Crowds flock to finale of Europe’s biggest Halloween celebration
The Council has said early indications show visitor numbers are up on last year
The streets of Londonderry were filled as tens of thousands of people flocked from far and near to enjoy Europe’s biggest Halloween celebration.
Revellers of all ages donned their best costume, taking to the streets to mark the ancient festival of Samhain.
The Council has said early indications show visitor numbers are up on last year.
Over 700 local performers brought the characters of Irish folklore to life in the Carnival of the Dead led by the North West Carnival Initiative.
Mayor of Derry and Strabane, Councillor Lilian Barr, said this year’s event had been phenomenal.
She said: “I have been absolutely blown away over the past few days by the events and the number of people who have come here to join in our celebrations. I have met people from all over the world – Germany, Canada, the US and France - all here to find out what makes Derry Halloween so special.
“The festival has grown so much over the years, and we have a fantastic team of people working together to make it all happen. I want to acknowledge all the hard work that has gone into this year’s events, from the Council teams to the community and arts groups. And of course, our local business community who all get on board and support the festival by dressing their premises and opening their doors to visitors. Derry Halloween really captures the spirit of Derry and everything that makes this city so special.”
Head of Culture with Derry City and Strabane District Council, Aeidin McCarter, said the event had been an overwhelming success.
She said: “We have had an amazing few days and the visitors just haven’t stopped since the opening night on Monday. When we saw the crowds on Monday, which is usually our quietest night, we knew this year it was going to be busy. And the weather has held in our favour, which is always a bonus!
“We have had fantastic interest from international media this year, who have come from all over the world to tell the story of Derry Halloween and the origins of Ireland as the Home of Halloween. The word is definitely out there, we have established our place as the biggest Halloween celebration in Europe, and we are working closely with our partners in Tourism Northern Ireland and Tourism Ireland to build now on that profile for the future. We feel the momentum is building and we look forward to seeing where that takes us in the years to come.”
There were a number of exciting new elements including the debut appearance of Rodafonio, created by renowned designer and musician Cesar Alvarez and brought all the way from Barcelona. Also adding an international flavour to the festivities were the Stelzen-Art Time Travellers, who brought their illuminations all the way from Germany to the city’s Cathedral Quarter.
The City Walls were once again a stage for magic and mayhem this year in the Witchy Wonderland created by In Your Space Circus.
The Guildhall Production Studio, part of the famed Guildhall School of Music & Drama, also made a welcome return animating two of the city centres famous landmarks, the Austins Building and the Bishop Street Courthouse, with some bespoke installations which brought some well-known Derry ghost stories.
Ebrington Square was transformed into an ethereal Elemental Garden in an ambient and mesmerising celebration of darkness and light, as visualised by landscape spectacle specialists LUXE, in a piece supported by The Executive Office.
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Thousands flock for frightful finale of Derry Halloween 2024
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