Spooky ice skating, Rave-Yard parties, parades, and sticker ‘haunts’ are on their way
Halloween in the City is back in Manchester this October(Image: Carl Sukonik)
Later this month, the city will come alive this year with a host of ghosts and ghouls who will parade through the streets, host parties and events and take over the rooftops of some of Manchester’s most iconic buildings and landmarks.
Halloween in the City will feature a host of free, family-friendly events and trails, which will begin on October 25. Hailed as the biggest of its kind in the country, the full-scale city centre takeover will include a Rave-Yard, a Carnival of Monsters, and the ever-popular Monster Party Procession.
The MCR Monsters crawl will also mark a big return, with 17 giant inflatable creatures taking over the city between October 25 and 31. New arrivals on the trail will include Rocky Boo-Boa, Spooky Spice, Bruce Springscream, whilst favourites Ooey, Gooey and Scary Gary will be amongst those returning.
There will be a host of new celebrations joining the festivities this year, including a Monster Fashion Week event. The fashion show, on New Cathedral Street, will invite people up on the catwalk to don their best spooky outfits. There will also be a chance to be named Manchester’s Most Monstrous and to win a £100 shopping gift card.
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A host of inflatable monsters will appear throughout the city centre(Image: PA)
Also new this year will be The Monster Library, taking up residency at the Arndale. Z Arts will host a new interactive, family-friendly performance called The Legend of the MCR Monsters which features myths and monster magic.
For those who have been before, the likes of the Rave-Yard, at Exchange Square, and the Carnival of Monsters, at St Ann’s Square, will both be back featuring DJ sets, ska classics, and disco play sessions, as well as circus performances, hula hooping workshops and, if you’re lucky, the appearance of a terrifying eight-metre-long Leech created and produced by Walk the Plank.
There will also be the return of the Monster Party Procession, which will see a large congregation of monsters, dancers, and performers dance and crawl their way through the city centre to the delight of unassuming shoppers.
To ensure you don’t miss out on any of the fiendishly good fun, we’ve rounded up where and when some of the key events of Halloween In The City 2025 are taking place.
MCR Monsters
Running from Saturday, October 25 to Friday, October 31 (11am to 9pm)
There will be 17 monsters to find at 15 locations across the city centre – and you’ll have a week to look high up on the rooftops and within the surroundings of each of the locations to find the likes of Cru-hella, Spookadilly, and the Ghoullaghers.
- Rocky Boo-Boa at Manchester Arndale
- Spooky Spice at AO Arena
- Bruce Springscream at New Century at NOMA
- R.STINKWORP at Printworks
- Cru-hella at New Cathedral Street
- Ooey, and Scary Gary at Exchange Square (Saturday 25th – Sunday 26th October only)
- Gooey at St Ann’s Square (Saturday 25th – Sunday 26th October only)
- Spookadilly at the Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly
- Branchzilla at Treehouse Hotel Manchester
- Terrif-eye at Corn Exchange Manchester (Inside, between 10.30am-11.30pm only)
- The Mayfield Menace at Depot Mayfield
- Horrible Harvey at Harvey Nichols Manchester
- KRAMPUS at KAMPUS
- Harry and Gordon at Selfridges Manchester Exchange Square
- The Ghoullaghers at The Royal Exchange Manchester
The monsters have been created by artists Filthy Luker and Pedro Estrellas, Designs in Air.
The Rave-Yard
Exchange Square, Manchester, M3 1BD
Running on Saturday, October 25 (10am to 6pm) and Sunday, October 26 (10am to 5pm).
DJ Ghostman will be on hand to spin spooky classics and the latest tunes and there will also be disco party games, and live music across the weekend. Highlights include the Born to Be Wild disco games from 11am to 4.30pm on the Saturday (until 5pm on Sunday), and a set from ska pros Half Baked at 5pm on Saturday.
The Monsters Party Procession will take place on Saturday, October 25 and Sunday, October 26.(Image: Carl Sukonik)Monster Fashion Week
New Cathedral Street
Running on Saturday, October 25 (10am to 6pm) and Sunday, October 26 (10am to 5pm).
Put on your best Halloween costume and hit the monster catwalk. Strike a post, snap a photo and share it on Instagram (tagging @HalloweenMCR and #MCRMonsterFashion) and you might be named Manchester’s Most Monstrous. It’s a complimentary title, of course.
The Monster Library
Manchester Arndale, Exchange Court, Ground Floor, Opposite Next – Inside
At various times between 10am and 5pm
A live storytelling performance from Z Arts will uncovers the origins of the legendary MCR Monsters. Packed with laughs, thrills, and plenty of audience fun, the show is perfect for families and little monster fans of all ages.
Monsters Party Procession
Manchester
At various times on Saturday, October 25 and Sunday, October 26.
Dancing monster puppets, stilt walkers and a six-piece brass band will take part in this year’s party procession, which has been designed and created by Walk the Plank. The parade is inspired by monster designs by artists Filthy Luker and Pedro Estrellas, created by Designs in Air.
The Leech will be making a reappearance this yearCarnival of M
St Ann’s Square
Running on Saturday, October 25 (10am to 6pm) and Sunday, October 26 (10am to 5pm).
Hosted by Super Duper Festival, a family-friendly carnival will take place with roaming circus performances, a hall of mirrors, hula hooping workshops, and the Leech (You can find the Leech during 11am – 11.30am, 2pm – 2.30pm, 4.30pm – 5pm both days).
Scare Skate
Cathedral Gardens
Running from Saturday, October 25 to Friday, October 31 (11am to 9pm)
Get your skates on for a spooky glide on the ice, where you’ll be soundtracked by spooky beats and joined by haunting lights. There will also be ghostly ice stewards on the rink, as well as fun Halloween competitions throughout the week.
Prices: Adult from £17.50, Children from £13.75, Family from £52.
Monster Sticker Hunt
Manchester City Centre
Running on Saturday, October 25 (10am to 5pm) and Sunday, October 26 (10am to 4pm).
Gotta collect them all! Try and complete your creepy creature by discovering a range of body part stickers lurking across the festival site.
You can collect a sticker sheet at Monster Fashion Week, The Monster Library, Carnival of Monsters, and The Rave-Yard, and you’ll be able to track down stickers along the way. Once you’ve collected a full body, creep over to the Information Point on New Cathedral Street and show your finished face for a mini monster prize.
A number of venues, including Manchester Central, will go green for HalloweenBuildings Go Green for Halloween
Manchester City Centre
Running from Saturday, October 25 to Friday, October 31
Building across the city will be bathed in an eerie green light which will form part of a hauntingly good skyline.
Locations taking part are:
- 111 Piccadilly, Manchester, M1 2HY
- Arkwright House, Parsonage Gardens, M3 2LF
- Bloc, 17 Marble Street, Manchester, M2 3AW
- Central Library, St Peter’s Square, Manchester, M2 5PD
- Great Northern Warehouse, 235 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 4EN
- Holiday Inn Manchester City Centre, 25 Aytoun Street, M1 3AE
- Junction, Manchester Central, Windmill Street, Manchester, M2 3GX
- Manchester Central, Windmill Street, Manchester, M2 3GX
- Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly, 91 London Road, Manchester, M1 2PG
- NEO, 9 Charlotte Street, Manchester, M1 4ET
- The Royal Exchange Building, The Royal Exchange Building, Manchester, St. Ann’s Square, M2 7EF
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