Derry: A City Spellbound

In Derry-Londonderry, a once deeply divided city comes together to share a collective fascination with ghosts, ghouls, and the stuff of nightmares

In 1985, at the height of The Troubles, a Halloween-themed fancy-dress party in a local pub did something remarkable: it united a divided community. Forty years later, the small party that started as a fun distraction has grown into Europe’s largest Halloween festival, leaving the entire city spellbound.

We follow the ordinary people behind the extraordinary spectacle as they create and build the street theatre, costumes and art that bring Derry Halloween to life.

But this year isn’t without its own mischief and mayhem, from gale-force winds and structural collapses to wrangling a 50-meter snake

Bringing together schools, youth clubs, dance troupes, workshops, costume makers and drumming bands, this is the story of a diverse city, young and old, dancing together in the streets, bound by a shared tradition, a fierce community spirit and an obsession with the dark arts of Halloween!