Northern Ireland Events 2024, 2025 and 2026

photosteve101 / CC-by

2024, 2025 and 2026 Events in Northern Ireland

Whatever the time of year, you can always find something happening in Northern Ireland. Despite being just a small country, there’s never a dull moment to be found here. Joining in one of a number of celebrations and events will see you rubbing shoulders with the locals and getting into the Irish spirit. Your experience will certainly depend on where you are. Belfast offers vibrant energy, while Derry is a great option if you want to explore more local culture and immerse yourself in the warm community atmosphere. And of course, St. Patrick’s Day fun can be found everywhere.

As this is a Protestant country, it’s not surprising that one of the largest festivals is also its most controversial. July hosts Orangefest, a festival dating back to the 1700s, featuring orange men walking through the cities of Northern Ireland. According to history, these are Protestant Loyalists showing their allegiance to England’s William of Orange. However, given the religious nature of this event, security is paramount, and it’s certainly not an event enjoyed by all, especially Catholics. It’s best seen in Belfast, although smaller parades and events do take place throughout Northern Ireland.

Luckily, there is a lot of family-friendly fun to be had here too. Feile an Phobail is a West Belfast Festival and is one of the biggest community events in Europe. It’s all about local children, with thousands of them joining the procession through Belfast alongside theatre acts, music and more. In fact, Belfast is home to many of the main events, including Belfast Festival in October, the Marathon and the Lord Mayor’s Carnival in May. It’s all about dressing up, going on parades and playing music in Northern Ireland, so timing your trip for one of these events will ensure you have a great time.

Photo credits: Steve Graham / Flickr BB-by (Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival) ; Ardfern, CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons (Belfast Marathon) ; PAUL, CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons (North West 200) ; © Omagh Academy Showjumpers / Facebook (Balmoral Show) ; © Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough / Facebook (Ballyclare May Fair) ; Conradder, CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons (Belsonic) ; Public domain (Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen’s Day)) ; © vin_sustainable_fuel_sources / instagram (Féile an Phobail: August Féile) ; © Maiden City Festival (Maiden City Festival) ; angelganev / CC-by (Summer bank holiday) ; © letsgoletsgo_adventures / instagram (Belfast International Arts Festival)