Siege Pageant and Relief of Londonderry Parade

What to Expect

Derry’s week-long Maiden City Festival closes on Saturday 8 August with its two biggest set pieces of the year. At midday, the Siege Pageant brings costumed re-enactors to Carlisle Circus to retell the story of the 1689 Siege of Derry, when the city withstood a 105-day blockade. The pageant is followed immediately by the Apprentice Boys of Derry’s Relief of Londonderry Parade, the traditional commemoration of the day the siege was lifted. The parade is one of the largest in Northern Ireland, with Apprentice Boys clubs, their families and visiting bands from across Ireland, Scotland and England marching through the city centre and around the historic Walled City. It is the finale of a festival programme that, earlier in the week, included the Guns of the Siege cannon and musket demonstrations at the Siege Museum, Siege Tales street performances on the city walls, and the Skirl of the Pipes bagpiping and Highland dancing display.

Good to Know

• Saturday 8 August 2026, Siege Pageant at Carlisle Circus from 12 noon, with the Relief of Londonderry Parade through the city centre immediately after
• Free to attend as a spectator, no ticket needed to watch from the street
• Bands and clubs typically number in the thousands, so expect a busy, loud, family-friendly city centre atmosphere
• Marks the annual commemoration of the ending of the 1689 Siege of Derry, organised by the Apprentice Boys of Derry
• Part of the closing weekend of the Maiden City Festival, which runs 31 July to 8 August 2026
• Expect road closures and rerouted traffic across the city centre and Walled City for the parade route

Getting There

The pageant and parade take place within and around the Walled City, a short walk from Derry’s Waterside and city centre bus and rail stations. City centre car parks such as Foyleside are within walking distance, though some will have restricted access due to road closures on the day.