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Date: 8 August 2026
People are being encouraged to leave the car at home and use one of the three Fleadh Park & Ride sites at Eikon Exhibition Centre, Sprucefield (near M1), Giant's Park (near M2) and Belfast Harbour Estate (near M3) as Belfast hosts the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann competitions this weekend, with 5,000 musicians and dancers from 22 countries taking part.
Judging starts at 10am at the ICC/Belfast Waterfront Hall, Assembly Buildings, The MAC and Ulster University and runs throughout the day.
Park & Ride spaces can be booked in advance from the Fleadh website, or pay on the day, using contactless machines only, with all spaces allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Frequent shuttle buses, running every 10 minutes at peak times are connecting all three Park & Ride sites to the city centre.
Bus services are expected to be very busy, so passengers should leave extra time and use the Translink Journey Planner.
It's been an incredibly busy week for Belfast already, as Belfast City Council and event partners Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann and Ards CCÉ host the world's biggest celebration of traditional Irish music, song and dance for the first time this year.
Dedicated parking operating on a first come, first served basis, is available for Blue Badge holders at Dunbar Street (outside Common Market) and Winetavern Street/Smithfield. A free city centre loop service is also available to transport those with mobility issues, families or those carrying heavy instruments around the event zone.
Taxi services will continue to operate, with dedicated pick-up and drop-off locations located around the edge of the pedestrianised event zone, at Corporation Street, Little Donegall Street, junction of North Street and Royal Avenue, King Street, Adelaide Street and Chichester Street. Public hire taxis will operate as normal, where possible, with some temporary relocations at peak visitor times.
As well as the Fleadh competitions, there’s plenty to enjoy elsewhere in the city.
County Cork Pipes and Drums of NYC get things off to a rousing start on the Gig Rig outside City Hall at 11am this morning, followed by a packed programme of music and dance, warming everyone up for today’s open air céilí at 3pm – no experience required, just bring yourself and a smile! The dancing will go on into the night with Céilí House Live playing at 9pm, Glór na dTonn Céilí Band at 10.10pm and the high energy MecLir really bringing the party at 11pm. No tickets are required for Gig Rig events and there’s no need to book.
Also happening today:
- Liam F Jones Album Launch, the Barge, 12 noon (free)
- Wexford Singers at the Europa, 12 noon-2pm (free)
- Belfast Uke Jam, Victoria Square, 2pm (free)
- Parading Music in Ulster and Beyond, Grand Opera House 2.30pm, (£5)
- Soultrane Takeover, Oh Yeah Centre, 7pm (free)
Families can enjoy:
- The Legend of Finn MacCool and the Scottish Giant, Arts for All, Cityside Retail Park, 10am, 11.30am (free)
- Beat Carnival, Flaxx Social Space, 2pm-4pm (free)
- Ship/Shape Currach Circus, St Joseph’s Church, Sailortown, 2pm (free)
- MOIRO (Music of Irish Origin) featuring Panic:Over with EVO, Becky McNeice, Noble Johnston, Antwan Ruiz & Neal McClelland at 2 Royal Avenue, 7 - 11pm (tickets free - £10 from Eventbrite, under 5’s go free)
Elsewhere in the city:
South Belfast
- Brink! Lughnasadh Circles, a five-hour ambient composition by Rory Friers rooted in ancient Irish Solstice traditions and the quiet symbolism of stone circles, The Commons, Ormeau Road 4.09pm - 9.09pm - drift in and out, listen closely, or let the sounds wash over you (£5)
West Belfast
- Walls of Limerick Céilí, St Gall’s GAC, 1pm (free)
- Meadows to Mountain long distance walk to Divis and back, St Gall’s GAC, 3pm (free)
Seachtain na Gaeilge (Irish Language Week) are welcoming people to pop into their Irish language hub at The MAC before it wraps up tomorrow Sunday 9 August. And the Instrument Makers' Village at Belfast Met, Millfield Campus is open today and tomorrow (10am-3.30pm) for competitors and visitors to pop in and talk to makers of harps, violins and banjos - or treat themselves to something new!
There’s also a wide range of exhibitions on offer at venues including Craft NI, 2 Royal Avenue, Golden Thread Gallery, the grounds of Queen’s University Belfast, the QFT, St Joseph’s Sailortown, the Ulster Museum and Vault Studios.
There are plenty of tasty treats to enjoy too, with a Food and Drink Village beside Belfast Cathedral open from 10am to 11pm, St George’s Market open from 10am to 10pm, and the Craic and Craft Market outside ICC Belfast/Waterfront Hall with artisan craft vendors, food and drink producers, a Ferris Wheel, facepainting and entertainment from 10am-10pm. Bestselling cookery writer, TV chef and teacher at Ballymaloe Cookery School, Rachel Allen, will also be cooking live at the Titanic Food Festival, Hamilton Dock (beside the SS Nomadic) at various times between 11am - 5pm.
There are so many options at pubs, hospitality and cultural venues across the city if you'd like to extend your night out, from Titanic Quarter to Linen Quarter and beyond, with additional late-night bus and rail services tonight and tomorrow, Sunday 9 August, to help you get home safely afterwards.
Everyone attending the Fleadh is encouraged to:
- check the weather forecast and dress appropriately
- leave extra time for your journey
- use public transport (including additional late-night bus services), cycle, wheel or walk where possible
- check travel information before setting out to familiarise yourself with road closures, Park and Ride facilities, the pedestrianised event zone and traffic arrangements
- check event locations and venue opening times
- follow event signage and steward directions
- look out for Volunteer Now in Fleadh branded yellow t-shirts and hats who will be helping visitors to access information, facilities and events easily
A drop-in Accessibility Hub is available at CastleCourt Shopping Centre, unit 59 on the first floor, from today until Sunday 9 August, 11am - 7pm daily, operated by leading arts and disability organisation Open Arts, with support from Volunteer Now.
In addition to the city’s public toilets, there is temporary portable toilet provision in City Hall grounds, on Fountain Lane, Hill Street and Verner Street (beside St George’s Market), with each site including a minimum of two accessible Portaloos. There is also a parent and child changing space in the City Hall grounds and on Hill Street and a mobile Accessoloo changing place toilet to the rear of 2 Royal Avenue on Bank Square. Information about changing places throughout Belfast is available on the Changing Places website.
Fleadh Visitor Servicing points are at Ulster University on York Street, Visit Belfast Welcome Centre on Donegall Square North, ICC Belfast / Waterfront Hall and Grand Central Station and free visitor maps are available from all Fleadh venues, the Visit Belfast Welcome Centre, volunteers and main transport hubs.
First Aid is available at two Medical Hubs located on Donegall Square West and York Street.
For Fleadh programme detail, go to the Fleadh website and for live updates, follow Fleadh Cheoil on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
For all the latest travel information, visit the Translink website.
Details of the pedestrianised event zone, road closures and specific information for residents and commuters is on the Belfast City Council website.