Galway to go ghoulish for city’s Abooo Festival
Huge re-enactment of Michael Jackson’s Thriller dance routine and video to take place
Latin Quarter chairman Ronnie Greaney pictured with the Frankensteins from Earwig Arts in St Nicholas Collegiate Church announcing the Galway Abooo festival which is to be held the Latin Quarter of Galway over Hallowe'en weekend. Photo: Reg Gordon
By Kernan Andrews
Ghosts, zombies, vampires, demons, Michael Jackson, and all kinds of other strange beings will be taking to the streets of Galway’s ‘Latin Quarter’ on Friday October 30 and Saturday 31 for the city’s first Galway Abooo Hallowe’en Festival.
For Hallowe’en, Galway’s city streets will be taken over by fancy dress parties, traditional games, Trick or Treating, and a huge re-enactment of Michael Jackson’s Thriller dance routine and video.
On Friday 30, The Big Fancy Dress Party takes place throughout the ‘Latin Quarter’, an area which covers St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church, O’Brien’s Bridge, the Spanish Arch area, Middle Street, Buttermilk Lane and Walk, St Augustine Street, High Street, and Quay Street.
On that night, every café, restaurant, and bar will be operating a fancy dress code so let your imagination go wild and don whatever ghoulish gear, creepy clobber, or freaky fashion you can think of. Whoever makes the biggest effort is in with a chance of winning €5,000. Listen to iRadio for more updates.
Saturday 31 will see a whole host of events taking place. First up is The Big ‘Little’ Fancy Dress Party at 2pm in the Galway City Museum. This is a fancy dress party for children where they have to make an environmentally friendly costume.
From 3pm throughout the ‘Latin Quarter’ streets, Galwegians will be able to Pick up Trick or Treat bags for a street-wide trick or treat. Dotted through The Latin Quarter will be loads of Trick or Treat stands where you can come and collect goodies. The streets will also hosting traditional Hallowe’en Party Games for children of all ages to enjoy.
Then at 4pm comes the big event of the weekend - a huge re-enactment of Michael Jackson’s Thriller dance routine and video in The Fishmarket at the Spanish Arch. All are welcome to take part and iRadio will lead participants in the dance. See www.iradio.ie for more information on the dance moves. Only two things left to say: Shamone! He Heeeee!
The Galway Abooo Festival reaches its finale with the Saturday Night Spooktacular Street Show. The medieval streets will once again be the stage for street performances across the ‘Latin Quarter’ from 8pm. Then at 8.40pm it’s off to St Nicholas’ where all of the performers will join together for one magical show.
All events are free. Irish Rail will be running ‘Ghost Trains’ at a special rate of €10e/w on selected trains from Dublin. See www.irishrail.ie for details.
More Stories
- Hike in student registration fees a real danger warn SU and McNelis
- Bus Éireann to run trial Carna to Galway service
- Win VIP tickets to the Saw Doctors’ midnight gig at Zhivago
- Put new school for Colaiste na Coiribe at top of priority list, Education Minister urged
- Gardaí appeal for witnesses after St Augustine Street assault
- Compántas Lir holds its Autumn Theatre next week
- Never mind the bollards — Traffic cone fun lands Oranmore man in jail
- Get toned at lunchtime
- Freedom has relocated
- Prayers said for Air Corps pilots after Cornamona crash
- Fair deal information day at The Village
- Fair deal information day at The Village
- Boston Scientific employees cycle their way into Guinness World Records
- Upper Eglinton Canal upgrade to go ahead
- Galway City Museum to pass fifty thousand visitor mark