gordon Smith, VisitScotland’s Regional Director for Ayrshire & Arran, Renfrewshire and Inverclyde, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the 2021 Paisley Halloween Festival as part of Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters. This year’s festival offers a unique opportunity for people to experience these spectacular light displays and installations on the White Cart river.”

For those looking to fully embrace the Halloween mood a ‘window wonderland’ digital pack of downloadable ideas suitable for all the family will be available closer to the event from the Paisley.is website for the people wanting to decorate their homes. A short digital film released on Halloween, provides further opportunity for audiences to experience Halloween at home.

In addition to the Out of this World trail taking place in Paisley town centre, Renfrewshire Leisure are staging a Monster Dash – Halloween fun run at Linwood On-X from 12pm on Sunday 31 October where all the family can participate in and enjoy with £3 entry fee for adults and £2 entry fee for children.

Paisley Halloween Festival presents Out of this World will be staged safely, in line with Scottish Government and events sector guidance and public health advice.

The award-winning festival is widely regarded as one of the best events of its kind in the UK.

To find out more about Paisley Halloween Festival please visit www.paisley.is/halloween