Galoshans Festival
Feral Takeover
A celebration of creativity with community at its heart
Prepare for a hauntingly good time and spirited celebrations – Inverclyde’s cherished Galoshans Festival is back for its 11th year! This landmark event is set to be the grandest yet, offering an enchanting mix of art, culture, and Halloween excitement from Friday, 17th October to Thursday, 30th October 2025.
Building on past successes, Galoshans Festival 2025, deeply rooted in Halloween traditions, is dedicated to showcasing Inverclyde’s rich artistic and cultural landscape. This year boasts a dynamic mix of Galoshans consortium partners, including festival leads RIG Arts and Feral Arts. Programming support comes from The Beacon Arts Centre, Inverclyde Libraries, Kayos – Inverclyde Youth Theatre, Travelling Gallery, The Wyllieum, Waterfront Cinema, Theatre School of Scotland and Oi Musica/YMI Youth Band, facilitated by Inverclyde Council. , the festival will present a diverse array of events and activities, from captivating art installations and theatrical performances to lively music and street spectacles – truly something for everyone!
The festival’s highlight is the much-anticipated Galoshans Mini Parade and Street Party, scheduled for Thursday, 30th October 2025, from 5:45 pm to 8 pm. Join the Parade from Custom House Way to Custom House Quay, where we’ll kick off the street party and all the usual Galoshans fun!
Funded by Creative Scotland, Scottish Government Investing in Communities Fund, The National Lottery Community Fund, Creative Scotland Youth Music Initiative and Film Hub Scotland
For the 4th year running, Galoshans Festival will be bringing you a takeover from Feral featuring a series of playful performances and curious encounters across the region. Aimed to continue Galoshan’s ethos of bringing high quality arts experiences to Inverclyde that focus on celebrating people and place. Highlights include:
FERAL X Galoshans 2025 takeover programme
“Bloom”- part performance, part ceilidh: a new dance production combines percussive dance, poetic video projections and ceilidh culture to tell the personal story of Tokyo-born, dancer Kae Sakurai as she carves out a new home in Scotland. Featuring step dance, video projection and live music taking place at The Beacon Art Centre.
“Flock” by Bex Anson – an immersive, live dance poem staged outside Port Glasgow Library. Inspired by the mesmerizing flow of bird murmurations, participants are invited to a hands-on workshop where they learn about concrete poetry inspired by the themes of migration and movement. They are then invited to mark make and scribe their concrete poems outdoors while a contemporary dancer weaves in and out of the flock of scribes. Creating a vibrant ephemeral artwork for Port Glasgow.
“Pop!” A family friendly pop-up dance performance by Vince Virr & KJ Clarke-Davis visiting The Wylliem/Greenock Ocean Terminal a colourful, dynamic and visually vibrant dance duet exploring adolescence that will leave you and your family energised.
Delighters present Scotland’s travelling circus ensemble “Cirqulation” and their latest production “Journey” at Inverkip Community Hub. Each vibrant performance showcases thrilling acts by top artists and features a local guest act — with a fresh mix of aerial, dance, and storytelling, all united by movement, emotion, and the journeys we share.
At Southwest Library / The Drying Green Community Garden artist Hamshaya Rajkumar will lead “Seeds: The Taste of Galoshans” - a workshop for growers, cooks, and curious eaters alike! This session will explore how seed saving over many years can carry flavours that we cherish and discuss the idea of a new “Galoshans vegetable”!
Puppeteers Thingumajig Theatre bring “Barn Owl” to the Galoshans Street Party. Barn Owl’s illuminated and majestic 5 metre wingspan glides above the heads of the crowd whilst the caller encourages her to stop to share words of wisdom and greetings with the audience. Who knows? They might have their own special dance that they can share with you. Part of Galoshans Street Party.