Festival is a stunning success

Festival is a stunning success

7 November 2012

THOUSANDS of spectators braved the wintery weather in Newcastle on Saturday to enjoy a spectacular finale to the Hallowtides festival.

The town’s promenade was lined with people as the skies lit up with a huge fireworks display, the final event in the biggest Hallowtides festival so far.

Saturday was the last day of the event and one of the largest fancy dress competitions ever held in the district kicked off the evening’s events.

The Creatures and Crazies fancy dress competition didn’t disappoint as the quality and imagination of the entrants amazed the judges and made the selection of the winners in all three categories extremely difficult.

The music and mayhem were provided by Cool FM’s Connor Phillips on the festival stage as he fired up the crowd in preparation of the arrival of the Legions of Doom and Bedazzling Floats.

Flanked by Dark Order stilt walkers, councillor Eamonn O’Neill and Audrey Byrne, Chairwoman of Newcastle Chamber of Commerce led the parade followed by a fabulous trail of local schools bedecked with their hand crafted Hallowe’en themed masks and school crests and lots of parents and teachers to boot.

Taking part were Sacred Heart Primary, Dundrum, St Mary’s Primary, Aughlisnafinn, St Joseph’s Carnacaville, St Patrick’s Primary, Burrenreagh, and St Mary’s Primary, Newcastle, Newcastle Primary School, Bunscoil Bheanna Boirche, Castlewellan and Castlewellan Primary School.

St. Malachy’s Accordion Band from Kilcoo led the spectacle of the weird and wonderful parade as it made its way from the Slieve Donard Hotel and was met by a huge, eager and excited crowd.

Ghostbusters from the South Eastern Regional College led by Ciaran Harper, Ryan Meehan and Peter Jones, charged their ecto-blasters and took to the streets of Newcastle with Mr. Staypuft on Stilts, aka Austy Finnegan, and their Ecto-1 car alongside some of the wonderful characters from local and community groups.

The Crimson Arrow Pipe Band provided a musical treat and kept both the parade and crowd enthused with their party music.

Numerous stilt performers scuttled and crept through the parade alongside the hugely impressive Cyborgs and they intermingled with the ingeniously designed and decorated floats from the most prominent clubs, bar and community groups including O’Hare’s Lounge Bars, Cafe Creme, 1st Newcastle Scouts, The Harbour House Inn, The Donard Bar, The Newcastle Comhaltas and The Anchor/NCC.

As the parade reached the festival stage, Connor Phillips invited the South Eastern Regional College dance students to perform their ‘Thriller’ routine which was warmly applauded by an appreciative audience.

Councillor O’Neill praised the efforts of Newcastle traders and community groups for putting on such a fantastic display and expressed his delight with the huge attendance and the family atmosphere in Newcastle during the day.

The Best School Mask Display was won by St. Joseph’s, Carnacaville, in a close run contest and thanks must go to the children parents and teachers who worked so hard to create their school masks and displays.

After much debate and deliberation it was announced that The Donard Bar with a Nightmare on Donard Street creation was the winner and received a hand carved wooden plate.

A particular thanks goes to the Sponsors for their contribution to the festival: AJC Electrical, Barbican SuperValu, The Burrendale Hotel and Country Club & Spa, Cafe Creme, Donard Wines, Golf Links House, Harbour House Inn, O’Hare’s Lounge Bars, Painted Earth, Quinn’s Multi Bar Complex, Slieve Donard Resort & Spa, Soak Seaweed Baths, Tesco, Thumbelina and Villa Vinci.

Results

Best School Display: St Joseph’s Primary, Carnacaville

Best Float: The Donard Bar

Funniest

First prize — Lego People (Winters Family); Second prize — Bender (Stephen Bell);           

Third price — Wheelie Bin (Lorcain Perry).

Prettiest

First prize — Rapunzel (Ceili McMullan); Second prize — Black Swan (Scarlet-Grace Kelly); Third prize — Strawberry Shortcake & Rag Doll (Rose and Grace Morgan).

Scariest

First prize — One Resurrection (Patricia Canning and Family); Second prize — Little Dead Ridinghood (Eva Hughes); Third prize — Gouldie Locks and The 3 Scares (Aoise O’Goan).

Scarecrow Competition

Winner — Temptations; Highly commended — Chantilly Lace; Highly commended — Hales.

Super Slimey Window Competition

Winner — The Bon Bon; Second place — Cafe Creme; Third place — Annett’s.