Derry's internationally famed Halloween parade to return
🎃More programme details will be released in the coming weeks 🧙♀️
Last updated 6th Sep 2022
Londonderry’s internationally acclaimed Halloween Carnival parade is set to make a full return this year.
The parade traditionally involves hundreds of local performers and draws tens of thousands of people to the city each year.
Last year’s Awakening the Walled City went ahead without the parade and was the first major outdoor celebration since the Covid lockdown.
The 2022 parade theme 'On the 9th Wave' draws on the rich lore and legend associated with the Celtic festival of Samhain, it is beyond this wave that the spirit world can be reached.
This year hosts an extended programme which will take place over four nights, with the Awakening the Walled City event animating the City Centre and St Columb's Park for three nights, October 28th, 29th and 30th, followed by the official Derry Halloween night celebrations on October 31.
Check out some of the highlights from last year's festivities 👇
It includes family friendly events at the Guildhall with an extended children's programme running throughout the festival.
The Carnival Parade is due to bring the festival to a close on Monday night including the Festival Finale fireworks along the River Foyle.
Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Sandra Duffy, made the announcement today.
She said: "When I heard that the parade would be back this year I was absolutely delighted.
“Last year organisers took the difficult decision to change the format of the event and extend the usual festivities across a wider area to allow for social distancing.
“The new approach worked really well and will be incorporated once again this year, with the addition of the traditional Carnival parade which really brings the streets to life and attracts tens of thousands of people to the city.
"I know the many groups who take part annually will be thrilled to don their costumes once again and take an active part in the event, which offers a platform for so many local performers.
Preparations will be getting underway soon for what will be a fabulous night."
Council is working with the North West Carnival Initiative (NWCI) to deliver the Carnival parade, with a series of performance, costume and prop making workshops set to commence in the coming weeks.
Today an open call has been made by North West Carnival to groups across the City and District who wish to participate in this year's parade.
NWCI Project Manager Jim Collins, said: "This is our first Halloween parade since Covid restrictions were introduced and everyone is really excited to be taking to the streets again.
"There's something really special about Derry Halloween and it's very much down to local people who go all out to make it their own.
“We're always inundated with groups keen to take part and I want to open that invitation today to all local schools, sports clubs, community, and arts groups who want to showcase their talents and be part of the biggest Halloween celebration in Europe. Let's make this the best Carnival Parade yet!"
As the final touches to the programme are put in place, Festival and Events Manager with Council, Jacqueline Whoriskey, said: "Last year we faced the challenge of staging an event just as we began to emerge from the pandemic, which involved taking some creative approaches which we think worked really well.
“Since then, we have delivered a number of successful events including our famous Foyle Maritime Festival, and we have learned so much along the way in terms of crowd management and responding to the needs of the public.
"The return of the Halloween Carnival Parade is hugely important to us as it has always been the element of the programme that gets everyone involved. It's the highlight of our celebration and it really captures the imagination of both the performers and spectators. This year really will be special, and we cannot wait to take to the streets of Derry once again."
Further details of the programme will be announced in the coming weeks.
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