Paisley Halloween Festival 2024: What's on, timetable of events, do I need a ticket, parade time and route

First held in 2014, Paisely Halloween Festival is celebrating its 10th birthday with two days packed with goulish events this spooky season.

Delivered by Renfrewshire Council with support from performance specialists Cirque Bijou and EventScotland, featuring lighting design by Grant Anderson, this year promises to be a crowd-pleaser with the return of the festival’s street parade for the first time since 2019.

Here’s everything you need to know if you’re thinking of popping along.

When is the Paisley Halloween Festival?

The festival takes place from Friday, October 25 - Saturday, October 26.

On the Friday the freaky fun will be taking place from 4-9pm, while on Saturday prepare to be spooked from 2-9pm.

When does the parade at the Paisley Halloween Festival take place?

You’ll have two chances to enjoy the special parade snake throught the town after being absent since 2019 - there’ll be one taking place both evenings of the festival.

Featuring over 300 performers, it will set off at 7pm each night and last around an hour.

Organisers have promised festival favourites PyroCeltica and Spark, LED Drummers, local community groups, “a ghostly pirate ship, glowing jellyfish, towering puppets, bubble-blowing witches, cowboy zombies, stilt-walking trees and loads more”.

What route does the parade take?

The parade will take in:

• Smithhills Street
• Gauze Street
• Mill Street
• Bridge Street
• Cotton Street
• St Mirren Brae
• Causeyside Street
• Orchard Street

Do I need a ticket?

The festival is free but there is the option to pay £15 (or £54 for a group of four) plus a £1 booking fee to gain access to a covered grandstand on Cotton Street from which you can enjoy watchingt he parade. You’ll also get a limited-edition Paisley Halloween Festival tote bag packed with goodies. You can still get tickets here.

What else is happening at the Paisley Halloween Festival?

There promises to be plenty to keep you entertained over the two day event, with plenty of stage and street performances (see below for times) and a funfair at the Lagoon and East End Park.

There will be spooky lighting displays on some of Paisley’s key buildings, and creepy installations dotted around town - check out the likes of the Flaming Gargoyle on Cotton Street, the Ghost Ship and Giant Witch in County Square and the Giant Spider puppet, Bubbling Cauldron and Wonder Glass in East End Park.

Meanwhile businesses and partners will also put on Halloween-inspired activities across the town which you can check out in full here.

What acts are scheduled to appear at the Paisley Halloween Festival?

A full timetable of events has been announced for the Bridge Street stage and for the street entertainment at County Square, as follows:

Bridge Street stage

Friday, October 25

• 4pm-4.30pm: Spark! LED Drummers
• 4.30pm-5pm: The Soundsystem Project
• 5pm-5.30pm: Adam Slattery & Hollie Robinson
• 5.30pm-6pm: Happilele Ukelele Group
• 6pm-6.30pm: Able Mabel
• 6.30pm-8.30pm: MC Jed McCabe leads the parade build-up

Saturday, October 26

• 4pm-4.30pm: Spark! LED Drummers
• 4.30pm-5pm: Soundsystem Project
• 5pm-5.30pm: Blocowinnoch
• 5.30pm-6pm: RockUs Choir
• 6pm-6.30pm: Able Mabel
• 6.30pm-8.30pm: MC Jed McCabe leads the parade build-up

County Square street performances

Friday 25 October

• 4pm-4.30pm: Able Mabel + Handmade Parade’s Giant Wolf & Ram (walkabout)
• 4.30pm-4.45pm: LED Umbrella Dance
• 4.45pm-5.10pm: Bubble Blowing Witches + Megabeast Treemendous, Beetlejuice Stilt walkers
• 5.10pm-5.30pm: PyroCeltica Fire Show

Saturday, October 26

• 2pm-2.30pm: Kara Ferguson
• 2.30pm-3pm: Erin Hepzibah + Megabeast Treemendous
• 3pm-3.15pm: Fèis Phàislig Gaelic Choir + Beetlejuice Stilt walkers
• 3.15pm-3.30pm: Paisley Rock Choir
• 3.30pm-4pm: Cowboy Zombies Dance
• 4pm-4.30pm: Able Mabel + Handmade Parade’s Giant Wolf & Ram
• 4.30pm-4.45pm: LED Umbrella Dance
• 4.45pm-5.10pm: Bubble Blowing Witches
• 5.10pm-5.30pm: PyroCeltica Fire Show