Londonderry: Thousands enjoying Halloween festival finale


Derry’s annual Halloween festival has culminated in a parade and fireworks display with around 600 people participating. The event, hailed as the largest Halloween event in Europe, draws tens of thousands of people to the Northern Irish city and is now among the world’s premier destinations for Halloween. Speaking about the Halloween festival, Aideen McCarter, a representative from Derry City and Strabane District Council, stated that it brought millions of pounds into the local economy and saw well over 100,000 visitors who “are coming back year after year.” This year’s celebrations included a mixture of offerings, including storytelling, arts and crafts, live performances, and a witchy wonderland on the town walls.

There were several road closures and added transport services to accommodate the many visitors. In addition to the Halloween festivities, dozens of bars and restaurants were open with longer hours, and many hotels were fully booked. Selina Horshi, the managing director of White Horse Hotel in Campsie, claimed that the Halloween event was “such a huge international event” with people travelling from all over the world to enjoy the sight and sound of Derry on a Halloween night.

According to Derry City and Strabane District Council, the festival builds on an already solid foundation, with visitors from throughout the UK, the Republic of Ireland, and further afield coming to explore the North West’s culture, including visits to the nearby Ulster American Folk Park and historic Derry city, which boasts new heritage attractions, including the Siege Museum.

The festival began in Derry in 1986 and has since grown to global fame, with millions travelling to the city from all over the world to be part of the renowned and spooky celebrations every year

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