Derry Halloween 2026 – 40th Anniversary Festival

Derry Halloween turns 40 this year, and the walled city is pulling out all the stops. From Wednesday 28 October to Sunday 1 November, Derry~Londonderry hosts one of the biggest Halloween celebrations in Europe, with a special programme for the anniversary. The Awakening the Walled City trail brings family-friendly frights to the historic city centre after dark. Little Horrors has activities for younger visitors, and there are tours, trails and gigs for older groups. The big night is the Carnival Parade, a costumed procession through the city with homegrown community groups at its heart. More than 100 performers from the Studio 2 community arts group in Greater Shantallow are taking part in a Hocus Pocus performance this year. The night ends with fireworks over the city. Dress up, wrap up warm and soak up the atmosphere, but book trail tickets ahead, as they’re limited.