The peak of the north’s marching season arrives on Saturday as parades take place toasting the victory at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.
However, bonfire season reaches its own peak hours before as hundreds of pyres are lit at midnight on the Eleventh night.
While many are community events marked with family-friendly activities, some have come to dominate the news in recent days due to safety concerns and anti-immigration effigies.
These are the bonfire sites which many will have eyes on on Friday night.
The Village
Time is ticking in a standoff in south Belfast over the position of a large bonfire which has been plagued by controversy over nearby asbestos and its proximity to a major power supply to two nearby hospitals.
A last-minute legal challenge to a decision from Belfast councillors to bring in contractors to remove the pyre went before the High Court on Thursday evening, barely 24 hours before the structure is to be lit.
The PSNI has said it will not intervene after it received a formal request for assistance from the council.
Loyalists opposed to the removal of the bonfire have gathered to protest and block roads in the area, while paramilitary sources have reportedly threaten “serious and sustained disorder” if work begins to remove the materials.
Moygashel
Rarely wanting to be seen as upstaged, loyalists in Moygashel, Co Tyrone marked their own traditional celebration by lighting their controversial bonfire a night early.
The bonfire has been widely condemned across all sides of the community, including unionist representatives and clergy from the Presbyterian church.
The anti-immigration bonfire features a topper of a boat with a group of immigrants on board and the slogan “stop the boats”.
It is the third year running where the Moygashel bonfire has been criticised for an elaborate topper and the pyre has featured on national news programmes and talk shows.
After the bonfire was lit on Thursday night, it remains to be seen whether any further action will be taken in relation to the pyre.
Prince Andrew Way, Carrickfergus
The bonfire site on Prince Andrew Way in Carrickfergus has a history of sparking concern, from the costs of repairing the road, to fears that the structure could topple over even before being lit.
Pictures of the pyre this week show it is leaning to the side and there are fears it could topple onto the road nearby.
Since 2017, the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) – which owns the land on which it is located – has spent £32,743 on repairing the damage caused by the fire at the site, which is close to a petrol station.
London Road
A significant bonfire is expected to be lit in the London Road area of east Belfast amid ongoing concerns about anti-social behaviour.
The Irish News reported this week a block of more than 100 new apartments to be built on the waste ground site has stalled due to a lack of waste water infrastructure.
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