The UK's biggest free Halloween event returns with a giant fancy dress takeover in Manchester

Kicking off with a two-day family-friendly festival on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th October, the celebrations will be followed by a week-long rooftop invasion across the city, as the MCR Monsters crawl across Manchester’s streets and skyline from Saturday 25th – Friday 31st October.

The biggest of its kind in the UK - Halloween in the City is a full-scale city-centre takeover - and everyone is invited to be part of the spectacle. Visitors are encouraged to dress up in their most frightening, fabulous or funny Halloween costumes, transforming Manchester into one giant fancy-dress party.

Leading this year’s line-up of new attractions over the Halloween in the City weekend is the launch of Monster Fashion Week on New Cathedral Street. Festivalgoers are invited to strut, sashay and showcase their most spooktacular costumes, from creepy couture to gruesome glamour. Visitors are encouraged to dress up all weekend, with the most terrifyingly stylish in with a chance of being crowned Manchester’s Most Monstrous and winning a £100 shopping gift card.

Also new this year is The Monster Library at Manchester Arndale. Here, Z Arts will bring stories to life with interactive performances of The Legend of the MCR Monsters. Families can step inside an immersive world of myths and monster magic to find out all about the MCR Monsters and why they love to visit Manchester each year, making this one of the most enchanting new experiences of the festival.

Beyond the new attractions, the weekend will once again see Manchester transformed into a playground of monstrous fun. Exchange Square will become the Rave-Yard, hosted by DJ Ghostman and featuring disco play sessions with Born to Be Wild Child alongside live ska favourites Half Baked.

Over in St Ann’s Square, the Carnival of Monsters returns, hosted by family favourite - Super Duper Festival, with circus performers, hula hooping workshops, a hall of mirrors and the terrifying eight-metre-long Leech created and produced by Walk the Plank. This giant creature will slither through the crowds at 11am, 2pm and 4.30pm daily, accompanied by skeleton puppets and a stilt-walking ringmaster.

The streets themselves will come alive with the Monster Party Procession - designed and created by Walk the Plank and inspired by monster designs by artists Filthy Luker and Pedro Estrellas, created by Designs in Air. Giant puppets, stilt walkers and a live brass band will parade through Manchester’s shopping streets, spreading monstrous mischief at every turn. For younger visitors, the Monster Sticker Hunt offers a chance to collect creature parts across festival locations, build their own beast and claim a prize.

The MCR Monster Trail is set to return and will feature 13 monster locations to find across the week and four more to be found exclusively at the Halloween in the City weekender.

This year welcomes several new arrivals, including Rocky Boo-Boa at Manchester Arndale, Spooky Spice at AO Arena, Bruce Springscream at New Century at NOMA and R.STINKWORP at Printworks. At ground level, Cru-hella will be stalking visitors throughout the festival weekend, while favourites including Ooey, Gooey and Scary Gary return to keep fans on their toes.

The trail also expands into new territory with monstrous additions at the Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly, where Spookadilly will greet guests and at Treehouse Hotel Manchester, where Branchzilla will take root. They join a fearsome line-up that includes Terrif-eye at Corn Exchange Manchester, The Mayfield Menace at Depot Mayfield, Horrible Harvey at Harvey Nichols Mancheser, KRAMPUS at KAMPUS, Harry and Gordon at Selfridges Manchester Exchange Square and The Ghoullaghers at The Royal Exchange Manchester.

These inflatable icons have become a much-loved highlight of the festival, continuing to surprise and delight visitors as they loom over rooftops, squares and shopping streets throughout the week. Perfect for those planning a family staycation in Manchester, the trail means the Halloween magic doesn’t end with the weekend - giving families plenty of time to explore, spot the monsters and enjoy everything the city centre has to offer from museums, galleries and theatres to shopping and family dining.

Also in the city, Scare Skate makes an exciting return to Cathedral Gardens. Get ready for a frightfully fun ice adventure where visitors can glide to spooky beats, twirl under haunting lights, and celebrate with ghostly ice stewards patrolling the rink.

As darkness falls, iconic buildings across the city will join the spectacle with Go Green for Halloween, where buildings including Central Library, Great Northern Warehouse, 111 Piccadilly, Manchester Central and The Royal Exchange Manchester and lots more will glow an eerie shade each evening, turning Manchester into a ghostly green beacon during the festivities.

Manchester’s Halloween in the City celebrations are created and organised annually by Manchester City Centre Business Improvement District on behalf of city centre retailers, restaurants and businesses.

Full Event Line-Up:

MCR Monsters

Saturday 25th - Friday 31st October 2025

Manchester City Centre

Look up! Look out! Beware! The legendary MCR Monsters are back, taking over the city’s streets and rooftops. Find all 17 MCR Monsters across the city centre and share your monster-spotting snaps at

@HalloweenMCR #MCRMonsters.

Created by artists Filthy Luker and Pedro Estrellas, Designs in Air.

