Copyright derryjournal
Final arrangements have now been confirmed for Europe’s biggest Hallowe’en Festival, which kick off with the start of the Awakening the Walled City trail on Tuesday. Highlights this year will include a 160 foot long fire-breathing snake, DJ sets at the Diamond, a haunted market, zombie circus and the Banshee of Bishop Street. The popular Awakening the Walled City Trail returns from Tuesday to Thursday, 6pm to 9pm each night across five colour-themed zones. This year there will be a number of new additions including ‘Shipquay Shriek’ featuring a 50 metre (164ft) snake, Sliantha the Samhain Serpent in the Red Zone. The huge beast will be emerging along Shipquay Street hissing smoke and fire, while there will also be fire pits ands a promised ‘eerie ambience’ along the city’s main thoroughfare. At the top of the street there will be a Disco at the Diamond in the Purple Zone over the three nights, featuring DJs delivering a ‘bone rattling rave’ with UV lights, towering skeletons and dancers. The Green Zone is entitled ‘The Bones of Bishop Street’ where a howling wolf will stand guard and attendees have been warned to expect an encounter with the Banshee of Bishop Street and her chilling mournful and operatic sighs. The Zombie Circus will also be staged here, while Holywell will host the return of ‘Thrillie and Hendersons’. The Orange Zone on ‘Pumpkin Street’ will be based around the Cathedral Quarter with flickering lights on Ferryquay Street leading to the Harvest Market and a live music bandstand. There will also be the chance to get your photo taken with a giant pumpkin while towering puppets will soar across the night sky around the grounds of St Columb’s Cathedral. Completing the trail will be the Blue Zone based at New Gate Arts in the Fountain where the Sollus Highland dancers will be joined by Walter de Burg himself for what promises to be a captivating show. Other highlights will include the Samhain Moon, with Luke Jerram’s lunar installation taking centre stage in the Main Hall of the Guildhall. In the lower city centre meanwhile the Heart of Samhain returns across Guildhall Square and Waterloo Place over the four days of the festival from 12pm to 9pm daily. There will be all manner of ghoulish characters based here and a wide range of activities for all ages as well as food stalls, the Haunted Harvest Market, Samhain Moon and the Samhain live music stage. Around 40,000 spectators are expected to gather for this year’s Halloween Parade and Fireworks. The parade is expected to get under way at around 7pm this year, followed by the fireworks at 8.15pm. Another highlight will be Greater Shantallow Community Arts’ ‘Hocus Pocus: The Return of the Sanderson Sisters to your Neighbourhood’. The show will run over the Halloween festival for three nights at Studio 2 at 6pm, 7pm and 8pm on October 28, 29 and 30. For full details see derryhalloween.com
