York Spooksfest launches Best Dressed Ghost Competition (From York Press)

York Spooksfest launches Best Dressed Ghost Competition

8:08am Wednesday 26th January 2011 in Ghosts & UFOs By Julie Hayes, Business editor

Spooksfest “vampires” Rachael Hayward, left, and Amanda Hayward get their teeth into Ed Foster, of Milkshack

YORK Spooksfest is launching a Best Dressed Ghost Competition to get local businesses involved in the festival.

Local businesses are being asked to contribute to the festival by making their window displays spooky for the weekend of March 11 to 13.

Milkshack, in Church Street, York, has agreed to develop spooky flavour milkshakes and The Fudge Kitchen will be serving up some devilishly different fudge for the event.

The festival has been developed to boost tourism businesses at a quiet time of the year and promote York’s “spooky status” as the most haunted city in Europe.

Organisers are now looking for sponsors for the trophy as well as York Spooksfest merchandise.

Organiser Amanda Hayward, who runs paranormal research company In The Company Of Ghosts, said: “This is the biggest paranormal event in the UK. We have most of the experts in the paranormal field coming up for it.”

The festival also has the backing of Shared Earth and Vamps, which are planning ghoulish window displays, which will be judged during the festival weekend.

Amanda said: “It’s going to be a huge event now. It was just a nice little weekend event, but now I’m wondering how we’re going to fit it into a week next year.”

Visit spooksfest.co.uk or email info@spooksfest.co.uk for further information or to book tickets.