IRVINE is getting a free two-day festival in honour of master of horror and former resident Edgar Allan Poe.

Ravenfest will be held on October 29 and 30 in the town centre.

Ayrshire’s Poetic Justice Productions say it is a small taster for a three day festival to be held in 2022. And this year, all the events will be free of charge.

Poe attended Irvine’s grammar school around 1815, when he was six years old.

He was brought over from America by his foster family, the Allans, who originally came from Irvine.

Ravenfest 2022 will feature Poe dramatisations and readings, as well as a history of his life. There will also be a curated movie night, showing the classic The Pit and the Pendulum, starring Vincent Price.

Saturday will feature child-friendly events centred around the author, including lantern making and mask making workshops before a spooky walk for the kids.

Neil Smith, who formed Poetic Justice with actor Steven Duffy and Helen Aitken, said: “For future years, we have some grand plans for the festival, including new plays, bringing some well known bands to town, a masked ball, Gothic themed market, bigger movie nights and lots more, but we wanted to have a taster event this year.

“We hope to establish this as a legacy event for Irvine.”

The proposed schedule is: Friday, October 29, in Townhouse, Irvine. 7pm: Introduction to Ravenfest, followed by Poe readings and history of his time in Irvine, 7.30pm: Winner of short story competitions revealed, plus readings, 8pm: Poe readings and history continues, 8.45pm: Poe and Cinema talk, 9pm: Cinema showing of the Pit and the Pendulum

Saturday, October 30: 2pm: Lantern making workshop, 3pm: Mask making workshop, 5.30pm: children’s Day of Dead walk.

Tickets are limited. Search for ‘a celebration of the work of Edgar Allan Poe’ or ‘Children’s Halloween workshops and spooky tour’ on eventbrite.