Following the huge success of Belfast’s first hosting of the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in 2026, we’re now looking forward to welcoming this annual celebration of Irish music and culture back to the city from 1–8 August 2027.
The Fleadh Cheoil event was a huge success on so many levels:
- an estimated 1.65 million people came along, almost double the number that had been anticipated, making it the biggest event in the history of the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann
- people who grew up through The Troubles commented that they would never have imagined seeing anything as inclusive and joyous as this on the streets of Belfast showing the power of music and dance
- the event was inclusive, not only focusing on Gaelic culture but also Ulster Scots traditions – because that is part of our culture too.
- we also had visitor performers and competitors from around 25 different countries, including The County Cork Pipes & Drums Band from New York. This band gets a special mention as we happened to see play in a bar in Derry~Londonderry showing how the event not only benefited Belfast, but also communities across the island as our visitors and their families took the opportunity to make a holiday of their visit.
We don’t yet have the programme for the 2027 Fleadh Cheoil, but we’ve kept details about the 2026 Fleadh below to give you a flavour of what might be on the programme for 2027.
Fast facts
Date: 1–8 August 2027
Location: across Belfast with the main stage located at Belfast City Hall
Activities: free and paid music and cultural events, All-Ireland championship music, song, dance and language competitions, traditional Irish music workshops and food fairs.
In this guide:
- What is the Fleadh?
- What’s on at the Fleadh?
- Music and cultural performances – free and ticketed
- All-Ireland championship music, song, dance and language competitions
- A week of Irish language – Seachtain na Gaeilge
- Scoil Éigse – a top-tier Cultural Summer School with public performances
- How to get to the Fleadh
- Accessibility at the Fleadh
- Where to stay at the Fleadh
1. What is the Fleadh Cheoil?
Belfast is set to host Ireland’s national All-Ireland music festival – Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann for the second time in August 2027. Despite some stiff competition, this annual event is described as the world’s largest celebration of traditional Irish music, song and dance, and we’re very excited to be hosting it here in Belfast once more.
The Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann translates approximately as The Music Festival of Ireland, and since Belfast is the host city, you’ll also hear it described as the Belfast Fleadh. They are one and the same thing for 2027.
2. What’s on at the Fleadh?
The Fleadh Cheoil is about music – as the name suggests – but it is also about dance, song and Irish culture so there is a lot going on:
Free concerts on the main stage all week
A week long programme from the Sunday Opening Ceremony to the Sunday closing concert
In 2026, The Gig Rig at City Hall was the hub of the Fleadh where visitors could enjoy free live music performances all week from Comhaltas branches and visiting national and international artists as well as an open-air céilí on the Saturday. We expect that The Gig Rig will appear again at the 2027 Fleadh.
Highlights for 2026 included Macalla, Tempest Ceol, NxNW, Sí Fiddlers, Lúnasa, TRIP, an open-air céilí, Peter Street and Mec Lir with the festival concluding on Sunday with headliner Foy Vance and the newly crowned winners of the Senior Céilí Band Competition.
Fringe at the Fleadh – from city centre to Belfast’s neighborhoods
Events all week
In 2026, The Fringe took the Fleadh across the city and into its neighbourhoods with workshops, performances, céilís, talks, heritage trails, exhibitions and activities put together by more than 300 artists and over 60 organisations, with more than 50 official events across north, south, east and west Belfast. We can expect more of the same in 2027.
City centre Fringe – pedestrian zone
For the 2026 Belfast Fleadh, the area north of City Hall was pedestrianised with numerous Fringe venues falling within the zone, including 2 Royal Avenue, Cornmarket, The Black Box, The Mac, Ulster University, Writer’s Square and Oh Yeah Music Centre to name a few. Performances and activities included daily children’s seisiúns, dance from Echoes of Erin School of Irish Dance, and musical performances.
Alongside Belfast’s many restaurants and dining options, visitors could also grab food at the Food & Drink Village by St Anne’s Cathedral and at a food fair on the waterfront. In addition, there were numerous food vans and outdoor beer tents set up by bars in the town.
Fringe neighbourhoods
In 2026 some of the events held in Belfast ‘neighborhoods’ included:
- Waterworks Park – animated by pop-up music, storytelling and poetry stations around the lake.
- Belfast Castle – Brian Boru Céilí Band and Templehouse Céilí Band
- Storyteller Alex Campbell celebrating Irish oral traditions in the east with tales of ancient heroes over coffee.
- Colin Glen Forest Park – a guided folklore walk
- The Commons – a family-friendly series of gigs, sessions and events with an alcohol-free bar and ethnic street-food carts.
- Ulster Museum – Explore the origins of Belfast’s first urban Gaeltacht
- Titanic Slipways – Ulster Band Showcase, Pipe & Marching Band Competitions
- Falls Library – an Irish dance workshop
Traditional live music at Belfast bars during the Fleadh
Many bars hosted musicians and bands through the 2026 Fleadh and I expect even more bars will get involved for 2027. Below is a list of some of the programmes that were on offer.
- The National, 62–68 High Street, Belfast – daily live trad from 3pm, daily céilí from 6pm and evening sessions 7pm – late.
