Belfast to host St Patrick's Day extravaganza

Belfast is to play host to one of the biggest St Patrick's Day extravaganzas ever to be held in the city.

Friday's celebrations will see a host of well-known names take to the stage at Custom House Square at around 1.30pm, following a multi-coloured carnival parade, entitled 'Snake, Rattle and Roll,' which will leave from Belfast City Hall and get the proceedings underway.

Belfast’s Beat Initiative, which consists of community groups from across the city, which has been organized as part of Celebrate Belfast 2006, will lead the Carnival Parade, which will leave at approximately 12.45pm.

The Parade will make its way along Donegal Place, to castle Junction and into Castle Place, before proceeding along High Street, Victoria Street and finally into Custom House Square.

TV personality John Daly will compere the event hosted by Belfast City Council, who are billing it as "a fun filled day for everyone."

Headlining tomorrow's festivities are chart-toppers, Bodyrockers, who had a top ten smash hit dance anthem with 'I like the way you move.'

Other well-known faces appearing are former X Factor contestants, The Conway Sisters, alongside a wealth of local talent including Celtic/pop band Wanderlust, and award winning pop act, Gimik.

The crowd will also be treated to entertainment of a more contemporary style, including traditional Irish music, alongside the Lambeg drums and bagpipes of the Ulster Scots Folk Orchestra who will be joined onstage by the Seven Towers Irish dancers and the Gillian Jones Scottish Highland dancers.

There will also be performances from Taste the Tradition dance troupe, who will perform their fusion of Scots-Gaelic and Irish music and dance.

Other performances aimed at highlighting Belfast's multi-cultural traditions include a spectacular display of Indian dance, a Chinese Martial Arts demonstration, and the Torann Drum Group, who are guaranteed to get the crowd moving with their tribal rhythms.

Admission into the concert at Custom House Square is free and will be judged on a "first-come-first-served" basis. No alcohol will be sold or permitted on site.

Other St Patrick's Day events across the city include a special concert at the Waterfront Hall, beginning at 7.45pm, featuring Altan with the Ulster Orchestra and internationally acclaimed Scottish group, Capercaillie.

There will also be a Lagan Legacy boat tour leaving Donegall Quay at 11.00am; 12.30pm, 2.00pm and 3.30pm and a display of St Patrick’s writings, courtesy of the inter-denominational City Churches Group at the Great Victoria Street Baptist Church and also at Donegall Street Congregational Church.

(EF/SP)