REVIEW: Southport Pleasureland - Happy Halloween festival: Boo For You!

On Monday 26th October, I took my excited daughter Elise and her friend Sophie on a road trip to Southport Pleasureland. The girls both aged twelve and three quarters were excited to see what Pleasureland had to offer by way of ghoulish Halloween treats.

I've never personally been a fan of Halloween and always found it to be bizarrely macabre, so I was tentative and dubious about what to expect. My guests on the other hand were suitably excited and eagerly anticipated a night of fright, fun and fireworks.

As soon as we entered the grounds of Pleasureland, there was no mistaking what season it was as a plethora of pumpkins lined the entrance. 

Pumpkins in abundance

The theme park had gone all out on the decoration and I muust say that it was tastefully done. There was a perfect balance of spookiness, so nothing too eerie. It was definitey age appropriate for a wide age range, from toddlers to teens to middle aged folks like me. The staff were dressed in costumes and posed happily with youngsters who requested a selfie. They were approachable and friendly and despite them being cold (it was a litlle nippy) they were extremely professional, courteous and attentive to client requests.

The attitude of the staff definitely contributed towards a wonderful atmosphere that permeated throughout the park for the whole evening. As media guests, we were given a card which entitled us to free rides much to the delight of my daughter and her friend Sophie. For the next hour and a  half, we enjoyed the ghost train (OK enjoyed is probably the wrong verb for the ghost train) the waltzers, fun house and a number of  other rotating fairground rides.

It was delightful to see the enjoyment on the girls faces and their laughter was contagious. We had an absolute scream (pun intended). It was a night of innocent fun, being outdoors on a winter night without the distraction of television or mobile phones. It was a wonderful evening and memories were definitely made.

Sophie & Elise on the approach to the park

The lovely staff posing for pictures with Sophie & Elise

The evening ended with a ride on the press / media train whereby we were transported to the arena area where we watched a magnificent free fireworks display.A huge thank you to Bill Elms Associates for the invitation to such a fabulous event. It was magical and definitely a hit with the girls. I would highly recommend taking your family to this event.

Entry to the park is absolutely free and the festival takes place from Saturday October 24th to Friday October 30th. 
During half term, there will be free shows daily from 1:30pm
For more details on special offers visit The Southport Pleasureland website
The park is open from 11am until 6pm
Dressing up in Halloween costume is optional.

I was more scared than the girls. They were eager for a photo with this gent