A brand-new Halloween trail will be leading people through an enchanted and haunted woodland this autumn – and it’s all taking place at Trafford Centre’s little-known Wilderspool Woods.
The 4.5 acre hidden woodland in the grounds of the iconic shopping centre will be taken over by skeletons, bats, and all sorts of other spooky creatures.
But as the event comes from acclaimed The Twilight Trail at Mayfield Park, you’ll be sure to be more mesmerised than terrified. No blood-thirsty zombies here.
There’ll be more than 100,000 lights illuminating a Skeleton Village, laser-filled gardens of mist, and a spooky soundtrack of otherworldly tunes curated by DJ Rasp.
Visitors will find supernatural surprises around every corner, whether it’s colourful bats soaring overhead or glowing LED eyes watching down from the treetops.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Halloween Trail will be suitable for all ages and will captivate audiences with the glittering light trail, interactive events, and a massive food and drink programme curated by Freight Island.
A new Halloween trail is taking over the hidden woods at the Trafford Centre. Credit: SuppliedDecadent hot chocolates will be part of The Halloween Trail’s Freight Island-curated food line-up. Credit: Supplied
As you creep and weave your way through the eerie Wilderspool Woods you’ll be able to pick and carve your own pumpkins, toast marshmallows, and throw some shapes at the skeleton disco.
ADVERTISEMENT
There’ll even be a skeleton petting zoo, a mysterious Haunted Hotel, and a creepy old-fashioned pub, Ye Olde Skeleton Arms, tucked away in the woods.
The light installations brought to The Halloween Trail will include Helix, a floating ribbon of sparkling light that weaves through the forest, and The Twist, a psychedelic, corkscrew pathway of mesmerising lights.
After making it through the mystical woodlands, visitors can feast on food from top traders including Voodoo Rays (22” New York-style pizzas), and Soft Boi (soft-serve ice cream).
ADVERTISEMENT
Formaggi by Lazy Tony’s will be warming up guests with loaded roasties, rich poutine, deep-fried mozzarella and Italian-American toasties, and there’s Cabin Chocolat for decadent hot chocolates topped with fluffy marshmallows, caramel, and sweets (plus a drop of booze for the grown-ups).
Heard, a new burger venture from two Michelin-starred chef Jordan Bailey of Ireland’s Aimsir, will also feature on the trail, whipping up a selection of smash burgers made with eco-friendly ingredients.
Voodoo Rays will be one of the traders serving food at The Halloween Trail. Credit: The Manc GroupFormaggio by Lazy Tony’s will have loaded roasties and loads more. Credit: Supplied
Free parking is available for all ticket holders, or there are easy public transport links via tram or bus along The Bee Network.
Dan Morris, co-founder of Trafford Trails, said: “We’re excited to reveal Wilderspool Wood as the location for this year’s Halloween Trail.
“This hidden space offers the perfect setting for an immersive and exciting Halloween experience. With DJ Rasp’s soundtrack, stunning light displays, and some of the best food traders around, we’re looking forward to welcoming visitors of all ages for a great night out.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Simon Layton, Centre Director at Trafford Centre, added: “We’re delighted to bring something new to Trafford this Halloween. Collaborating with Freight Island and other great partners, we’ve created an experience that promises to be a real treat for our visitors. We can’t wait to see Wilderspool Wood lit up at night.”
The Halloween Trail will run from Thursday 17 October to Sunday 3 November.
Tickets are on sale now, with prices starting from £8 for children, £10 for adults, and family tickets from £32 – you can grab yours here.
We’ve teamed up with a new creative hub to offer an exciting opportunity to a rising Manchester star
Danny Jones
Truth be told, there are creative opportunities to be found all across Greater Manchester, but you won’t find many quite like this…
Content creation is an ever-growing industry and the demand for roles in this ever-evolving space is higher than ever; the problem is, lots of people are unsure of how exactly to get started.
That’s why anyone interested in the sector should be very excited about the latest development over in MediaCity – we certainly are, and that’s why we’ve teamed up with them for something special.
First of all, let’s do introductions: welcome to the ‘Content Studio’.
