Derry Halloween 2022: What's on where, parking and road closures

Over 100,000 people are expected to attend the four-day festival, which runs from this Friday to next Monday, and visitors are advised to plan ahead.

Halloween 2022 sees the return of Spark and Saurus, and an Awakening the Walled City Trail, which runs for three nights, Friday to Sunday, over a 4km trail.

This will include The City of Bones, with projections and installations across Bishop Street, London Street, Pump Street The Diamond and Shipquay Street, and the Heart of Samhain across Guildhall Square and Waterloo Place, the Guildhall, Tower Museum, Visit Derry and Echo Echo. The Forest of Shadows will be staged along the banks of the Foyle, while The Underworld will be based at Ebrington Square.

In Buncrana’s Swan Park The Ancients will feature light installations, large scale spooky ancient characters, illuminated sculptures and a host of ghostly performers on Saturday and Sunday from 5pm-9pm.

Strabane Town Centre next Monday will host street performances, live music and Spark drummers leaving The Alley Theatre at 1pm ahead of a fire juggling show at 6pm and fireworks finale from Melvin Running Track at 7pm. Family-favourite Saurus will be back in town on Saturday leaving The Alley Theatre at 2pm.

Back in Derry, Halloween night itself will see the return of the annual Carnival Parade at 7pm after a three-year break, followed by the Halloween Fireworks Finale at 8pm.

A number of arrangements and closures have been put in place.

From Friday to Sunday city centre road closures will operate from 2pm until 10pm in the following areas: Full Road Closure - Shipquay Street, Bank Place, Union Hall Street, Magazine Street, Magazine Street Upper, Butcher Street, The Diamond, Shipquay Street, Ferryquay Street, Bishop Street within, London Street, Pump Street, Artillery Street; no City Centre on-street parking with exception of Shipquay Street before 11am; Foyle Street, Whittaker Street, Foyle Embankment Carriageway from its junction with Water Street to Harbour Square Roundabout from 4pm until 10pm; Bishop Street Car Park will have a partial car park closure in place. From 2pm – 5pm each day vehicles can only exit via Bishop Gate. No vehicles will be permitted to leave Bishop Street carpark between 5pm -10pm; Society Street car park will be closed from 28 – 30 October; Foyle Street Carpark will be closed from the 28 – 31 October; Queens Quay and Strand Road Carpark will be closed on the 31; Road Closure in St Columb's Park Road 2pm until 10pm (Residents Parking Only) from October 28 to 30.

Parking is available at Foyleside, Quayside, Foyle Road, Magee Campus (Lawrence Hill), Carlisle Road and William Street. From October 28-30 the Council carpark on Strand Road will be open to the public. The Fort George site will also be open for event parking. Waterside carparks include Oakgrove School, Foyle Arena, Foyle College, Spencer Road and Former Waterside Health Centre Car Parks.

On Halloween, October 31, Strand Road carpark will be for accessible carparking only.

On Halloween night the fireworks display will take place on two barges on the River Foyle and the Peace Bridge will be closed from 7.45pm, reopening at 8.45pm. Visitors are advised to spread out, with viewing points extended from the Peace Bridge to the Fort George Science Park.

A quiet space will be available in the Guildhall each day from 12noon to 10pm, and parents and carers can also pick up safety wrist bands at the Guildhall information point.

For anyone with accessibility requirements, a full guide to available support is available at derryhalloween.com/about/accessibility/

Translink will run a shuttle bus service from the NW Transport Hub in the Waterside to Foyle Street throughout the Awakening the Walled City event. A number of additional services within the City are also scheduled for Halloween night.

For information on Translink bus and rail services to and from the city go to www.translink.co.uk/

Festival and Events Manager with Derry City and Strabane District Council, Jacqueline Whoriskey, said: "We are expecting huge crowds for this year's festivities so I want to appeal to people to prepare in advance so they can get the most from their visit.

"This is an extensive walking trail spread over several kilometres so we are advising people to try to break their visit up over two evenings if possible, so they can enjoy the experience at their leisure. Comfy shoes are a must, and be weather ready!

"If possible we would advise using public transport to avoid the hassle of parking – we do have lots of public car parking but with the anticipated crowds a space isn't guaranteed. I would recommend downloading our Derry Halloween app – this will give you the lowdown on all that's going on and all the information you need to plan your journey.

You can find all the details about traffic and travel and the full programme on derryhalloween.com