Thousands of revellers celebrate Halloween in Northern Ireland parade

It’s the witching hour! Thousands of revellers celebrate Halloween in Northern Ireland as Derry’s famous carnival parade returns for the first time since Covid

• Thousands have lined the streets of Londonderry for the city’s famous Hallowe’en carnival parade on Monday
• The traditional Hallowe’en festival, dubbed the biggest in Europe, returned for the first time in three years
• The colourful parade involving hundreds of performers made its way along the banks of the River Foyle

Thousands of people have lined the streets of Londonderry as the city’s famous Hallowe’en carnival parade returned for the first time in three years.

The parade was the showpiece of an evening of events that brought the curtain down on Derry’s traditional Hallowe’en festival, which is dubbed the biggest in Europe.

Covid-19 restrictions prevented the parade taking place in both 2020 and 2021.

Heavy rain failed to dampen the spirits of young and old who gathered beneath umbrellas to watch the spooky spectacular on Monday evening.

Huge crowds cheered as the colourful parade involving hundreds of performers made its way along the banks of the River Foyle.

The festival concluded with a colourful fireworks display above the city’s landmark Peace Bridge.

As well as the thousands packed on the quays, hundreds gathered on vantage points on the hills of Derry’s Waterside on the opposite banks of the River Foyle to watch on. 

A mermaid float is paraded through the city in Northern Ireland as crowds look on in the darkness on Monday

Performers during the Derry Hallowe’en parade in Londonderry wear bold face paint and carry a staff with a skull

Drummers in gold form a circle in the parade through the city’s streets on Monday night

Fireworks display in the skies over the River Foyle as part of the Derry Hallowe’en celebrations in Londonderry

Performers in white and blue face paint wear glowing hats with multi-coloured fabrics illuminated by fairy lights 

A monstrous float makes its way through the city as part of the parade on Monday night in Derry

Performers dressed as pirates and wielding swords take part in the famous parade on Monday night

A woman in white face paint with monstrous teeth painted approaches a child in a mask during the parade

A group of performers in green and blue glittering robes parade down the street, one clutching a skull

Crowds watch a performance by gold drummers illuminated in a warm yellow light in Derry

Performers during the Derry Hallowe’en parade in Londonderry on Monday night

A group of dancers in ghoulish costumes are watched as they continue down the street in Monday night’s parade

A monstrous puppet with a beak towers over spectators at the famous Hallowe’en parade in Derry on Monday night

A purple float processes down the street as spectators brave the rain to watch the return of the city’s Hallowe’en parade

A performer raises his drum and is illuminated with a beam of light during the performance on Monday night 

Drummers dressed in blue and wearing face paint and headdresses stand in front of giant puppets in the parade

Performers in costumes decorated with scales process through the city in Monday night’s Hallowe’en parade

People during the Derry Halloween parade in Londonderry watch on in their costumes on Monday night

People dressed in yellow as Minions characters form part of the crowd watching the Derry Hallowe’en parade return

Ghosts and ghouls gathered in the street to watch the spectacle in Londonderry on Monday night 

Heavy rain failed to dampen the spirits of young and old who gathered beneath umbrellas to watch the spooky spectacular

A spectacular fireworks display rounded off the evening, as thousands gathered to watch the returning parade

Londonderry was showered in light as fireworks shot over the River Foyle on Monday night

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