FAQs
Yes. Derry’s celebrations of Halloween and Samhain are going to be taking place but are all being planned with the priority of health and safety and having in mind any Covid restrictions that are relevant at the time.
Derry Halloween 2021 has evolved to work around five distinct ‘zones’ so that crowds can be managed, all activities are open air, and we can maintain health and safety as paramount while still delivering the memorable and creative Samhain celebrations that Derry is famed for.
Please keep an eye on our ‘What’s On’ section for details for the entertainment which will be featured in our zones or Worlds, we will update these regularly to stay in line with ongoing restrictions.
Derry Halloween will take place from Friday 29 – Sunday 31st October 2021.
Daily Festival Programme
Times: 12noon – 5.00pm Daily
Locations: Guildhall Square
Awakening the Walled City
Times: 5.00pm – 10.00pm Evening
Locations: 3 distinct Event Worlds set across the City
Our fireworks display will close the festival on Halloween night, Sunday 31st October at 9pm. The display will take place on two barges on the River Foyle and in the interests of health and safety the Peace Bridge will be closed from 8.30pm in advance of the display. It will reopen at 9.30pm when the fireworks display is over. Signage will be in place within the locale.
This year, Derry Halloween will unfold across five different Worlds, each representing a different spirit of Samhain. Three Worlds will be located in Derry, one in Donegal and one in Strabane. The myths and mischief of Samhain will be interwoven throughout, connecting our city to the Worlds beyond the Walls. For more information, visit derryhalloween.com/whats-on/worlds
Derry Halloween – Awakening the Walled city will have transformed the Historic Walled City with a programme of outdoor light installations, displays and animation.
There are three Worlds across the City, each world hosting a unique themed experience:
World One – Foyle Marina, Riverfront Park and Queens Quay – Approx 1KM (estimate 40min)
World Two – Guildhall Square and City Walls Within – Approx 1KM (estimate 1Hr)
World Three – Ebrington Square – Approximately 1KM (estimate 30min)
St Columb’s Park & St Columb’s Park House and Greenway – Approximately 2KM (estimate 1Hr)
The geographical area that Awakening the Walled City encompasses, will create a crowd-friendly circuit that can accommodate considerable footfall, social distancing and crowd management while enabling people to enjoy a variety of themed locations and experiences safely and at their leisure. *Please note these are estimated times and due to the need for crowd management it may be best experience the worlds over two evening at your leisure.
Yes, the event will be completely free for the public to attend.
Unfortunately, the parade is not taking place this year due to Covid, however the North West Carnival Initiative who organise the parade will be based at St. Columb’s Park House as part of a large scale animated and illuminated trail.
A digital programme will be released in the coming weeks. Stay up-to-date on our homepage or social media channels.
We design our events to welcome all ages. There will be some installations that appeal to younger individuals, some to older but the events overall are designed with everyone in mind.
At present, we have put in place several methods to help prioritise health and safety, these will be continually updated based on government and health advice. These include:
· Ticketed Access to some Worlds to allow for Crowd Management – Tickets for the Worlds are free and will be available in advance via our website
· Crowd Management via the implementation of a one-way system for crowds.
· Safety Facilitation of Covid Restrictions via Social Distancing
· H&S Covid Environment to include Hand Sanitization Stations
· Extension of event footprint and variety of outdoor locations to enhance the visitor experience
· Increased accessibility
· Visitor numbers increased only while respecting the new Covid restrictions.
Yes, yes, YES! We encourage everyone to dress up and we have some tutorials available on costume making and up to upcycle old costumes. When you visit you will see that almost everyone dresses up over the nights of Halloween / Samhain and this year will be no different. We can’t wait to see what you come up with! Make sure to #derryhalloween when you share your photos. Keep in mind it is October, weather in Northern Ireland tends to be changeable – this is an outdoor experience so please dress appropriately.
Derry Halloween under Derry City & Strabane District Council is committed to ensuring that events are as accessible and inclusive as possible. For more information on accessibility visit https://derryhalloween.com.
If you are interested in any sponsorship opportunities, simply email halloween@derrystrabane.com and a member of the team will get back to you.
There are several options for staying in Derry. We have amazingly luxurious hotels, as well as B&Bs and hostels. Check out the full list of places to stay at www.visitderry.com.
Remember, the Festival is extremely popular, so make sure to book early, as the hotels will be in demand!
Derry is located in the stunning North West of Ireland, the charming city of Derry~Londonderry is very accessible by air, sea, rail, bus and road. For full details on how to get here, visit www.visitderry.com.
Derry Halloween Event Car Parking Includes:
Fort George Event Carparking, Derry~Londonderry, BT48 7TG
University of Ulster Magee, Campus Carpark 1, Rock Road, BT48 7JL
Quayside Shopping Centre, 48 Strand Road, BT48 7PX
Foyleside Shopping Centre, Orchard Street, BT48 6XY
Foyle Arena, 2 Limavady Rd, Derry~Londonderry BT47 6JY
Spencer Road Car Park, 32 Spencer Rd, Londonderry-Derry, BT47 1DH
Yes, Translink has partnered with Derry Halloween to offer a FREE shuttle bus from Friday 29th – Sunday 31st October, between 5pm – 10pm. The service will transport passengers between the NW Transport Hub and Foyle Street, and we encourage to use public transport wherever possible.