- White’s Tavern, 2–4 Winecellar Entry, Belfast – Live music daily
- The Northern Whig Bar, 2-10 Bridge Street, Belfast – A host of talented guest musicians dropping in throughout the week including Tiernan Heffron, The Porter Belly’s, The Rare Aul Stuff and Glengormley School of Traditional Music.
- Kelly’s Cellars, 30-32 Bank Street, Belfast – Live music and trad sessions with all musicians invited to bring along their instruments and join in.
- The Points, 44 Dublin Rd, Belfast – ‘a cracking lineup ready to go, with something happening every day throughout the Fleadh’
- Lavery’s, 12-18 Bradbury Place, Belfast – Live music or entertainment every night including Cúig, The Wran, John Spillane, Valtos and The Rapparees
- Nancy Mulligans, 95-97 Castle Street – Live music throughout the Fleadh and lots of traditional music sessions.
Do you need tickets for the Belfast Fleadh?
Much of the Fleadh can be enjoyed free of charge, including The Gig Rig performances, street entertainment and many Fringe activities. Some concerts, competitions, workshops and special events require advance booking or paid tickets.
All-Ireland Fleadh competition finals
- Friday – Sunday
- Various locations for 2026 included Waterfront Hall, The Mac, Ulster University, Titanic Slipways, and the Assembly Buildings. We expect similar for 2027.
Having qualified at county and provincial levels, finalists compete at the Fleadh for All-Ireland titles across 180 categories of music, dance and language. Members of the public can attend many of the competition sessions to enjoy a fascinating range of traditional instruments and art forms featuring some of the finest traditional musicians, singers and dancers from Ireland and overseas. Some events may require tickets or admission, so check the individual competition listing before attending.
The Senior Céilí Band Competition was held on the Sunday at the Waterfront Hall and was promoted as one of the Fleadh highlights.
Click to view the 2026 competition timetable. Note that competition age groups are denoted U12 (under 12), 12–15 (years), 15–18 (years), and O18 (over 18 years/senior) on the schedule.
A week of Irish language – Seachtain na Gaeilge
Seachtain na Gaeilge is a programme to encourage the use and learning of the Irish language during the Fleadh. The aim is to give the language more visibility, to provide workshops and storytelling opportunities, and for the language to be seen and heard naturally during the festival. Some highlights are outlined below:
The MAC Irish Language Hub for free taster classes and more
A major focus of activity for 2026 was the Irish Language Hub at The MAC, which hosted a week-long programme of language, music, arts, culture and community events.
The hub featured free daily Irish language taster classes, delivered by Ulster University, alongside a ‘tea and conversation’ hub and dedicated family room operating throughout the week, creating a relaxed and welcoming environment for people to use, hear and experience the Irish language in a practical setting.
Other Irish-language activities
Irish language film also played a key role, with screenings of Mise Éire, Róise & Frank and the award-winning An Cailín Ciúin (The Quiet Girl), while talks and discussions explored language, heritage and cultural identity through contributions from universities, community organisations and cultural practitioners.
Other activities included a Belfast history walk led by Professor Fionntán de Brún, exploring the history of the Irish language in the city, live broadcasts from Raidió Fáilte, performances and workshops for families, and discussions focused on inclusion, accessibility and community participation.
Scoil Éigse – A top-tier Cultural Summer School
- Ulster University campus
- Monday–Friday
Together with the All-Ireland Competition Finals, Scoil Éigse is an integral component of the Fleadh and provides an opportunity to learn from the best of the best. The week’s programme offers courses in a very wide range of musical instruments – banjo, bodhrán, button accordion, fiddle, flute, harp and uilleann pipes and more, alongside singing, dancing and Irish language. Students have the opportunity to stay in the university halls of residence. Pre-registration is required.
Even if you are not attending the school, you can also enjoy public performances showcasing the talent brought together by the summer school.
The programme from 2026 was:
- Recitals: Monday and Tuesday afternoons, 2.45–3.45pm, Ulster University Campus
- The Tutor Concert: Wednesday afternoon, 3.00– 5.00pm, Ulster University Campus
- Seisiún Mór na hÉigse: Thursday afternoon, 2.45– 3.30pm, St. Anne’s Cathedral steps.
Visit the official Scoil Éigse website for more information.
Good to know: In 2026 TG4 broadcast the competitions and events so even if you couldn’t make it, you could still enjoy the event from the comfort of your own home.
3. How to get to the Belfast Fleadh
In 2026, the centre of Belfast was pedestrianised for the Fleadh, and similar arrangements are likely for 2027.
Visitors were encouraged to travel by public transport, walk or cycle, or use one of the dedicated Park and Ride services. Once in the city centre, most venues are a flat walk away. With visitor numbers far exceeding expectations, there were complaints of overcrowding on some public transport services. Hopefully, the additional demand will be factored into transport planning for 2027.
Public transport
Translink operated bus and rail services throughout the week, with additional late-night options on Friday and Saturday. Routes and stopping points were affected by road closures, so a dedicated Translink Fleadh page provided a useful reference.
