Northern Ireland

Festival finale will bring Derry's River Foyle to life

 Tens of thousands of people have visited the Foyle Maritime Festival. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin
Tens of thousands of people have visited the Foyle Maritime Festival. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin Tens of thousands of people have visited the Foyle Maritime Festival. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin

DERRY’S River Foyle will come to life tonight with fireworks, illuminations and animation in the finale of the Foyle Maritime Festival.

Thousands of people have been visiting the city over the last week for the festivities which coincide with the stop-over of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.

Tourism leaders have expressed delight with the response to the festival, which has seen with an increase in numbers on previous years.

Tonight’s finale gets underway from 8pm with the “Voyages” showpiece. The banks of the Foyle will be illuminated with the Clipper fleet, joined by tall ships and a flotilla of local vessels.

There will also be a fireworks display from two locations on the river, as well as input from musicians, actors and performers from the city.

The festival continues tomorrow, while on Sunday the Clipper yachts will parade from the city to Greencastle in preparation for the start of the next stage of the round the world race.

Festival organisers have urged the public to adhere all traffic advice over the weekend. In particular, people are urged to use 'park and stride' facilities at Fort George and park and ride services from St Columb’s College on Buncrana Road and Foyle College on Limavady Road.