Paisley's popular Halloween celebrations will make a welcome return for 2021 as Paisley Halloween Festival presents a spectacular ‘Out of this World’ event.

This year will see a twist on the annual fright fest’s usual format as the town centre will be transformed into an immersive ‘otherworldly’ experience with a series of spectacular installations and light displays concentrated around Paisley Abbey, Town Hall and the White Cart River.

This will take place from Thursday 28 October until Monday 1 November – with iconic buildings and installations illuminated from 5pm-10pm for visitors to enjoy.

It promises to be a real spectacle with an alien invasion, creatures from the deep and a constellation of stars providing some fun, free family entertainment.

Paisley Halloween Festival is supported by EventScotland through Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters 20/21 and Scotland’s Events Recovery Fund.

To celebrate the Year of Coasts and Waters 20/21 the area around the White Cart River will be transformed into the centrepiece of the Out of this World experience.

A series of artists have been commissioned to develop the spectacular installations to help bring an unearthly experience to Paisley - attracting locals and visitors around the river that runs through the heart of the town.

This will become a must-visit spot on the trail as Mike Jones’ ‘Orionids’ installation will echo the breath-taking beauty of a meteor shower cascading across the Cart to create an enchanting web of light on the water.

Other installations being created include ‘Nova’ and ‘Ursula Lassos the Moon’ created by Studio Vertigo. The ‘Nova’ sculpture is based on the mystical Star of the East, which astronomers now believe was actually a nova.

The trail is being delivered by Renfrewshire Council in partnership wit sustainable, not-for-profit organisation, Cirque Bijou, who will help create a weird and wonderful experience that can be enjoyed by all.

Pauline Allan, Events Manager for Renfrewshire Council, said: “We’re working with some fantastic visual artists to transform the town through these breath-taking installation and lights displays – it’s going to look really spectacular!

“Everything will be in place for five days, so there’s more opportunity than ever before to come into the town centre and experience the trail.

Renfrewshire Leisure are also staging a Monster Dash – Halloween fun run at Linwood On-X from 12pm on Sunday 31 October where all the family can participate in and enjoy with £3 entry fee for adults and £2 entry fee for children. 

To find out more about Paisley Halloween Festival please go online and visit www.paisley.is/halloween