Thousands of people have been witnessing the climax of Europe’s biggest Halloween festival, in Londonderry.
Massive crowds filled the city centre on Friday night for the parade, followed by a riverfront fireworks spectacular, which lit up the skies.
It is thought more than 100,000 people from all over the world have been in Derry this week for its now world-famous carnival.
They have come from as far away as Spain, Italy, Germany, the United States, Australia and Iran for the four-day event.
The event costs £550,000 to put on but council officials estimate that, this year alone, it will generate £7.4m for the local economy.
Most city-centre hotels have been booked out all week.
Selina Horshi is the managing director of the White Horse hotel at Campsie, on the ourskirts of the city.
“It’s great, the occupancy is really high,” she said.
“We’ve had people coming from all over the world, so yes there are a lot of people from the island of Ireland, from Great Britain, but also we have welcomed tourists in from North America, from Spain, from Italy who have been coming not just for tonight but also for Awakening The Walls over the previous nights as well and the feedback so far has been phenomenal.”
Bars and restaurants have also been doing a roaring trade all week and that is expected to continue over the weekend.
The festival has now been going for 39 years since the first official one back in 1986.
And some animals have been getting in on the act, too, like Amber the dog.
The fireworks display got under way on time at 20:15 GMT and lasted for more than 20 minutes.
Donal Neill, from Pains Fireworks, is the man who made the magic happen.
“Two barges on the river and two shows firing simultaneously,” he told Radio Foyle’s North West Today programme.
“By splitting that into two shows and spreading it out a bit, it means that everybody gets a better view of the show closest to them.”
Another highlight of the week was the Awakening the Walled City Trail, which took place on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings but was cancelled on Thursday due to the weather warning.
DCSDCThis year, one of Ireland’s most haunting creations has been prowling the streets as the sinister she wolf is brought to life for the festival.
Towering at six feet tall, the puppet has been created and loaned to Derry Halloween by Galway-based arts group Macnas, who are renowned for their mythical and magical storytelling.
Another highlight of the festivities was a 160-ft-long fire-breathing snake called Siantha the Samhain Serpent.
Unfortunately, Siantha has been withdrawn from Friday night’s parade due to concerns over gusts of wind.
DCSDCFestival manager Jacqueline Whoriskey, said the not even the weather could dampen people’s “spirits” in Derry this week.
“The Awakening of The Walled City Trail brings together the best of folklore, fire, and festivity, offering something magical for families, thrill-seekers, and visitors of all ages.
“It’s the moment when Derry’s Halloween spirit truly comes alive.”
Jim Collins, project manager of the north west carnival initiative, said the parade offers a “fantastic platform” for celebrating the creative talent of the community.
“Every year, we’re blown away by the imagination and energy of the groups who take part,” he said.
“The parade is about celebrating who we are – our stories, our creativity, and our incredible community.”
Why is Halloween celebrated?
Halloween is one of the world’s biggest holidays and has been celebrated in Ireland in one form or another for more than 2,000 years.
Its most popular and unusual traditions have roots in the ancient Celtic fire festival of Samhain, which marked the end of the harvest season and beginning of winter.
It was believed to be the time when the veil between the living and the dead was at its thinnest and spirits roamed the earth.
This remains a central theme, as organisers of this year’s celebrations said the streets of Derry would be taken over by a cast of mythical and mysterious characters bringing Samhain to life.
coverage
DCSDCYou can watch the magic and mayhem unfold live on the iPlayer and News NI website from 17:00 GMT with a live stream from 19:00 GMT.
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