Macnas artists staged a "pop-up" carnival in Galway City Museum yesterday evening to highlight a new fundraising drive for this year's parade.

The street theatre company is seeking €40,000 from city businesses to stage what will be a "goofy and Gothic" celebration, its artistic director Noeline Kavanagh has said.

The parade, which is no longer part of the Galway Arts Festival programme, will be staged on October 26th during the Halloween bank holiday weekend.

“Macnas believes in our community, in our city and our people,” Ms Kavanagh said. “We all deserve to be blown away, thrilled and uplifted for one night this Halloween.”

The company has maintained its Arts Council support, but Galway City Council funding has been cut for the second year in a row.

The Macnas Halloween Parade Campaign was initiated by film-maker Lelia Doolan in the museum last night.