Designed to cater to the growing climate of cutting-edge content creation and offer a professional workspace at an accessible rate, the Content Studio provides a range of versatile creative spaces including light, dark and podcast studios, perfect for video production, castings, photoshoots and more.
Curated by University of Salford alumni, Ashley Salmon, the studio has been built to meet the needs of modern content creators, influencers, social media stars, brands and businesses of all kinds.
Promising to offer both a dynamic and inspiring space where people can produce high-quality and innovative content while fostering a supportive creative community, this place aims to live up to Greater Manchester’s media reputation: industry-leading.
The Content Studio will also be made accessible to students spending time over in MediaCity and beyond, with a good chunk of the core production team comprised of recent graduates from Salford, giving them a valuable platform to showcase their skills and kickstart their careers.
As the previous video detailed, we’re working with MediaCity to identify their next ‘Creator in Residence’, an exclusive opportunity being made available to just one inventive individual this year.
Put simply, we’re looking for Greater Manchester’s next rising star, an entrepreneur or someone who is looking to start out in the creative space. So what does one lucky winner get with the prize?
Well, all of this:
Three-month Content Studio residency worth over £1,000 at MediaCity
Free use of content creation space, subject to availability
£200 budget to decorate the space/purchase props
Equipment hire and tech support – cameras, lighting, audio, director and camera operator for a day (£2k value from Badger and Combes)
Access to three hours of mentorship with creative director Steve Moyler (1x a month or 1x 3h slot)
£150 Black card to spend with local independent food residents
Access to a social media crash course with The Manc
If this sounds like an opportunity you or someone you know might be interested in, you can fill out the form HERE to be in with a chance to access one of the most incredible creative opportunities anywhere in Greater Manchester.
Terms and conditions
By entering this competition, you agree to the terms set by MediaCity:
As the ‘Creator in Residence’ you will commit to at least 2.5 days in residence in the MediaCity Content Studio
As the winner you will agree to be profiled on MediaCity/The Manc platforms
Any social content produced in the Content Studio will tag #mediacitycontentstudio and #madeinmediacity
Must add @MediaCityUK as a collaborator on all content being published on socials
No cash equivalent will be given for the prize.
The deadline for application is Wednesday, 12 March, so don’t miss out. Good luck!
Featured Images — Sophia J Carey (supplied)/The Manc Group
Sponsored
You can win a brand new car worth over £65,000 by finding a hidden toy car in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
1,000 tiny toy cars are being hidden around 10 major UK cities over the next two weeks – and if you find one of the 100 hidden in Manchester, you could win an actual car.
The Auto Trader Car Hunt will see 100 miniature cars hidden in different cities every day for 10 days, with the hunt kicking off in Manchester on 24 February.
Hints and clues will be posted daily to Auto Trader’s Instagram to tip locals off as to the toy cars’ whereabouts.
If you’re in Manchester, you’ll want to be peeping down alleyways, creeping down the cobbles and rummaging through the bushes looking for these little treasures.
Because if you track one down, you’re in with a chance of winning a brand new Hyundai IONIQ 5 N worth more than £65,000.
All you need to do is snap a photo of the toy car and post it to your Instagram story, tagging in @autotraderuk.
Once the Auto Trader Car Hunt is over, one lucky winner will be chosen from a prize draw to drive away in a Hyundai IONIQ 5 N.
This high-performance electric car has been honed on the racetrack, featuring simulated gear shifts and engine sounds to recreate the thrill of a petrol car. And with 650 horsepower under the bonnet, it’s seriously quick.
But as well as being nippy and incredibly fun to drive, it’s a comfortable and efficient family hatchback too.
Look out for a hidden toy car in ManchesterThe Auto Trader Car Hunt begins next week
This nationwide car hunt will span 10 cities across the UK and is giving Brits a chance to win a top-of-the-range brand new electric vehicle.
The toy cars themselves will be 3D printed and will have a QR code on them, which will take you to a landing page with all the information you need and the steps to enter.
You’ll need to find a toy car and enter by 9 March, with the car hunt kicking off from 24 February.
Happy hunting everyone! Find out more about the Auto Trader Car Hunt HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
20th September 2024 
