THE River Foyle will provide the backdrop for a stunning celebration on Friday evening, as the Foyle Maritime Festival showcase finale Voyages lights up the city.
The river will be the star of the show as the centrepiece of the spectacular event, which will feature illuminations, animation, aerial performance and an explosive fireworks finale.
The showcase will be the highlight of what has been a highly successful week of events so far, with tens of thousands of people enjoying a whole host of family friendly entertainment and activities along the Foyle.
Looking ahead to the event, the Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District, Councillor John Boyle, said it would be a truly memorable night.
“The Festival is now in full swing and I am delighted to see so many people out enjoying the festivities, especially the number of visitors who have travelled especially for the festival.
“The Voyages event on Friday will be something really special. Where else would you get such a stunning backdrop for a performance on the water?
“I’m really looking forward to seeing the beautiful parade of light on the Foyle as the story of Voyages unfolds, capturing elements of our rich history of folklore and the city’s strong maritime heritage.
“I want to encourage everyone to come along and enjoy something that is truly unique to our city, and which will bring people together in a celebration to remember.”
Maritime Festival Co-Ordinator for Derry City and Strabane District Council, Helena Hasson, gave an overview of what the crowds can expect on the night.
“We are absolutely overwhelmed once again by the numbers of people who have been out enjoying the event over the course of the past few days.
“On Friday evening we will see the essence of the entire Festival captured in our Voyages showpiece which explores the voyage of our city in reaching the place we are today and our personal voyages and stories along the way.
“The Andrews Sisters will be telling a story revealing the voyages of the heart, and we will have a special Epic Voyage procession along the quayside, as well as tales of maritime adventure and wonder.
“The river will be illuminated by a special Parade of Sail featuring our spectacular Tall ships, the Clipper Race fleet and a flotilla of local boats.
“The evening will culminate in a beautiful waterfall pyrotechnics display followed by a double helping of fireworks, which will be a specially co-ordinated display from two locations on the river.
“The excitement is really building and we can’t wait to see it all unfold on Friday.”
The cast for the evening’s entertainment come from the North West’s finest arts programmers including Echo Echo, Fidget Feet, Glasgowbury Samba, In Your Space, NW Carnival, Sollus Cultural Promotions, Studio 2, CCÉ Baile na gCailleach, Cholmcille Pipe Band, Eden Place Arts, Zero Waste and more.
The showcase begins at 8pm and continues until 11 pm, and people are advised to get there early to enjoy the many elements of the celebration.
It’s also advised to bring warm clothing and to wear suitable shoes. People should expect some traffic congestion due to numbers and should use the park and stride facilities available at Fort George and the Park and Ride service leaving at regular intervals from St Columb’s College, Buncrana Road and the new Foyle College, Limavady Road.
Full Traffic and Travel information is available online at www.foylemaritime.com and if you’re travelling to the festival check out www.translink.co.uk/foylemaritimefestival/
The Foyle Maritime Festival is brought to you by Derry City and Strabane District Council with the support of Tourism Northern Ireland, Foyle Port, Loughs Agency, DuPont Kevlar, Diageo, NW Regional College and Translink.
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