24 Oct 2018

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Bring out your undead for Christchurch’s thrill-filled Halloween festival.

Zombies and ghouls are set to feast on a mix of music, dance, circus, theatre, film, performance and spectacle from 26 to 28 October at FoUND: Festival of the (Un)Dead.

From the Sing-a-long Rocky Horror Picture Show screening to the Thrill the World zombie dance in Cathedral Square, the bewitching hour will be close at hand.

Organised by Out East Creative with seed funding from the Christchurch City Council, the festival aims to make the most of the city’s innovative new spaces and deliver hair-raising entertainment.

Council Events and Arts Manager Karena Finnie has welcomed the new event as an opportunity to support local business and promote new venues.

“Much of the activity will centre on the developing performing arts precinct in the city, showcasing wonderful new venues and supporting a range of businesses,” Ms Finnie says.

“Events are being held at the new central library, Tūranga, and the pop-up performance space, Little Andromeda. With FoUND, people can explore our evolving city and have a lot of fun along the way.”

FoUND will also feature the annual Zombie Run and an all-ages Skeleton Hunt before building up to the dance pinnacle, Thrill the World, and the Zombie Run on Sunday 28 October.

Festival Director Andy Brigden says Halloween is an exciting time, no matter your age.

“Last year we had such a blast with Thrill the World, but the event was over in a couple of hours, and we had all these zombies dressed up with no place to go,” she says.

Ms Brigden says it makes sense to combine a new festival with the highly successful Zombie Run.

“Halloween gives you an excuse to dress up and inhabit a different character for a while, and who doesn’t love that?”

A Circus of Horrors – a Halloween Cabaret will take centre stage at the Isaac Theatre Royal, while Trick or Treat will showcase the new performance space in Tūranga.

From Edgar Allan Impro to A Circus Spooktacular in New Brighton, a supernatural scene awaits.