Buncrana's Swan Park to host Spooktacular event this Halloween

Donegal County Council is once again joining up with Derry City and Strabane District Council to bring the world class Derry Halloween experience to Donegal.

Swan Park in Buncrana will celebrate the ancient tradition of Samhain or Halloween with an exhilarating experience suitable for all ages over two nights on October 29-30.

In Irish mythology, Halloween or Samhain is that sacred time when the spirits of the past return to wander the earth.

To celebrate this ancient tradition, Swan Park will honour our legendary heroes and create an exhilarating interactive Halloween experience that is suitable for all ages.

Inishowen Carnival Group will be working with a number of Buncrana groups to present a sculpture and performance trail, featuring large scale characters, illuminated sculptures and a host of ghostly performers. The trail will have a distinctly Celtic flavour and will celebrate Ireland’s ancient pagan folklore.

From 5pm–6pm the trail will be open with gentle background music playing to provide an ideal time for a younger audience to visit or for people with auditory sensitivities.

Following this, from 6pm things will begin to get a little bit spookier with the first of three performances being repeated at 7pm and 8pm.

Performers will include dancers from Studio 47 and Elite Dance Academy as well as a Samba Band, Fire and walkabout performers.

Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, Cllr Liam Blaney is very excited to once host this event in Swan Park.

He said: "We have again partnered with our near neighbours in Derry and Strabane to bring, what has now become one of the world’s largest Halloween celebrations, to Donegal.

"The northwest region of this island is a vibrant and exciting place to live and I love to see young and old alike take pleasure and pride in great outdoor community events such as this."

Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District, Cllr Sandra Duffy said she was thrilled to see the Halloween programme extend into Donegal once again this year.

"I am really delighted to work once again with our neighbours in Donegal to offer an extended programme of activities and an enhanced Halloween experience for anyone travelling here for Halloween.

"Our visitor numbers continue to grow and with hotel occupancy already reaching capacity on our busiest nights, visitors can avail of accommodation just down the road, and also take in some of the Swan Park festivities and explore the wider region while they are here. It’s a fantastic addition to our Halloween celebrations."