Musical Heritage Takes Centre Stage At St Patrick's Day

Belfast's musical heritage will be celebrated in this year's St Patrick's Day programme, taking place across the city from 1-17 March.

For the first time, the event will include the St Patrick's Day Music Weekend – three days of concerts, céilís, displays, taster sessions and workshops in venues across the city centre, delivered with Belfast TradFest. Featuring traditional music, song and dance, bagpipes, Highland dancers, Irish dancing and bodhrán circles, a festival village will be located at Cathedral Gardens, next to Belfast Cathedral, and will include a host of free performances, alongside food stalls, céili workshops, family-friendly activities and much more.

There will be several ticketed performances too, including Anúna in Belfast Cathedral on Friday 15 March, a Kiddy Céili at Belfast Cathedral on Saturday 16 March as part of Belfast Children's Festival, a gala concert with Frankie Gavin and Dé Dannan at Ulster Hall on the same evening, an all-day céilí and a finale event with Stockton's Wing and John Spillane at the MAC Belfast on Sunday 17 March.

The traditional St Patrick's Day parade will also bring a sea of colour to the city's streets on Sunday 17 March, starting at 1.30pm from City Hall.

Dance troupes, schools, community groups and musicians will join a cavalcade of colourful floats and circus performers in a free multi-cultural, cross-community celebration, focusing on People, Place and Planet – the key themes in the council's Belfast 2024 programme, which is celebrating the city's creativity throughout the year. The parade will follow a circular route, via Chichester Street, Victoria Street, High Street, Castle Place and Donegall Place, before making its way back to City Hall.

Also on Sunday 17 March, 2 Royal Avenue – the city's cultural hub – will open its doors to families for a day of free events, including art workshops, dance performances, music, a games area and lots more. St George's Market will also be also getting in on the craic with lunchtime performances from musicians from Ards Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann on both Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 March.

This year, Belfast City Council has also joined with Seachtain na Gaelige and Féile na Earraigh to support events and activities running as part of both festivals, which begin on Friday 1 March and continue until St Patrick's Day itself.

Spraoi Cois Lao – an Irish language fun day - will take place at Custom House Square on Saturday 9 March from 1pm-4pm and is open to everyone to attend. Organised by Conradh na Gaeilge and Féile an Phobail, the event will be the biggest of its kind and will include musicians, dancers, activities, games, food and entertainment, all celebrating the Irish language. Admission is free.

From Sunday 10 to Sunday 17 March, visitors and music lovers can also enjoy the return of the Trad Trail, offering free music performances in bars, restaurants, hotels and visitor attractions across the city. Delivered by Féile an Phobail, it will mark Belfast's status as a UNESCO City of Music with performances from the best local and national trad musicians.

Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Ryan Murphy, said: "2024 is the year to celebrate Belfast's creativity and diversity – and this year's St Patrick's Day programme really reflects that concept, with something for everyone to come along and enjoy. We are internationally recognised as a City of Music and are embracing our growing reputation as a trad hub with an amazing line-up of live performances, from all aspects of the musical spectrum, both in the run-up to, and across, St Patrick's weekend itself – all of which will continue to put Belfast on the musical map and encourage people into our city centre.

"This year, we are also working together with existing festivals and arts and cultural organisations to enhance their programming with new events and activities, focusing on making people feel welcome and included, and mirroring our Belfast 2024 themes of People, Place and Planet.

"Families will love the colour and spectacle of the traditional parade and, this year, they can really make a day of it by enjoying the free activities at 2 Royal Avenue or St George's Market before or after the main event. The addition of Spraoi Cois Lao at Custom House Square on Saturday 9 March also provides a chance for everyone to come along and learn more about the Irish language and our shared history in a fun way, whether they have a cúpla focal, are learning or are just curious.

"There is so much to see and do in Belfast this St Patrick's Day and I would encourage everyone to come along and experience a flavour of what Belfast has to offer."

Dónal O'Connor, Artistic Director with Belfast TradFest, said: "We are delighted to programme and deliver Belfast's St Patrick's Music Weekend for the first time.

"We're excited that this year's St Patrick's celebrations will be a meaningful opportunity for people of different backgrounds and traditions to gather and share the legacy and inheritance of St Patrick, through 40+ hours of traditional arts events in 13 venues, both indoor and outdoor, alongside a great line-up of the very best in traditional Irish and Scottish music."

For more info on all St Patrick's Day events, visit belfastcity.gov.uk/stpatricks