Manchester has once again proven to be the ultimate Halloween destination as the city centre witnessed record-breaking footfall at Halloween in the City – the largest city centre Halloween celebrations in the UK.
Bringing together thousands of visitors and setting the stage for a truly spooktacular experience for families, the festivities featured the ever popular and stand-out attraction MCR Monsters inflatable art trail, followed by a free two-day festival, solidifying the city’s reputation as the place to be for Halloween fun.
Organised by Manchester City Centre Business Improvement District on behalf of the city’s retailers and hospitality businesses, this year’s event took place in St Ann’s Square, New Cathedral Street, Exchange Square and Manchester Arndale, and attracted more than 250,000 visitors over the weekend, a 30% lift in footfall compared to the previous weekend.
The MCR Monsters art trail, an incredible display of larger-than-life monster installations at key city landmarks, has played a significant role in elevating the event’s appeal. Since its inception, the trail has captivated audiences of all ages and has become synonymous with Manchester’s Halloween celebrations, generating social media buzz and contributing significantly to the city’s tourism and retail economy during the autumn season.
The Halloween in the City weekend festival has also become a must-participate event for families, featuring a massive Monster Music Festival on the city’s main shopping streets, a Trick or Treat Challenge and a Monsters Rock Procession, created by Walk the Plank, featuring giant puppet monsters, inspired by Filthy Luker and Pedro Estrellas’ designs, stilt walkers and a live band.
New for 2024, visitors were also spooked and amazed by The Leech also by Walk the Plank – a new monster stretching eight metres long that wormed its way through St Ann’s Square.
Jane Sharrocks, Manchester City Centre Business Improvement District Chair and Store Director of Selfridges Exchange Square said: “Halloween in the City is an incredibly popular event which has really captured the imagination of the city and continues to grow year-on-year in terms of the footfall it attracts and the numbers of businesses involved.
“By attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors, it sets the stage for the season ahead, preparing businesses for the bustling footfall and festive shopping that Christmas brings. Halloween in the City has truly become an integral part of Manchester’s calendar, and it’s an event we look forward to building on every year.”
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For more media information please contact Anoushka or Kat at ECHO on 07732 846650 or email anoushka@echo-pr.co.uk / kat@echo-pr.co.uk