When using public transport in Northern Ireland, we recommend using the Translink journey planner website to plan your route, or download its app.
Please check this page on our website for more information about travelling to Northern Ireland from the Republic of Ireland or elsewhere.
Park and Ride
Three Park and Ride sites were set up for the event, offering parking for just £10 per day and use the free shuttle buses to take you into Belfast. You could prebook your space using the RingGo website or app, or take your chances and show up and pay on arrival. Shuttles ran frequently from early until late.
Detailed information could be found on the special Fleadh Park and Ride website.
For reference, the following were the Park and Ride sites for 2026:
- Eikon Exhibition Centre, Sprucefield (near the M1) to Grand Central Station – Balmoral Park, Lisburn BT27 5RT
- Giant’s Park (near the M2) to Laganside Bus Station (near the Queen Elizabeth Bridges) – Dargan Road, BT3 9LS
- Belfast Harbour (near the M3) to Laganside Bus Station (near the Queen Elizabeth Bridges) – 20 Airport Road West, BT3 9ED
4. Accessibility at the Fleadh
A range of measures were in place to help make the Fleadh accessible, including accessible toilets and Changing Places facilities, rest areas, quiet spaces and a dedicated accessible viewing area at The Gig Rig. A free, fully accessible loop shuttle bus also operated around the pedestrianised city-centre event zone, supporting visitors with mobility needs, families and musicians carrying large instruments or equipment. An Accessibility Hub at CastleCourt Shopping Centre provided information, wayfinding help and sensory support throughout the festival.
We expect accessibility information for 2027 to be published closer to the event.
5. Where to stay at the Belfast Fleadh
Following the huge success of the 2026 Fleadh, when visitor footfall was almost double that predicted, we expect accommodation in Belfast to book out even earlier for 2027. We strongly recommend making your bookings now so that you can get the better deals in the city centre. Many Booking.com properties offer free cancellation or pay-later options, giving you some flexibility if your plans change.
If you find that accommodation options are limited in Belfast city, we recommend taking a look for accommodation in the surrounding towns with good public transport links.
Towns outside Belfast with good transport connections:
- Bangor train line towns – Bangor is a popular seaside town on Belfast Lough about half an hour’s train ride from Lanyon Place train station (some express services take around 17 minutes, others take closer to 45 minutes). The last train from Belfast Lanyon Place to Bangor is normally 10:45pm. Other stops along this line include Holywood, Cultra, Carnalea.
- Larne train line towns – including Carrickfergus, Whitehead, Ballycarry and Larne. The journey to Larne takes around an hour, but Carrickfergus and Whitehead are considerably closer to Belfast.
- Newry / Lisburn train line towns – The local train to Lisburn takes around 23 minutes and stops at Dunmurry, Derriaghy, Lambeg, Hilden and other smaller towns just south of Belfast. Faster Newry services generally bypass the smaller stops but provide further accommodation options in places such as Portadown and Newry.
- Derry~Londonderry train line towns – Antrim is within commuting distance, with the journey from Antrim to Belfast Lanyon Place train station taking around 28 minutes.
You can also check bus services on the Translink Journey Planner website or download the app.
Accommodation options
See our Northern Ireland Accommodation Guide for information about the different areas in which to stay, along with specific Belfast recommendations.
Note – The NorthernIrelandHolidays.co.uk site is made possible thanks to the affiliate commission we can earn, at no extra cost to you, if you make a booking on certain accommodation and service provider sites (eg Booking.com, Agoda, GetYourGuide) after clicking through from our site. Thank you for your support!
Official camping and campervan sites for the Fleadh
Official camping arrangements for 2027 have not yet been announced. For reference, three sites were originally planned for 2026:
Titanic Quarter – by the iconic Samson and Goliath cranes
For Campervans, Caravans and Roof Box Tents
- Prices started from £200 for four nights for a roof box camper with no power provided.
- Facilities included toilets, showers, a communal BBQ area, a bar, food vendors and a shuttle service. The site is also within walking distance of the city centre.
Ormeau Park – a leafy riverside park in South Belfast
Tents-only Campsite
- Prices from £100 (small tent, start of the week only) – £280 (larger tent, Sunday to Monday). Parking was available for an additional fee.
- Facilities included toilets, showers, communal BBQ area, bar, food vendors, a shuttle service to the city centre plus regular public transport. Walking distance to Fringe events.
Falls Park – The heart of West Belfast’s vibrant Gaeltacht Quarter
Tents-only Campsite
- Due to low bookings, the Falls Park campsite was cancelled in 2026, however, it may be offered again in 2027, particularly with higher visitor numbers expected.
With free live music, world-class competitions, spontaneous sessions and events taking place in communities across Belfast, Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2026 was one of the city’s most memorable celebrations. For 2027, plan your transport and accommodation early, but leave some space in your itinerary to follow the music: some of the best Fleadh moments are likely to be the performances and sessions you simply happen upon along the way.
Making the most of your visit to Belfast
The 2027 Fleadh is likely to provide most visitors with a jam-packed schedule of activities, but if you are looking for more information about things to see and do in Belfast, please visit our Belfast Guide page.
