20 October 2009
The biggest Halloween party in the UK features fifty-year-old sideshows
Fright Night in Sheffield is the UK´s biggest Halloween party. Established in 2001, this year 40,000 people are due to attend the city centre event.
Held on Sunday 25 October 2009 from 3.30-8.30pm, the free `mass promenade event´ will include John Marshall´s Sideshows, which return in 2009 for the first time in fifty years.
Professor Vanessa Toulmin, Director of the National Fairground Archive at the University of Sheffield has helped coordinate the revival of the sideshows. Vanessa says: "John Marshall´s Sideshows will include The Headless Lady, The Living Half Lady and The Girl in the Goldfish Bowl. People are increasingly looking to have real-life experiences and see illusions first-hand, so it´s great to be able to bring them back."
Professor Vanessa will also be helping to coordinate ghoulish street theatre and will be training students from the University of Sheffield to become zombies. The undead will appear in M&S´s shop window with the tagline, `These aren´t just any zombies; these are M&S zombies´.
Vanessa continues: "The popularity and significance of Halloween has grown over the years. Many people view the event as very Americanised, but forget that it originates from the North of England. Now a contemporary celebration, it´s a great event to showcase some of the work that I´m involved with, including what people would consider `freakish´ and alternative."
The city centre roads will be closed to host the event. Event organiser Scott Barton of Sheffield Events says: "I think Fright Night has grown to be the biggest Halloween event because it´s free, for all ages and there´s so much going on. Our event unites families and let´s children take part in Halloween safely."
Other attractions include a Fancy Dress Catwalk, Ghost Train, Haunted Taxi, Freddie Kruger Bus, Hagrid look-alike, Dalek & Cyberman, Star Wars Storm Troopers and a Giant Frankenstein. Notes for Editors: This year´s Fright Night will be held on Sunday 25th October, 3.30pm - 8.30pm.
It is held in various Sheffield City Centre locations, including Fargate, Orchard Square, Surrey Street, Pinstone Street, Barkers Pool, Peace Gardens, Millennium Sq, Winter Gardens, Millennium Galleries, Norfolk Row & Norfolk Street.
In addition to the attractions being organised by the University of Sheffield, there will be a Fancy Dress Catwalk, Hagrid look-alike, Dalek & Cyberman, Star Wars Storm Troopers, Street Theatre, Craft Market, Food Stalls, Ghost Train, Haunted House, Spooky Sound Effects, Ghost Tours, Giant Walkabout Frankenstein, Freddie Kruger Bus, Haunted Taxi, Samba Band, Glow Jugglers and thousands of people in amazing fancy dress.
Fright Night is organised by The Sheffield Events Company with core sponsorship and support from Sheffield City Council. Travel South Yorkshire are this years Main Sponsor with support from Real Radio, Sheffield Newspapers, University of Sheffield and Stagecoach Supertram.
Professor Vanessa Toulmin is Director of the National Fairground Archive at the University of Sheffield, and creator of 'Admission All Classes'.
The National Fairground Archive is a unique collection of historic and contemporary posters, playbills, postcards, footage and over 60,000 images of popular entertainment over the decades. The collection is visited by journalists, historians, students and the general public, from all over the world.
Admission All Classes was a series of themed events in Blackpool, devised by Professor Toulmin, celebrating and showcasing artists from all over the UK. Inspiration was taken from archived material and the history of entertainment, including sideshows, cabaret, street theatre, burlesque and magic.
In 2009, a series of events will come to Rotherham and Sheffield under the auspices of Admission All Classes, including Rotherham Arts Festival and Fright Night.
For further information please contact: Lauren Anderson, Media Relations Officer, on 0114 2221046 or email l.h.anderson@sheffield.ac.uk
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