Organisers of Manchester’s upcoming Halloween drive-in cinema experience have confirmed that the scares will be starting earlier than anticipated.
Park N Party – the team behind the Scarecity event – has confirmed the addition of half a dozen extra films to the schedule.
Screenings will also begin 72 hours earlier than originally planned – with six horror flicks playing across three extra days.
Scarecity – which sees terrifying performers swarming on unsuspecting viewers’ during each evening of car park entertainment – will now launch on Friday 9 October.
Universal
The new schedule includes the following films:
Annabelle Comes Home – Fri – 09/10/20 – 20:00
The Witches – Sat – 10/10/20 – midday
Coco – Sat – 10/10/20 – 16:00
Halloween 2018 – Sat – 10/10/20 – 20:00
Hotel Transylvania – Sun – 11/10/20 – 16:00
The Grudge – Sun – 11/10/20 – 20:00
Scarecity will run right through to November 1 – screening classics such as The Ring, Blair Witch Project, Get Out and It.
Tickets are priced at £35 per vehicle.
Food and drink is also available to purchase on site; served and distributed in compliance with COVID-19 safety precautions.
You can reserve your spot at ScareCity online now via Eventbrite.
What's On
Spooky steam trains will be back travelling through Greater Manchester this Halloween
Emily Sergeant
Spooky season will soon be on its way, and one of Greater Manchester’s most-popular Halloween events is returning.
Generally selling out each year, the heritage railway’s Halloween Ghost Trains always prove to be top of the Halloween bucket list for people looking for ‘loads of spooktacular fun’ once the scariest time of year rolls around, and 2025 is expected to be no different – especially as there’s set to be ‘fresh twists and new surprises’ to celebrate ‘Year of the Bat’ this year.
Those brave enough at lending the Monster Squad a helping hand at banishing ghosts and ghouls will be whisked away on a haunted steam engine through the atmospheric Greater Manchester countryside.
You’ll be greeted by legendary monster hunter, Dr Hurtz Von Driver, who’ll first share tales of his terrifying adventures before deciding if you have the right stuff to join the Monster Squad.
If you make it, you’ll then get to join Count Brian the Vampire, his trusted henchman Bogeye, and the rest of the team on a chilling adventure.
In this year’s event, the railway will be transformed with elaborate decorations and eerie lighting, and visitors are encouraged to ensure that ‘no ghouls fly under the radar’.
Spooky steam train rides through Greater Manchester are returning this Halloween / Credit: ELR
If you’ve got the guts for the ride of a lifetime, then you’ll first start with a haunted house walkthrough, all before you hop on a 60-minute spooky steam train ride through the Irwell Vale and back.
As you take in the autumn sights and delights of the local countryside out the historic steam train’s windows, there’ll be lots of spooky entertainment and music along the way, and, as it always is each year, screaming and singalongs are to be expected too – and encouraged – as this is all part of the experience.
Families are also encouraged to ‘show off your spookiest fancy dress’ on the day, and if you make it to the end, then a goody bag for every child ‘full of tricks and treats’ awaits.
The Halloween Ghost Trains are happening over an extended weekend in late October to early November, running from Thursday 30 October to Saturday 1 November – and tickets are now on sale starting from just £14 per person.
Last night marked K-pop group ENHYPEN’s first-ever visit to Manchester, the UK and Europe as a whole, so it was no surprise the crowd was ready to get ‘Loose’ as they took to AO Arena.
The lights dimmed, the fans screamed, and it had finally dawned on Manchester that it was officially ‘En-O’Clock.‘
It’s a bouncy bassline, synth-stinted number also known as ‘Brought The Heat Back’ that kicks the show off, and on a day when our city was surprisingly warm, this three-minute performance was very fitting.
ENHYPEN performing ‘Loose’ for 21,000 fans at AO Arena in Manchester (Credit: BELIFT LAB)
‘Future Perfect (Pass the MIC)’ had the crowd quite literally jumping for joy, ‘Given-Taken’ saw a similar response, while a personal highlight was ‘Bite Me’.
With lyrics like “Come here and get some” and “Just come over and bite me”, this song follows a perfect pure-pop formula that works every time; it’s hard to ignore.
‘Your Eyes Only’, which makes reference to the previous hit “You can bite me / You can play me”. Did we like this song? “Ya, ya, ya, ya, ya” we did.
Disco belter ‘Sweet Venom’ had the crowd captivated for just under three minutes with its “Swe-hee-hee-t” earworm lyrics in every chorus.
K-pop boyband ENHYPEN played ‘Tamed-Dashed’ during their ‘Walk The Line’ tour at AO Arena in Manchester (Credit: BELIFT LAB)
An extended electronic synth introduction plays out as the staggered-vocal single, ‘XO (Only If You Say Yes)’ begins, and it’s easy to see why this is a fan favourite.
Whether it’s the fact that it has an easy-to-follow but incredibly addictive chorus or due to it featuring on the soundtrack for the Netflix rom-com and To All The Boys I Loved Before spin-off, XO, Kitty.
Following this was the 2010s-reminiscent ‘Bad Desire (With or Without You)’, which felt like a callback to ex-boyband star Justin Timberlake and his return with magnum opus ‘Mirrors’.
This song warranted such a roar of cheers and applause that the band decided to give it a second play later in the set, although this time they opted for the English version, which was equally appreciated.
All seven members of ENHYPEN interacting with fans during their Manchester show (Credit: BELIFT LAB)
During interactions with fans between songs, ENHYPEN discuss what they recognise Manchester for, stating, “This city is really famous for its football”.
Instead of declaring their support for the reds or blues, the band opted for a smart and conscious, “We’ll leave it there” – well played, boys.
‘Paranormal’ signalled that this night of incredible dance-packaged music was coming to an end, but ENHYPEN’s version of an encore is much different to any other musical act.
These seven singing sensations decided to play not just one or two songs before saying goodbye to the Manchester crowd, they opted for five plus – phenomenal.
The Manc -
25th September 2020 
