Féile’s Hallowe’en programme a ‘terrifying success’ - organisers

A spokesperson for Féile said: “Halloween was very different this year. Like everyone in the city, we would have loved to have produced events that would have brought us together in large numbers like we normally do at this time of year. However, due to the continuing health crisis, it was necessary to adapt our traditional programme significantly to protect the health of our community.

“Féile worked with a multitude of community organisations, artists, residents and young people to produce a four-day programme of activity to encourage everyone to celebrate Halloween safely at home.”

Among the many Féile initiatives were an advertising campaign to promote the wearing of masks, while hundreds arts and crafts packs were delivered to families across the Bogside, Creggan, Fountain and Brandywell by Triax Neighbourhood Management Team.

There was also an outdoor photographic exhibition highlighting the concerns of older people around social isolation at this time and Féile collaborated with North West Carnival Initiative to produce a series of light installations with residents, groups and community organisations across the area as part of The Awakening, the film of which formed the centrepiece of the local council’s alternative Hallowe’en celebrations.

Much of Féile’s Halloween programme moved online this year, with 50 hours of content including streamed including storytelling, arts & crafts, film, cookery which has been watched thousands of times across Féile’s various social media platforms including facebook, youtube and twitter.

Féile also produced five original films for Hallowe’en with Amelia Films. Young people from Bishop Street YC and Long Tower YC created their own horror film, ‘The Haunting of The Brandywell & Creggan’, which retold many of the ghost stories of the area that have been passed from generation to generation for hundreds of years. Promising young singer, 12-year-old Clara Hutton, performed her own version of The Specials classic ‘Ghost Town’, the soundtrack to a film featuring children of the Fountain and Bogside encouraging everyone to celebrate Halloween at home.

Féile also worked with acclaimed theatre director Jonathan Burgess to create three short horror films that were filmed on location in the Bogside and Fountain.

Féile’s Halloween programme can still be viewed via www.facebook.com/gasyardwallfeile, www.twitter.com/feilederry and at www.youtube.com/feilemediaderryFéile’s programme was made possible via support from The Executive Office through its Urban Villages and Communities In Transition programmes.