Halloween: Thousands celebrate Londonderry Halloween finale

Tens of thousands of people have lined Londonderry's streets and riverfront to watch the city's Halloween parade and fireworks finale.

Derry City and Strabane District Council's four-day festival is billed as one of the biggest Halloween parties in Europe.

The council estimates more than 100,000 people visited the city during the festival's run.

It is the first major Halloween celebrations in the city since 2019.

The finale - a parade on Monday - was made up of more than 700 performers, with hundreds of people drawn from schools, clubs and groups right across the north-west, through the council's partnership with the North West Carnival Initiative (NWCI).

Mayor Sandra Duffy said the return of the parade had made the festival "particularly special".

"Although the weather presented some challenges throughout the weekend, it has been amazing and we just haven't stopped," she said.

Ms Duffy paid tribute to everyone who took part in bringing the "magical parade back to the streets".

The council's head of culture, Aideen McCarter, said it was "wonderful to welcome the carnival parade back" after a three-year hiatus.

"Community involvement really is at the heart of this event, and it's what has always made it so unique".

She said it has been "an amazing week" for the city.

Celebrations in 2020 were reduced significantly, with many events moving online due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Halloween festival in 2021 was one of the first major events held in the north west since Covid-19 restrictions were eased in Northern Ireland.

This year's festival programme returned to full capacity.

"Nobody does Halloween like Derry," performer Michelle Lake told BBC News NI.

"Everyone is just mad for it here and it's great to see so many people dressing up for it."

Ms Lake, along with her fellow creepily-dressed castmates, were among those trying to frighten visitors along the city's Halloween trail.

Derry City and Strabane District Council's festival and events manager Jacqueline Whoriskey believes Derry is undoubtedly the "home of Halloween".

"It's massive and we are expecting, for the four days and nights, over 100,00 people to come this year," she told BBC News NI.

"That's people coming from all over the world to spend time here and spend money on accommodation, hospitality and all the other activities that are on.

"Everybody is welcome and of course there is also that huge local audience as well because people here just love Halloween."

Ms Whoriskey said the council estimated that the festival programme would generate an additional £4m in economic investment for the city and district.

"This festival doesn't just bring in people at the time, it also brings in year-round visitors," Ms Whoriskey said.

"People will look at the place on TV and hear about it on radio and will think about booking a visit."

Many business owners across the north-west hoped to hear the sound of cash registers and contactless taps over the sounds of screams.

Emily McCorkell, who runs a food truck, said the council, the people of Derry and all the city traders "go above and beyond" for Halloween.

Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle, Ms McCorkell said so much work goes on behind the scenes to make the event the "biggest Halloween event in Europe".

This year, Ms McCorkell decided to offer smaller meals at a reduced price because of the cost-of-living crisis.

Ms McCorkell said she loved Halloween and "would typically do well" as a trader across the festival programme compared to other big events in the city's calendar.

"We love being there, we are excited about meeting everyone and just hope people love their food as much as we love serving them."

Events this year featured a series of spooktacular sights, characters, and digital wonders - with celebrations culminating in the traditional fireworks display over the River Foyle.