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Wakey Wakey to Bring Unique Irish Wake Experience to Derry Halloween

7 October 2026

Derry Halloween is marking its 40th anniversary this year with a packed programme of entertainment, spectacle and immersive experiences across the five-day festival.

Among the exciting new additions to this year's programme is the wonderfully quirky Wakey Wakey experience from the Kitch Sisters, a women-led creative social enterprise that celebrates Irish storytelling, humour and tradition in a truly unique way.

As part of the Awakening of the Walled City Trail, festival-goers will be invited to step inside a vintage caravan transformed into a tiny travelling wake house for an unforgettable immersive Irish wake experience. Situated in Habour Square, guests are in for an extra special treat with this performance this year!  

Once inside, guests will encounter a revolving cast of familiar characters found at any traditional Irish wake, from grieving relatives and colourful mourners to nuns, priests and everyone in between. Featuring live music, storytelling, dark humour and plenty of audience participation, Wakey Wakey promises to be a memorable addition to this year's Derry Halloween celebrations.

Aoife McAteer, one of the eight performers from the Wakey Wakey crew, explained that only a handful of people can enter the caravan at any one time, creating an intimate atmosphere where no two performances are ever quite the same.

“We never quite know what the audience is going to give us, and that’s a huge part of the fun. Underneath all the silliness, Wakey Wakey is really a celebration of Irish wake culture and that very Irish ability to find humour, stories and connection even in the darkest moments. We wanted to play with those traditions in a way that feels affectionate, contemporary and just a little bit chaotic.”

Wakey Wakey first came to life at Electric Picnic in 2025 and has continued to evolve ever since. Earlier this year, the group brought the experience to the Belfast Fleadh City Centre Fringe at Grand Central Station, delighting audiences with its distinctive blend of comedy, culture and audience interaction.

The Belfast-based collective is made up of eight women from across Ireland whose backgrounds span community arts, cultural programming, creative production, events management, textiles, craft and creative facilitation. Their passion for creating imaginative, personality-filled experiences makes Derry Halloween the perfect setting for their latest venture.

Bringing Wakey Wakey to Derry is especially meaningful for members of the group, who share strong personal connections with the city and county.

“We’re particularly excited about coming to Derry because there’s a really personal connection for us too. Gráinne is originally from Magilligan in Co.Derry, while Aoife studied at Magee University and has lots of family connections in Derry. It’s a city we all really love and have spent a lot of time in, so getting the opportunity to bring one of our creations there feels really special.”

Looking ahead to the festival, Aoife went on to say the group's favourite moments often come when audience members leave eager to share the experience with others.

“One of our favourite parts is seeing people come out laughing and immediately grab their friends and tell them they have to go in. Ultimately, we want people to step inside the caravan, become part of our strange little world for a while, have a laugh and come back out with a story to tell. We genuinely can’t wait to get to Derry, be part of such a special anniversary year and get the wake started!”

Derry Halloween is delivered by Derry City and Strabane District Council with support from Tourism Northern Ireland and The Executive Office. The full Derry Halloween 2026 programme is available now at www.derryhalloween.com

Visitors are advised to book accommodation and ticketed experiences early due to anticipated demand for this special 40th anniversary celebration.