Whether you’re a sports fanatic, an art aficionado or a lover of spoken word and music, there is sure to be an event happening this summer that will strike a chord with you.
With something to suit everyone’s tastes, we have rounded up a list of the most unmissable events of the season to jazz up your summer staycation.
Check out the range of epic events, compiled by Discover NI, happening over August and September in Northern Ireland below:
1. Féile an Phobail August Féile, Belfast: 5 – 15 August
Ireland’s largest community arts festival, Féile an Phobail, is set to return this summer for 10 days, showcasing the very best of the West Belfast Community, its creative talent, its people and its places.
The festival invites visitors to enjoy an eclectic mix of arts and cultural events, including headline music concerts, international sporting events, Irish traditional music, talks and debates, tours and walks, comedy, theatre, visual arts, family and young people events and much more!
Book your place now by entering your name and email address here
2. Eastside Arts Festival, Belfast: 5- 15 August
Celebrating 25 years and featuring 100+ artists across more than 80 events taking place both in-person and online, enjoy Eastside Arts Festival from the comfort of home, outdoors in person, or at a range of east Belfast locations as part of a socially distanced audience.
This year the festival has introduced a Digital Festival Pass which provides access to all of the online events, to watch live or On Demand for the duration of the festival.
From music, theatre, film, books and spoken word, walks and tours, circus and cabaret, comedy and events for children and families, the programme will engage audiences and give you a creative lift through these uncertain times.
Book your tickets here
3. Open House Festival, Bangor & online: 12 – 30 August
Open House Festival will centre around a three-week series of events during August, set under a canopy in the beautiful Walled Garden at Bangor Castle.
The music, comedy and spoken word events will be fully seated, intimate with reduced capacity, and will feature Mary Coughlan, Duke Special, Celtic Soul, Dana Masters, Paddy Raff, Colin Geddis and Shane Todd, with many more to be announced.
The Festival will include walks, talks and tours around the seaside town, such as the hugely popular Folk on a Boat, plus free concerts in Ward Park on Sunday afternoons (restrictions permitting).
Book your tickets here
4. Antrim Coast Half Marathon, Larne: Sunday 29 August
Starting and finishing at the Chaine Memorial tower built in 1888, the Antrim Coast Half Marathon
course will sweep through Larne town before moving onto the iconic Antrim Coast Road, with a turning point at Ballygally, one of the oldest inhabited areas of Ireland.
Part of the World Athletics Global Calendar of Label race series, the event for 2021 will include 100 elite runners and 10,000 mass participation runners as well as an after party, and a finishing hub with 40 vendors, circus acts, street art, bar, live music, kid’s play zone and all for free. Sound like something you want to take part in?
Enter here
5. Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival, Belfast: 2-12 September
The 21st edition of the annual Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival taking place in September for 2021 has signalled its plans to make much more use of outdoor spaces and use larger venues to facilitate social distancing.
Many of the festival shows will also be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person.
A Marquee in Writer’s Square will host the remarkable chanteuse Camille O’Sullivan singing the songs of Nick Cave and festival hell-raisers King Kong Company.
Bell X1 will perform a special show in St Anne’s Cathedral with Dowry Strings and the Black Box will host folk legend Luka Bloom and Americana from The Handsome Family. How exciting does this sound?
Buy your tickets here
What adventures will you go on this summer? Share your epic snaps on social media with #MyGiantAdventure for the chance to feature on our pages!
For more things happening around Northern Ireland this summer and beyond go to discovernorthernireland.com/blog