IN PHOTOS: The Spooky, the Fun, and the Adventurous at the First Haunted Manila Festival

Halloween may have long been over, but we are still getting a whiff of that ever-glorious, fun Halloween spirit, recalling the grandness that transpired at the first Halloween festival in the country, Haunted Manila. Held last October 26- 31, presented by Go Plus and Sindikato Management, HMF was a historic first, mounting a six-day festivity that brought fun and fright for fans of adventure set in a zombie- and monster-laden event venue.

*The gates of Filinvest City in Alabang opened for fans of fright and adventure with the country’s first six-night Halloween festival.*

*The stage was set for the six-night Halloween party featuring a melange of entertainment that went with the many activities festival-goers got to enjoy.*

*Festival goers lined up for the escape room attractions set up in the event venue.*

*Party and chill-out lounges featuring games and respite at the event venue were set up by the event partners.*

Filinvest City in Alabang opened its gates to droves of fans of fright and adventure for an experience like no other, as the country’s first week-long Halloween festival–collected of a themed string of activities escape rooms, fair games, spooky and creative costumes, zombie runs, open-air film exhibitions, and DJ and band parties, in one packed festival.

Costumed festival-goers all trooped to the event venue on its first-day as HMF collaborated with Outbreak Manila in bringing a zombie run, preluded by a DJ party that featured fist-pumping mixes of Jimmy Nocon, Wicked Adobo, Cathy Frey, Sedano Stro, and Aldwinn.

Here are some of the most fun and creative looks we spotted at the venue from resident monsters and zombies to festival goers who went all out in their themed garbs for the night:

*How about that? Annabelle, Harley Quinn, and Joker all enjoying their Jollibee’s*

*The barkada that heists together, stays together.*

*This gives the phrase “straight out of bed” a whole new meaning.*

*Now, this look wins the night for the most elaborate and most committed. How many runners has this look frightened?!*

*Or you can come as a dead couple with Annabelle photobombing you.*

Following the zombie runs, HMF also featured big attractions, including the Breakout Scavenger Haunt, set up inside a mall in Filinvest City. This may have led to a lot of noise on social media due to difficulties that left many dissatisfied with the turnout of the feature’s execution. In a public statement, the management of Breakout Philippines has since let out an apology for the mishap.

https://www.facebook.com/breakoutphilippines/posts/1325980587576278

But the week-long festivity did not, in any way, falter, as the attractions continued on and bettered in the next couple of days, including open-air film exhibitions featuring films from Regal Entertainment, for Pelikulagim. True to its invitation, HMF continued to collect festival-goers of different ages–from barkadas, to families, which in itself was a success.

*McCoy De Leon, who appears in the upcoming Regal Entertainment film, The Heiress, went up onstage to invite everyone to see the new horror film.*

*Young celebrity Marco Gallo at the event grounds of HMF.*

*The whole family in a unique Halloween activity!*

At the tail-end of HMF, the anticipated highlight of the festival was the Santelmo Halloween Music Party, on October 31. The rousing return of the music gathering featured 14 of the country’s favorite OPM bands, including UDD, December Avenue, I Belong to the Zoo, Callalily, Unique, Autotelic, SUD, The Ransom Collective, Cheat, FERN, One Click Straight, Nathan &Mercury, Any Name’s Okay, and Aegis!

*The husband-and-wife tandem of Saab Magalona and Jim Bacarro onstage with their band, Cheats.*

*Cheats and The Ransom Collective crossover you’d never expected.*

*Kian Cipriano of Callalily lit that stage up amidst the stubborn rain.*

Haunted Manila Festival is made possible by official TV partner FOX, co-presented by SIP Purified Water; its official venue partner Filinvest City, official alcohol partner Bacardi, brought to you by Eye Mo and Jack & Jill Cream-O; sponsored by Gino’s Brick Oven Pizza, Cello’s Doughnuts, Havaianas, and Mentos; hotel partners Azumi Botique Hotel, The Bellevue Hotel, The
B Hotel, and Vivere Hotel & Resorts; mall partner Festival Supermall; movie partner Regal Entertainment, with special thanks to Linya Linya.

Rank Magazine is an official media partner of HAUNTED MANILA FESTIVAL 2019.

Images by Bhernn Saenz