Downpatrick gets ready to be lit up by beacon as part of Hallowe’en fun night

Downpatrick gets ready to be lit up by beacon as part of Hallowe’en fun night

23 October 2013

A HALLOWE’EN beacon is being lit in Downpatrick next Thursday night, October 31, outside the St. Patrick’s Centre.

The event is being organised by the Downpatrick Community Collective — which represents a number of groups in the town — and there will also be a fancy dress parade and competition with prizes for the best boy and girl.

The parade is scheduled to leave the car park at Heaton’s at 6.15pm for the short walk to the St. Patrick Centre where the beacon will be lit.

Community Collective chairman Dan McEvoy, who is a member of the Knocknashinna Residents’ Association, is encouraging parents to bring their children along to the event.

“We hope to make this a yearly event and make Halloween night a special community event in Downpatrick for all to enjoy in a safe environment,” he added.

Jenny Laverty, a community health development officer with the Flying Horse Ward Community Forum, explained the beacon event is eco-friendly and a well supervised way to celebrate Halloween.

She hopes young people will come along to enjoy the festivities, with all the activities on the night supervised by marshals.

In addition to the beacon, there will be bouncy castles, face painters, stilt walkers, pipers, a few surprises and refreshments for all the children.

Councillor Éamonn Mac Con Midhe said he is happy to be part of the community event for the second year running and is also looking forward to dressing up for the Halloween parade.

John Gordon, of the Stream Street Residents’ Association, hopes people from across Downpatrick will join in the Hallowe’en fun, while Ann Grant, a community development officer with the Co. Down Rural Community Network, described next week’s Halloween celebrations as a “fantastic event.”

She also thanked the various organisations involved in preparing for the event including Down Council, the PSNI, Housing Executive, Policing and Community Safety Partnership, Co. Down Rural Community Network and Safer Communities Partnership Officer Ellen Brennan.