Paisley Halloween Festival secures Year of Young People funding
Paisley’s popular Halloween Festival will be one of the major events as part of the Year of Young People 2018 celebrations!
Article Source: Renfrewshire Council
Last Updated: 1 August 2018 8:37
The town’s two-day fright-fest, which will take place on 26 and 27 October, is supported by the Year of Young People event fund, managed by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate which has awarded just over £48,000 to the festival.
The Year of Young People 2018 is a Scottish Government initiative consisting of a year-long programme of events and activities which aim to inspire all ages through young people (8-26 years) by celebrating their achievements, valuing their contributions to communities and creating new opportunities for them to shine on a local and global stage.
The funding that has been secured will help deliver an enhanced parade and finale on Saturday 27 October inspired by Renfrewshire’s dark and deathly 17th century witch history which will see around 500 local young people take part and will, for the first time, include floats designed by young people.
The popular parade, creatively led by Bridgeman Arts and 21CC, will culminate in a spectacular new aerial performance, ‘The Flying Witches’, involving a cast of 50 young people especially for YOYP2018 and led by All or Nothing - one of Scotland’s leading aerial dance theatre companies.
This activity will be driven by a specially assembled youth panel made up of 20 young people from across Renfrewshire who will take a lead role in helping design and deliver the event working in partnership with Renfrewshire Council, youth services, creative and community partners, and embedding the event’s collaborative approach.
A key element of the programme which is being directly supported by the additional funding is the creation of a Youth Training Programme. Around 180 young people, many from lesser-heard communities, will be given experience and skills in areas such as creative performance, costume, make-up, technical production, marketing and, event design and delivery through a series of taster sessions and masterclasses, in order to build their experience while positively impacting on their confidence and broadening their skillset.
The funding will also support the delivery of a volunteering and internship programme that will see a creative internship and a number of volunteer roles for young people in the council’s events and marketing team as well as mentee opportunities with arts and cultural professionals.
Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland Director of Events, said: “We are delighted to be supporting Paisley Halloween Festival to expand its offering as part of Scotland’s Year of Young People 2018 celebrations. It will be fantastic to see young people getting hands-on experience and participating in the design and delivery of a fun event within their local community. It is a great opportunity for them to showcase their own unique skills and bring a new perspective to the festival, further reinforcing Scotland as the perfect stage for events.”
Paisley's Halloween Festival is one of the town’s most popular calendar events. Inspired by similar festivals which take place worldwide in places such as Salem and New Orleans, the ambition is to heighten awareness of the festival on the Scottish, UK and world stage as a must visit attraction not just for locals but visitors and tourists as well.
Leader of Renfrewshire Council, Councillor Iain Nicolson, said: “Paisley’s Halloween Festival is always a popular event for the town with thousands of people coming into the town centre to experience the full spectacle of the event.
“It’s fantastic that this year’s festival will be a highlight event as part of the Year of Young People 2018 celebrations. This provides an excellent opportunity to realise our ambitions of co-production and co-creation of our events in collaboration with young people – this is a key part of our Event Strategy 2018 – 2021.
“This collaborative approach and the various training programmes being delivered will also help our young people develop their skills enabling them to think more about career opportunities in the creative sector that they may not have otherwise considered.”
All of the additional youth activities taking place as a result of the funding tie in with Scotland’s Year of Young People 2018 core themes – participation, education, health and wellbeing, equality and discrimination, enterprise and regeneration, and culture.
Further information about the event programme for Paisley Halloween Festival will be released at a later date.
Sponsored Links
Latest Renfrewshire News
Summer of Roses: Free gardening workshop at Dobbies
Dobbies Garden Centres is hosting a free Rose-themed Grow How workshop this June, sharing top tips for caring for this beloved flowering plant.
READ MORE
Local people invited to help shape the future of Civic Squares in Johnstone
Renfrewshire Council is inviting residents, businesses and community groups to have their say on proposals to revitalise Johnstone's two historic civic squares.
READ MORE
First music & fitness festival in Scotland announced for 2026 with bold mission to reinvigorate Paisley
Paisley Alive is a brand-new weekend cultural experience, combining the electric energy of live music with the feelgood joy of fitness and movement, all wrapped up in a family-first atmosphere!
READ MORE
Cheers to 30 years: Scottish Bar and Pub Awards celebrate with public voting now open
Scotland's longest-running hospitality awards turn 30 - and they want you to have your say!
READ MORE
Loch Lomond Unplugged is coming this weekend!
Loch Lomond Unplugged, our FREE showcase of talented buskers and singer/songwriters, is this weekend and we’re super excited to welcome great acts from across Scotland and beyond!
READ MORE
Funding awarded to transform derelict land in Ferguslie Park in Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire Council has been awarded £650,000 to deliver the Belltrees project in Ferguslie Park which will restore 2.69 hectares of derelict land and create a new multi-functional greenspace.
READ MORE
From screen to mat: Karate Kid comes to life at XSite Braehead
XSite Braehead host elite karate performance and workshops to celebrate new Karate Kid: Legends movie release, with exciting prizes to be won!
