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West of the Blue Mountains you’ll find the town of Lithgow and the site of Australia’s biggest Halloween Party on 29 October 2016. There will be activities for the kids and a national record attempt for the greatest number of costumed people to dance to Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
Organised and hosted by Lithgow City Council, with support from local sponsors, Lithgow Halloween 2016 will feature spectacular Vivid-style lighting displays and spooky decorations. Lithgow’s main shopping strip will be transformed into a fun-filled pedestrian zone with themed precincts, non-stop entertainment and a community Trick or Treat activity for children.
As in previous years, the family-friendly Lithgow Halloween `16 will include something for everyone, with a range of free community events in public spaces through to ticketed events at private venues.
Locals and visitors will be encouraged to fully immerse themselves in the community spirit and dress up for the occasion as a ghoulish zombie, monster, freaky vampire, fantasy character or loveable fairytale personality, goblin or fairy.
Getting into the festival spirit at Lithgow Halloween `15. Photo: Ben Pearse Photography
Highlights of the Lithgow Halloween 2016 festival include:
Thriller Dance-off on Main Street
Main Street will be overrun with freaky fiends, ghouls, zombies and loveable fantasy characters when internationally renowned King of Pop impersonator Jason Jackson leads a public dance-off in an attempt to break the national record for greatest number of costumed people to dance to the song Thriller.
The Thriller record attempt will be held at 8.30pm at the Main Stage, led by Jason Jackson, who will also wow festival goers with a spectacular performance at 7.30pm featuring 10 dazzling costume changes. With new surprises and a creepy Halloween theme, he promised fans who attended last year they “ain’t seen nothin’ yet”.
A singer/songwriter in his own right, Jason Jackson discovered the music of Michael Jackson as a gravely ill child battling cancer when the song Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough struck a chord with him and became his inspiration.
Go to www.halloween.lithgow.com for more information and Jason Jackson’s Thriller tutorial video to practice the dance before the record-breaking event.
Michael Jackson impersonator Jason Jackson performing on stage
Trick or Treat for the Kids
Australia’s largest Halloween celebration will host the nation’s biggest Trick or Treat for children when Lithgow holds a hair-raising community party on October 29.
The Trick or Treat activity will kick off the festival at participating shops along Main St between 5pm and 6pm for children aged 12 and younger.
Lithgow City Council Tourism Manager Kellie Barrow is encouraging families to arrive early for the fiendish family fun. Parents are also urged to ensure their children only accepted treats from Council recognised shopkeepers along Main Street.
“While the Council is pleased to provide families with a safe Trick or Treat environment and is delighted that shops are keen to take part, we also want to take the opportunity to reinforce the `stranger danger’ message among children,” she said.
Official Trick or Treat sites will display a specially-designed sign including Lithgow City Council accreditation for the activity.
Trick or Treat, Lithgow Halloween 2015. Photo: Ben Pearse, Headline Publicity.
Dress-up Street Party
Lithgow City Council Tourism Manager Kellie Barrow encourages everyone to join the hocus pocus in costume. “Costumes don’t have to be scary and they don’t have to be expensive. In fact, one of the favourite characters with kids in the past has been a local lady who dresses as Snow White and I suspect there will be quite a few interpretations of Michael Jackson this year to go along with the Thriller theme.”
“Many of our shops in the CBD are stocked with affordable costume items and shops are beginning to install their window displays so there’s plenty of inspiration in town,” said Kellie Barrow. “Lithgow has earned itself quite a reputation for costume parties, and we don’t do anything by halves – we have whole families coming in character. Even our mayor and local MP Paul Toole have traditionally thrown themselves into the spirit of the occasion and are unrecognisable.”
Snow White made more than one appearance in Lithgow Halloween `15. Photo: Ben Pearse Photography
Entertainment
Locals and visitors to Lithgow Halloween `16 are encouraged to join the party rather than simply be spectators when the town hosts Australia’s largest Halloween celebration on October 29.
The shocking shenanigans will kick off at 4pm, with entertainment tag-teaming between the Main Stage up near Bridge St and the Community Stage just past Sandford Ave, with monstrous madness in between.
Entertainment will kick off at 4pm and include local line-ups Side Car, La Belle School of Dance, Rhythm Stix, Smash 75, Coen Action, Street Chase, Phantoms Dream, Arachnid Invasion and Lithgow’s very own Frank N Furter show, Rocky Horror with Dave Webb.
There will also be rides for kids big and small, a fashion parade, dancing, market and food stalls, the ever popular skull auction in the library and, of course, Australia’s biggest Trick or Treat lolly grab at accredited Main St shops at 5pm.
Lithgow Halloween `16 will include something for everyone, with a jam-packed evening of free community events in public spaces in Main St through to ticketed events at private venues.
Guests arrive at Dracula’s Masquerade Ball in the historic surrounds of the Old Zig Zag Brewery. Photo: Headline Publicity.
Lithgow City Council Tourism Manager Kellie Barrow recommended visitors stay overnight in the area to fully explore the surprisingly diverse range of scenery, dining options and activities available in Lithgow and surrounds including the Back to Hartley event at Hartley Historic Site on the way to Sydney on Sunday, October 30.
Go to www.halloween.lithgow.com for more information about Lithgow Halloween ’16.