St Patrick's Music Festival

Date: Friday 13 March to Monday 17 March 2026

Venue: City centre and various locations

Category: Music, St Patrick's

As a UNESCO City of Music, the St Patrick’s Music Festival is a key part of our St Patrick’s celebrations.

At the heart of this programme is a diverse, cross-cultural and cross-traditions celebration in honour of St Patrick. 

Enjoy a variety of indoor and outdoor traditional arts events from headline concerts and relaxed workshops to the uplifting sound of pipe bands, the fun and grace of set and céilí dancing, reflective pilgrimages, and the free St Patrick’s Day Festival Village at Cathedral Quarter.

This year’s stellar line-up of musicians includes (all links open in a new window):

• Dougie MacLea and Úrsula Burns in concert at Mandella Hall, 1.30pm on 14 March
• A major double bill: Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh Band and Andy Irvine at Mandella Hall, 7.30pm on 14 March
• A packed participation programme of workshops at The MAC, plus Highland piping competitions, set and céilí dancing, sessions, and two pilgrimage walks with Kiran Young Wimberly and Jim Deeds on Saturday 14 to Tuesday 17 March
• Brian Finnegan’s Hunger of the Skin band with special guests Heidi Talbot and Toby Shaer (Empire Music Hall) on Sunday 15 March
• Pipe Band Extravaganza at City Hall (12 noon) and 2 Royal Avenue (1pm), featuring Campbell College Pipe Band, Clonoe Independent Pipe Band and Major Sinclair Memorial Pipe Band on Sunday 15 March
• Michael McGoldrick Trio and Cross Border Youth Folk Orchestra at Ulster Hall on 16 March
• Sets Céilí Concert in the Empire Music Hall with All-Ireland Champions The Beartla Ó Flatharta Céilí Band and Ronán Eastwood on Sunday 15 March
• CD/EP Launch: Moya Sweeney and Archie Churchill-Moss – ‘From The Aa’  at Oh Yeah Music Centre) on Monday 16 March
• Trad Picnic with Cleamairí Feirste, Belfast Wren Boys, Kids Céilí with Eimear Magee, sean nós dance and Bodhrán Circle on Monday 16 March
• Michael McGoldrick Trio and Music Generation Cavan/Monaghan Cross Border Folk Orchestra at Ulster Hall on Monday 16 March
• St Patrick’s Night Concert: The Bow Brothers and Aoife Scott Band at The MAC on Tuesday 17 March (St Patrick’s Day)

Find out more at Belfast TradFest (link opens in new window).