Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2026

Fleadh Belfast

Belfast will host the Comhaltas Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, the world’s biggest celebration of Irish music and culture, for the first time from Sunday 2 August to Sunday 9 August 2026. 

Qualifying competitors from all over the world will showcase the very best of traditional music, song, dance and language in All-Ireland competitions. Over 800,000 people are expected to enjoy the eight-day event which will also include street performances, pub sessions and stage concerts.

We are delivering the event in partnership with organisers, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, and their local branch Ards CCÉ, as well as a range of city partners and other authorities.

Fleadh Belfast video

Watch our video about Fleadh Belfast. It plays for 90 seconds.

Find out more about Fleadh 2026

For information about the event, what’s on, accommodation and transport, visit the official Fleadh website, Fleadh Cheoil (link opens in new window).

Traffic and transport arrangements

The easiest ways to get into and around Belfast will be:

• walking
• cycling, and
• using public transport.

With road closures in place and limited parking, you should avoid driving into the city centre, where possible. 

Public transport during the Fleadh

• Ulsterbus, Metro, and Glider services will operate as normal. You will find any minor changes to stops or pick up points on Translink’s website (link opens in new window).
• NI Railways will run a revised timetable with increased capacity to support both Fleadh visitors and regular passengers.
• Translink’s pilot night bus service will run as normal on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 August.

You can read more on Translink’s website (link opens in new window). 

Park and Ride information

There will be three dedicated Park and Ride sites running outside Belfast city centre:

• Eikon Exhibition Centre, Sprucefield (near the M1)
• Giant’s Park (near the M2)
• Belfast Harbour (near the M3).

You can book these from Monday 6 July on Fleadh Cheoil’s website (link open in new window).

Car parks in the city centre

Not everyone can use public transport. Most city centre car parks will remain open and accessible throughout the event, for anyone who needs to drive. 

• Find your nearest Belfast City Council-owned car park 

Pedestrianisation of city centre

To make a safe and enjoyable event for all, all roads and streets within Belfast city centre will be closed to vehicle traffic. Additional traffic and parking changes will also apply. These measures will help ensure safe pedestrian movement and allow street performances and activities to take place.

Arrangements may affect residents and businesses and we’ll make every effort to minimise disruption. 

Road closures are in operation from 6am on Sunday 2 August to 5am on Monday 10 August 2026, with flexibility planned where possible during the early part of the week.

Business access during road closures

Our Accreditation and Logistics Hub in Duncrue Street will be open 24-hours a day, seven days a week, to arrange delivery access to premises inside the road closures.

During these road closures, a daily delivery window will be open between 4am and 8am to help with business and essential access. All vehicles must be out of the road closure area by 9am.

You can collect an access pass before or on the day of delivery from the Accreditation and Logistics Hub. We will have extra refrigeration and storage space available in the hub, if needed.

Opportunities for businesses

If you’re a business looking to maximise the opportunities Fleadh offers, you can find out more about:

• temporary street trading opportunities
• pavement cafés and entertainment licensing
• Food Village
• extended hours at St George’s Market
• sponsorship and partnering.

Read more about opportunities for businesses

Volunteering

Help deliver Belfast's warm welcome by becoming an event volunteer. Every performance, smiling face and unforgettable moment will be made possible by volunteers giving their time, energy and support.

Visitors will need to know about getting around Belfast, where to find performance venues and how to access facilities. Volunteer Now is recruiting two thousand volunteers to help run the eight-day event. Volunteers will be instrumental in making the festival a success. 

To read details on how to register as a volunteer, go to Fleadh Cheoil (link opens in new window).

Campsite facilities

We are creating three official Fleadh campsites for visitors. 

• Camper van and caravan facilities at Titanic Quarter.
• Tent camping at Ormeau Park in south Belfast and Falls Park in west Belfast.

To read more about the campsite facilities, go to Fleadh Cheoil (link opens in new window).

Keeping the city clean and safe

Maintaining a clean and welcoming environment is always important and a shared responsibility. Additional bins and cleaning services will be in place and we ask that businesses manage waste carefully.

We encourage visitors, residents and businesses to make use of the facilities provided and to follow any guidance issued.

During the summer, changes to resident bin collections will be implemented. We will add more information to our bins pages when it is available.