THE Council area was a hive of activity on St Patrick’s Day as thousands of people let their hair down to celebrate Spring Carnival 2017 in style.
Throngs of people lined the streets of Derry and Strabane for both parades that represented the climax of a weekend of music, dance, food and folklore hosted by Derry City and Strabane District Council.
The wet conditions couldn’t dampen the spirits of the hundreds of people from community based carnival programmes who thrilled the crowds with their colourful ‘Forever Young’ themed parade performances.
The masses were also entertained into the early evening with live entertainment in Waterloo Place in Derry and Strabane’s Alley Theatre.
Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Alderman Hilary McClintock, was at the parade in the city before taking in the St Patrick’s Day Family Fun event at the Alley Theatre in Strabane and she praised everyone involved for making it another St Patrick’s Day to remember.
“What a fantastic day for the City and District,” she said.
“I was genuinely astounded at the detail and quality of the performances in both parades which were a fitting climax to an action packed day of fun entertainment.
“It was particularly pleasing to see that so many visitors have decided to spend the Bank Holiday Weekend with us and that our Council area is now firmly established as a destination to come and celebrate St Patrick’s Day.
“With the LegenDerry Food Festival running all weekend and the Ubuntu Multicultural Festival running across three stages on Saturday, Council have truly laid on a feast of great events.”
The LegenDerry Food Festival from Friday March 17th until Sunday March 19th is a three day celebration of local food.
Chefs, restauranteurs and producers from the local area are showcasing their food offering to the public in Guildhall Square from 12 noon until 6pm each day.
The Ubuntu Festival is a one day family orientated multicultural arts celebration and aims to promote global diversity through a colourful display of the wide variety of cultures that exist in the Derry and Strabane area.
The free admission event on Saturday March 18th will be hosted across three venues: The Craft Village, Waterloo Place and Bishop Street featuring vibrant traditional music and performance, arts and crafts and exhibitions of different cultures.
More information on Council’s Spring Carnival celebrations are available at www.derrystrabane.com/springcarnival.
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