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Record crowds attend Halloween in
Derry
01.11.18
RECORD crowds attended
the climactic ‘Return of the Ancients’ Halloween
parade and fireworks displays on Wednesday night in
Derry. The expanded nine day programme with over 100
events across 40 venues has seen over 100,000 people
attending the festival that concludes this weekend.
Tens of thousands of people lined the streets of the
city as the carnival parade saw arts, circus and
street performers from around the world join
hundreds of local school children in a
multi-coloured trail along the banks of the Foyle
before a climactic fireworks display.
Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council,
Councillor John Boyle, praised the event organisers
for delivering the programme and the public for
supporting the festival in such large numbers.
“The record breaking attendance and the fact that
hotels are booked to full capacity all week
justifies our campaign to market the celebrations as
an international event and underlines our reputation
as the Halloween capital of the world.
“It was a stunning sight to see so many local people
and visitors thronging the streets of our city and
district all week and I would like to remind people
that the programme continues into the weekend with
lots more to see and do.” |
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The fireworks display over the River
Foyle in Derry was one of the highlights of the
Halloween festival in the city. |
Aeidin McCarter, Head
of Culture at Derry City and Strabane District
Council, said the record numbers who attended this
year’s celebrations was a ringing endorsement of the
extension of this year’s festival.
“We have been overwhelmed by the numbers of visitors
for our events so far, we have seen in excess of
20,000 people per night coming out for the Awakening
the Walls Trail and over 30,000 attended the
Halloween night parade and fireworks displays
bringing the total figure to in excess of 100,000
people".
“Our headline attractions such as Spark and
Awakening the Walls again proved a massive hit with
the public and the family entertainment and
storytelling at all our venues were equally
successful.
“The programme runs right into the weekend with
events around the First Light Day of Reflection and
Remembering taking place all day on Thursday, the
Museum of the Moon in the Guildhall until Friday and
the Haunted Harvest Market in Guildhall Square and
Waterloo Place running until Saturday.”
The full programme for this year’s Halloween
Festival is available online at
www.derryhalloween.com . View more
Halloween Festival photos
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