The annual recreation of King William III’s 1690 landing at Carrickfergus will take place this Saturday, with 5,000 participants taking part in a parade through the town.

Activities run from 10am to 5pm, beginning with parades assembling and moving through the town centre. The main parade will include 41 bands and depart from Woodburn Playing Fields at around 11.30am, heading to the harbour.

At 1pm, a participant portraying King William will arrive by boat at King William III Pier and then lead the parade on a white horse to Marine Gardens.

A tattoo featuring musical performances, children’s entertainment and cultural acts will be held at Carrickfergus Town Hall from 2.15pm. A second parade will begin at 4pm, returning from Marine Gardens to Woodburn Playing Fields.

A food village, family entertainment areas and historical re-enactment zones will be set up, where exhibitors will depict scenes from the Williamite period.

Cheryl Brownlee, a DUP MLA and secretary of the Carrickfergus Historical and Re-enactment Group, said the event has grown into a family-friendly festival celebrating heritage and identity, drawing visitors from across Northern Ireland and beyond.

Historian Gordon Lucy has noted that Carrickfergus was a more significant port than Belfast in the 17th century and that the landing of King William III is a noteworthy part of local history.

Organisers encourage visitors to arrive early. They expect around 10,000 spectators to line the parade route.