Europe’s largest Halloween festival reaches its crescendo as Londonderry stages its fireworks finale on Halloween night.
More than 120,000 visitors are expected to attend the celebrations — more than last year — according to the local council.
Hotels are fully booked, with one local owner saying more and more visitors bitten by the Halloween bug are returning to the city for the festivities.
Across Northern Ireland people have been getting ready for the spookiest night of the year.
In Belfast yesterday, long queues were spotted outside Elliotts Fancy Dress store.
On Tuesday night, crowds enjoyed a Halloween Hooley at Larne Town Park, organised by Mid & East Antrim Borough Council.
The Elemental Garden in Derry’s Ebrington Square in the Waterside which has been transformed by LUXE into a world of fire and light as they return to awaken Derry’s Star Fort with a magical elemental world of fire and light. Picture Martin McKeown.
Belfast has also been hosting activities at Hillsborough Castle and Ulster Folk Museum, as well as cemetery tours and a Fright Night scare event.
But it is in Derry where the biggest numbers will gather.
Excited crowds have ,come together throughout the week for a jam-packed programme of events taking place across 50 venues.
The Awakening the Walled City trail has brought the city centre to life.
In the Waterside, the Elemental Garden in Ebrington Square has been transformed into a world of fire and light.
One highlight for locals and visitors alike is the return of the Witchy Wonderland, which, once again, utilised the world-famous Derry Walls and drum band Spark.
Drum band Spark are one of the crowd favourites every year. Photo: Martin McKeown.
New Gate Arts & Culture Centre in the Fountain estate, meanwhile, showcased a new Back To The Future experience.
Throughout the week there has been storytelling, arts and crafts, shows, live performances and the best of local food.
Greg McCartney, one of the owners of the City Hotel, said it is a “critical” time of year for the hospitality sector.
His hotel and many others across the city are at 100% occupancy and have been “very busy all week”.
The annual Awakening of The Walls takes place over the next few nights in Derry as once again the city’s famed Halloween Festival begins in the ancient Walled City with themed live performances and live projections across the City. Picture Martin McKeown.
Following on from the City of Derry International Choir Festival, it has been a pivotal time for business in the city.
A move from essentially a one-day event to a week-long festival cannot be underestimated, Mr McCartney said.
“You get people coming here for the first time who thoroughly enjoy the experience. They like the product and want to come back again,” he added.
“That is key for any city, getting repeat visitors, who are coming from all over the world. Ten years ago it would have been one big night; now it is the entire week.”
The event which draws over 100,000 of visitors to the North West culminates on Halloween Night as the City of Bones hosts a carnival parade and fireworks display over the River Foyle. Picture Martin McKeown.
The city’s Halloween events even featured on ITV’s This Morning on Wednesday.
The segment will include spooky stories with Charlene McCrossan of McCrossan Walking Tours, an interview with Jacqueline Whoriskey, the festival and events manager with Derry City council, and an appearance from the city’s Winifred the Witch.
Derry City and Strabane District Council said tens of thousands of visitors have already flocked to the city to enjoy the opening two nights of the festival, with the Awakening the Walled City Trail drawing “bumper crowds”.
A spokesperson added: “Around 120,000 visitors are expected throughout the course of the festival this year, with early indications that numbers are already up on last year’s event.
“As the biggest Halloween celebration in Europe, we are delighted to see so many international visitors and significant interest from international media here in the city to cover the event.
Drum band Spark performing at this year’s festival. Photo: Martin McKeown
“The festival brings with it major benefits for the local hospitality industry, with hotel occupancy sitting at almost 100% for Halloween night, 95.98% tonight [Wednesday] and an average of 88.97% occupancy over the four nights of the festivities.”
“With over 40,000 people expected for the Halloween carnival of the Dead Parade and fireworks finale, we are looking forward to a fantastic evening.”
Meanwhile, the Met Office is predicting a mild Halloween in NI, with a cloudy day, mostly dry, but cloud thick enough for the odd patch of drizzle. There will be moderate south-westerly winds and a maximum temperature of 14C.