IN ADDITION to the marvellous annual Leap Scarecrow Festival, families looking to scare themselves silly can enjoy three consecutive nights of entertainment on the Mizen Head Peninsula.
Caroline O’Donnell of Levis Corner House in Ballydehob explained that community and volunteer groups have joined forces to host events in Schull on Saturday October 26th, Ballydehob on Sunday October 27th and Goleen on Monday October 28th.
Maeve Quinlan told The Southern Star that Schull Creates are putting on a parade that will start at 7pm.
She said they would love it if people came to enjoy the fun for the rest of the night and maybe even dress in keeping with their underwater world theme.
This year’s event follows the theme of the story of the sinking and rising of the Lady Charlotte said Maeve. And the finale will take place on the pier with Rogu performing a spectacle of fire and light.
The event has been made possible through local fundraisers, as well as generous local donations, and the support of Cork County Council.
In Ballydehob, Caroline said local volunteers will be working under the umbrella of the Jazz Festival and will be hosting their fifth annual Halloween parade, starting at 6pm on Sunday evening.
In the run up to that, there will be four workshops that will be open to everyone to join. They will be held each Thursday evening at the rear Levis and will lead to the creation of even more masks, costumes and bunting.
An artist will also be visiting each of the schools in Ballydehob to work with the children on the theme of Saithe na Samhna, which is an old Irish phrase for a parade or swarm of lights.
Although everything is community and volunteer led, Caroline did mention that they are grateful for the support of Cork County Council, the Arts Council, local business and community groups.
She said Ballydehob is going back to the true Irish origins of Halloween and will be reintroducing the traditional lanterns made of turnips.
In addition to the parade, there will be a series of installations and street performances on the streets.
Meanwhile, Laurie Mason, one of the organisers of the Goleen event, said: ‘This will be our second annual Fright Night at the Goleen Community Centre between 6 and 9pm on the Bank Holiday Monday.’
It is being organised by Goleen Foroige and Goleen Playschool and will involve lots of indoor activities for older and younger children.
It will feature scary tales, the recreation of a haunted forest, as well as a bake sale, hot food and games, as well as an appropriate Halloween movie.
There will also be a pumpkin carving contest that night with €150 first prize. All the funds raised will be donated to Foroige and Goleen Playschool.
In addition to the three events on the Mizen, Laurie said: ‘We are delighted to be able to round out the fantastic entertainment that is provided each year by the Leap Scarecrow Festival, which will run this year from October 21st to November 3rd, including the all-important day of judging on October 28th.
The entertainment will continue on November 2nd with a Day of the Dead party at Levis Corner House.