READ MORE
Dig into summer fun at Dobbies
Dobbies Garden Centres is inviting children to come along to its free-to-attend Little Seedlings Club, taking place across the country this June.
READ MORE
Aldi to gift year supply of free beer to biggest beer lover in Scotland
Aldi Scotland is on the hunt for the nation's biggest beer lover, as it revamps its popular Best Home Bar Competition by expanding the criteria.
READ MORE
Milestone year for Refugee Festival Scotland
Refugee Festival Scotland has officially unveiled the programme for its highly anticipated 2025 edition, running from 13 – 22 June.
READ MORE
Aldi Scottish Sport Fund offers Glasgow and West of Scotland clubs the chance to access funding
Aldi's Scottish Sport Fund 2025 has returned for its tenth year, giving local sports clubs in Glasgow and the West of Scotland the opportunity to receive a share of £50,000 in funding.
READ MORE
Join the luau at Renfrew Gala Day
Aloha! It's time for a day of tropical fun at this year's Renfrew Gala Day!
READ MORE
Active travel route opens connecting Paisley town centre to Renfrew, Clydebank and Yoker
A new walking and cycling route between Paisley and Renfrew has been officially opened and provides an active travel link between the two town centres for the first time in decades.
READ MORE
Vue to host marvellous superhero season welcoming classic X Men films back to the big screen for 25th anniversary
Film fans, families and comic book enthusiasts are invited to rediscover the original big screen superhero team as a series of classic X-Men films return to the big screen at Vue this month.
READ MORE
Kids Fly FareFREE on new Loganair routes
Families can take advantage of Loganair's new Kids Fly Fare-FREE offer, allowing children aged 11 and under to travel without paying an airfare.
READ MORE
Braehead Shopping Centre set to open FIRST MINISO store in Glasgow
Braehead Shopping Centre, part of SGS Group, is pleased to announce the upcoming opening of internationally renowned pop culture retailer, MINISO!
READ MORE
Lorraine Kelly meets the Loch Ness Monster Milker delivering Nessie Nectar across the UK
IRN-BRU XTRA has launched a custom milk float delivery service bringing limited-edition Nessie Nectar straight from the shores of Loch Ness to doors across the UK.
READ MORE
Safety and family time driving surge in adult swim lessons
Scottish adults are being encouraged to learn to swim this summer to boost water safety skills for the whole family.
READ MORE
New documentary tells the story of world record breaking Scottish brothers
A new documentary - now live on STV Player - tells the story of the Maclean Brothers and their self-confessed “piss poor” preparations the ocean adventure that lay ahead.
READ MORE
David Attenborough and Eurovision steal the spotlight at Vue venues in Scotland this month
Audiences are invited to travel the globe - both musically and visually - this May, as both David Attenborough and Eurovision head to the big screen at Vue venues across Scotland.
READ MORE
The Royal Yacht Britannia Exhibition and Retail Experience are shipshape and ready to welcome visitors
2025 marks the next chapter in The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust’s legacy with the opening of a brand-new, world-class visitor centre with exhibition and retail experience.
READ MORE
Pavilion Festival rounds off biggest event yet with Happy Mondays and STREETrave Classical
Pavilion Festival has rounded off its biggest ever event with over 16,000 music fans enjoying three days of non-stop live music and feel good vibes on Ayr’s iconic Low Green.
READ MORE
Cineworld announces first ever 4DX Family Day
For one day only, families can experience Moana, Paddington, and Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in immersive 4DX at all 34 Cineworld 4DX screens nationwide.
READ MORE
Brand new show Something About Lennon opens UK tour this month with Scottish dates
Celebration of the iconic late Beatle's life and music will be performed at 26 venues nationwide.
READ MORE
Celebrate Fathers Day in Style with Dobbies Sunday Lunch and Planting Experience
This June, Dobbies Garden Centres is presenting a brand-new way to celebrate Father’s Day, combining a hearty Sunday roast with a hands-on grow-your-own herb planting workshop.
READ MORE
Blue Light Awards Scotland to honour emergency services heroes
Nominations for the Blue Light Awards Scotland, recognising the courage, commitment and community spirit of our Blue Light Services, are now open.
READ MORE
Funding awarded to seven projects for tree planting in cities and towns across Scotland
The Urban Forestry Programme is supporting projects in urban areas to help more people experience the benefits of trees.
READ MORE
Rory McIlroy Confirmed for Genesis Scottish Open
Newly-crowned Masters Tournament champion Rory McIlroy is set to compete for a second Genesis Scottish Open title!
READ MORE
Holding Back The Years: 40 Years of Simply Red in cinemas May 15
To celebrate 40 years of legendary music, Simply Red are releasing their concert film 'Holding Back the Years: 40 Years of Simply Red, Live in Santiago' on the big screen.
READ MORE
This May bank holiday weekend sees 3 day festival take over Ayr Beach and the sun is set to shine!
Pavilion Festival 2025: From Big Top, live music to secret gigs - here's what to expect!
READ MORESponsored Links
Sponsored Links