Googong will be transformed into a creepy graveyard this Halloween, complete with spiders, chains and ghouls - but definitely no creepy clowns.
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Boogong, claimed as the Canberra region's biggest Halloween event, will have a haunted house, kids disco, roving performers, delicious food, and fireworks to finish off the night.
The event is tailored to all ages and has a big focus on fun, hands-on activities – with just the right amount of scary.
After a successful opening event last year with an estimated 8000 attendees, organisers say thousands of revellers are expected to don their favourite costume and flock to Beltana Park, Googong to partake this year.
But Googong is not the only one getting into the spirit in Canberra. For the adults Canberra's bars and pubs are hosting a number of Halloween events over the weekend, the National Film and Sound Archive are running a Halloween Double Feature on Monday and Canberra Southern Cross Yacht Club will be hosting a ghoulish three course meal (see details below).
Director of Complete Events Group behind Boogong Matt Mahoney, said the 300 square metre haunted house will be kitted out with high-tech audio-visual equipment, sound effects, smoke machines and CO2 cannons.
"It's so rare that people want to set this kind of event up just for fun, so it's been amazing to get creative and pull it all together," he said.
Peet Limited CEO and Managing Director, Brendan Gore, said that they were expecting visitors from right across the ACT region.
"Boogong is colourful, exciting and an event that people of all ages can enjoy together. Boogong is different. It brings the whole community into the streets to celebrate together and that is why it works so well in a close-knit community like Googong," he said.
The events kick off at 5pm Saturday with live music from 8.30pm, and fireworks from 9pm. A free bus will depart Queanbeyan Bus Interchange (platform 4) at 4.15pm. Another bus will depart from the Jerrabomberra Shopping Centre (bus bay on Limestone Drive) at 4.30pm. Return buses will depart from Googong at 9.15pm. For more information, visit googong.net.
Other ways to celebrate Halloween in Canberra
Limelight Cinemas: Dress up as your favourite Rocky Horror character at a special screening of Rocky Horror Picture Show at Limelight Cinemas Tuggeranong on Saturday, October 29 at 7pm.
Mooseheads Nightclub: Transforming into 'Halloween Moose Manor' on Saturday, October 29, Mooseheads and Smirnoff are presenting their annual Halloween Black Party. 105 London Circuit, Civic.
Knightsbridge Penthouse: Knightsbridge Penthouse will hold its House of Horrors night on Saturday 29 October from 7pm, at 1/34 Mort Street, Braddon.
Hopscotch Bar and Grill: For Halloween themed cocktails and scary face painting head to Hopscotch on Saturday October, 29 from 3pm, at 5 Lonsdale Street Braddon.
Monkey Mania: Head over to Monkey Mania at Canberra Outlet Centre, Majura Park for a Halloween disco with face painting and prizes on Monday, October 31 from 4.30-6.30pm.
Canberra International Film Festival: The National Film and Sound Archives will be showing a Halloween special double feature featuring the special effects documentary "The Frankenstein Complex" followed by horror "Rob Zombie's 31". From 6.30-11pm Monday, October 31 at 1 McCoy Circuit Acton.
Dendy Cinemas: To celebrate the life of Gene Wilder, Dendy Canberra Centre is hosting a special Halloween screening of Young Frankenstein on Monday, October 31 from 6.30pm.
Canberra Southern Cross Yacht Club: will be hosting a Halloween Dinner with a ghoulish 3 course meal on Monday 31st October at 6.30pm.
