Tens of thousands of people are expected in Londonderry and Strabane for the annual Halloween festival.
Billed by organisers as the largest Halloween event in Europe, the four-day festival runs from 28 to 31 October and attracts visitors from all over the world.
Aisling McCallion, from Derry City and Strabane District Council, said the festival’s popularity keeps growing and growing each year, and there is always pressure on organisers to live up to expectations.
The overall programme of events sees more than 50 venues being used in both Derry and Strabane.
What is on in Derry and Strabane for Halloween?
The celebrations will feature the return of the Awakening the Walled City trail within Derry city centre from Monday until Wednesday, and will climax with a “Carnival of the Dead” themed Halloween parade and fireworks display on Thursday.
Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle’s North West Today programme, festival organiser Ms McCallion said the final touches are being put in place.
“We have programming right across the four days for people of all ages,” she said.
“We have story-telling, arts and crafts, shows and loads of live performances.
“Personally, I am very excited we can welcome people back on the walls this year to see a variety of performances.
“There will be a queuing and one-way system in operation for people to see the attractions on the walls in a safe and managed way.”
Ms McCallion said there are many events on offer and people will be able to go around three designated zones in Derry and also be able to see a variety of attractions in Strabane this year.
She said that some of the highlights of the programme this year include a witchy wonderland on the City Walls, projections on the Austins and Bishop Street Court House buildings, and Rodafonio – a travelling street theatre act created by renowned American designer and musician Cesar Alvarez.
A full list of events on offer this year can be found here.
Business owners hoping for busy festival
Emily McCorkell will be hoping to hear the sounds of a chiming cash register at her Lo & Slo food truck over the screams and fireworks this year.
Emily and her team will be feeding hungry festival-goers with American BBQ style delicacies at the Haunted Harvest Halloween Market at Guildhall Square.
Ms McCorkell said she loves Halloween and said the festival is a “terrifyingly busy” time for traders involved in the Legenderry Food Network.
“I think this is our third time with the food truck at the Halloween festival and from when the shutters go up to when they go down, we are very busy,” she told BBC News NI.
“Big events like this one, like also the Maritime Festival, are a great opportunity to showcase all the great things about the city and we want to showcase great food using local ingredients and want people to taste the landscape and leave with a big smile on their face.”
Ms McCorkell said they will have a team of about three or four people working over the four days in a very busy and quite small kitchen.
“It will be busy but squishy, you have to work in a very close proximity to each other when you’re feeding people in a food truck, but we have a great team and we cannot wait to get going.”
