Co-ordinated by the North West Carnival Initiative, this year's carnival promises to be a unique experience with everything from a 14ft illuminated fairy tree, a dozen or more large scale puppets and a large gathering of Walt Disney characters including Peter Pan, Captain Hook to name but a few.
Approximately 150 handheld lanterns will illuminate the parade. Over the last month various Youth and Community Groups have been involved in a series of lantern making workshops and will showcase these on the night
Helen Harley, carnival development officer with the North West Carnival Initiative said interest in this year's carnival parade has been excellent with a wide range of organisations and schools coming on board for the first time.
Among the new groups participating in this year's event is the Off the Streets Community Youth Initiative from Galliagh who are participating under a Pirate theme while women and children from Lisnagelvin Women's Group will be taking part with their Angels and Demons theme.
"Its great to see new groups getting involved in this event. The Halloween carnival is a great event to be involved in. Not only is it good fun but its providing local communities with the opportunity to engage with one another through arts and entertainment and get involved in creative activity. We are delighted to have community groups and schools from across the city taking part and believe this year's event will be another great success for everyone involved," Helen added.
Other new groups participating this year include St Mary's Youth Club who will have a Wizards of Oz theme and pupils from St Columba's Primary School will be donning their autumn shades for their attire on the night. Culchie zombies is the theme of the young people of Park Village Youth Club, when they participate on the night.
Regular participants to the carnival parade include the Inishowen Carnival Group, who will feature a variety of ghostly costumes, flags and back packs complimented by lanterns, ghostly face paints and alien masks while the First Act Youth Theatre group of approximately 50 adults and kids will adorn old fashioned prison uniforms for their Ghostly Jail Birds theme and will be walking Derry's streets in search of freedom, with the children linked to each other by a prison chain.
Christabel Williamson from Arts Council Northern Ireland, commented: "Derry's Halloween Carnival is a great example of how the arts can bring people together in a joint celebration of cultural diversity. Carnival is a very accessible and exciting art form, for both participant and audience. As principal funder, the Arts Council is exceptionally proud to be associated with this year's event and I would encourage everyone to come along and enjoy this unique cultural experience."
The colourful carnival parade will depart from the Council Car Park at 7pm. The Carnival will then make its way up the Strand Road; turn left at the City Hotel moving down Queen's Quay towards the Council Offices Car Park where the parade will disperse at approximately 7.50pm ahead of the outstanding Fireworks Spooktacular Display at 8pm. The fun will of course continue into the night with many of the hotels and venues around the city host a variety of Hallowe'en parties.
The Banks of the Foyle Hallowe'en Carnival is organised and funded by Derry City Council.
Full details of this year's festival are now available - click on www.derrycity.gov.uk/halloween or telephone (028) 7137 6545 to request a programme.