The Rave-Yard

Exchange Square, Manchester, M3 1BD

Saturday 25th October, 10am - 6pm

Sunday 26th October, 10am - 5pm

Hosted by resident evil DJs, the Rave-Yard is a ghost’s favourite place to party. Dance and play ghoulish games as we eat, sleep, GRAVE, repeat with DJ Ghostman and friends, with disco play sessions hosted by Born to Be Wild Child, plus live music from Half Baked on Saturday evening. Saturday 25th October

10am - 11am: DJ Ghostman

11am - 12pm: Born to Be Wild Child Disco Games

12.30pm - 1.30pm: Born to Be Wild Child Disco Games

2pm - 3pm: Born to Be Wild Child Disco Games

3.30pm - 4.30pm: Born to Be Wild Child Disco Games

5pm - 6pm: Half Baked

Sunday 26th October

10am - 11am: DJ Ghostman

11am - 12pm: Born to Be Wild Child Disco Games

12.30pm - 1.30pm: Born to Be Wild Child Disco Games

2pm - 3pm: Born to Be Wild Child Disco Games

3.30pm - 5.00pm: Born to Be Wild Child Disco Games

Monster Fashion Week

New Cathedral Street

Saturday 25th October, 10am - 6pm

Sunday 26th October, 10am - 5pm

Everyone knows Halloween in the City is all about dressing to impress - and this year, the monsters are making it official. For the very first time, the monsters are hosting their own frightfully fabulous fashion show.

Put on your most ghoulish glamour, creep-chic couture, or terrifyingly trendy threads and hit the monster catwalk. Spooktacular fashion designers will be watching as you strut, twirl, and show off your hauntingly good style. Strike a pose, snap a photo, and share it on Instagram tagging @HalloweenMCR and #MCRMonsterFashion for the chance to be crowned ‘Manchester’s Most Monstrous’. Whether you’re spooky, sparkly, or spectacularly creepy - join the fun in style. Come dressed to slay (or spook)!

The Monster Library

Manchester Arndale, Exchange Court, Ground Floor, Opposite Next - Inside

Various Times Between 10am -5pm

The Legend of the MCR Monsters - Get ready for a monstrously fun adventure! Head inside Manchester

Arndale for a LIVE storytelling performance by Z Arts, that uncovers the origin of the legendary MCR Monsters. Packed with laughs, thrills, and plenty of audience fun, this spooktacular show is perfect for families and little monster fans of all ages. Join the fun in style. Halloween costumes are warmly welcomed, come dressed to impress, spook, or sparkle for the occasion.

Monsters Party Procession

Manchester

Saturday 25th October + Sunday 26th October

The MCR Monsters love to party! Boogie along with an unmissable roaming performance from Walk the Plank, expect a crazy procession of dancing monster puppets, stilt walkers and a six-piece brass band playing spooktacular tunes. Designed and created by Walk the Plank and inspired by monster designs by artists Filthy Luker and Pedro Estrellas, created by Designs in Air.

Carnival of Monsters

St Ann’s Square

Saturday 25th October, 10am - 6pm

Sunday 26th October, 10am - 5pm

Run for the hills! A Carnival of monsters, hosted by Super Duper Festival, tumbles onto St Ann’s Square - a family-friendly freakshow with roaming circus performers, hula hooping workshops, a hall of mirrors and... the terrifying, gigantic, wriggling Leech!

The Leech

St Anns Square and Exchange Street

Saturday 25th + Sunday 26 October 2025

11am - 11.30am, 2pm - 2.30pm, 4.30pm - 5pm

It’s the terrifying, gigantic, wriggling Leech! Catch this eight-metre-long creature, its underground skeleton puppet friends and their stilt walking ringmaster as they boogie down St Ann’s Square and Exchange Street. Set to a soundtrack to die for and produced by Walk the Plank. Produced by Walk the Plank and commissioned by Manchester City Centre BID.

Scare Skate  

Cathedral Gardens  

Saturday 25 – Friday 31 Oct, 11am - 9pm 

Get ready for a frightfully fun ice adventure. Glide to spooky beats, twirl under haunting lights, and keep an eye out for ghostly ice stewards patrolling the rink. Join in fun Halloween competitions to show off your best monster moves and win ghoulish prizes. With chills, thrills, and plenty of laughs, it’s the coolest way to celebrate Halloween.  

Prices: Adult from £17.50, Children from £13.75, Family from £52 

Monster Sticker Hunt

Manchester City Centre

Saturday 25th October, 10am - 5pm

Sunday 26th October, 10am - 4pm

Bloodshot eyes, pointy ears, warty noses and gruesome gobs - there are creepy creature parts lurking all over the festival. Can you track them all down to build your very own monster? Head to Monster Fashion Week, The Monster Library, Carnival of Monsters, and The Rave-Yard, pick up a sticker sheet, collect the stickers at each stop and create your own weird and wonderful beast. Once your monstrous masterpiece is complete, creep over to the Information Point on New Cathedral Street and show your finished face for a mini monster prize.

Buildings Go Green for Halloween

Manchester City Centre

Saturday 25th - Friday 31st October

This Halloween, Manchester is glowing ghoulishly green. As darkness falls, buildings across the city will be bathed in an eerie light. Look up and see the skyline transformed as landmarks turn a gruesome green in celebration of Halloween in the City. Perfect for spooky selfies and late-night strolls with a creepy twist.

Locations:

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

For further information and more event updates, please follow @halloweenMCR.