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Derry Halloween: Thousands gather for parade and fireworks

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Derry halloween

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Tens of thousands of people have gathered in Londonderry for the culmination of what is billed as the biggest Halloween party in Europe.

Derry’s annual Halloween festival draws to a close with a carnival parade and fireworks display over the River Foyle.

Derry Girls mural Halloween

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The city’s Derry Girls mural has been given a ghoulish makeover

Organisers said about 80,000 people have visited the city during the festival run.

Thousands more are there on Thursday night as musicians, dancers, street acts and performers lead the finale.

Earlier, Jacqueline Whoriskey, Derry City and Strabane District Council’s festival manager said footfall was up about 25% on 2018.

Young woman wearing a red Halloween costume with white face paint and cat-like contact lenses

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“It has been absolutely amazing. We’ll do our final count, but we have been really overwhelmed by the amount of people who have come,” she said.

“Tonight is the big one. It all culminates tonight, it will be spectacular, and it will be unreal.”

Plague doctor-style Halloween costume being worn in a parade

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The festivities in Derry have grown to global renown since the first Halloween carnival some 30 years ago.

It is now regarded as among the world’s premier destinations for the holiday as the city gives itself over to ghosts, goblins and devilish delights.

Children wearing zombie-bride costumes

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Highlights of this year’s Derry Halloween – which has The Other World Awakens as its theme – have included the Awakening the Walls trail and a first-ever LegenDerry Halloween food event.

Derry halloween

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Awakening the Walls runs for three nights on the city’s ramparts

The closing parade is under way with the fireworks scheduled for 20:15 GMT.

Derry City and Strabane District council are urging people to avoid parking in the city centre and to allow extra time for their journey.

The Halloween festival ended with fireworks

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The Halloween festival ended with fireworks over the River Foyle

The city’s Peace Bridge and a number of city centre streets are closed to pedestrians. They will reopen Roads between 21:30 and 22:00.

Both the parade and fireworks display are being streamed live on the BBC Radio Foyle homepage.

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