THE biggest ever Féile an Earraigh – the annual Belfast Spring Festival – is underway with over 300 events taking place across the city.
Infusing the hustle and bustle of the dynamic Gaeltacht Quarter with Irish traditional arts, Féile an Earraigh celebrates the Irish language, traditional music and culture through a range of events including concerts, workshops, Irish language classes, tours, walks, sports and family events in the lead up to St Patrick’s Day.
The festival includes 140 trad sessions across Belfast at venues including Maddens Bar, Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich, Áras Uí Chonghaile, Rock Bar and many more.
For talks and debates, highlights include an International Women’s Day talk, lectures on the 1916 leaders at Áras Uí Chonghaile, a panel discussion on the importance of local community services being delivered through the medium of Irish, and loads more on Raidió Fáilte.
Start a new skill or enhance a current one with an exciting programme of workshops and classes including céilí dancing, bodhrán, tin whistle, preparing food, planting vegetables and plants and yoga. There will be Irish language classes throughout the city for all levels of learner with Scoil Ghaeilge Mhic Giolla Fhiondáin, and make sure not to miss the ‘Focal an Lae’ online daily instalments.
There are also 25 events for the whole family to enjoy, including walking tours, social nights, traditional music workshops, bilingual hot yoga, an international food fayre, early years activities, Spraoi Cois Lao (the Féile an Earraigh and Seachtain na Gaeilge flagship Irish language family event) and much more.
Féile an Earraigh also has over 33 scheduled tours and walks exploring Irish history from 1798 to the present day, in both Irish and English. Journey through Belfast’s illustrious past with 1798 tours, trail the Milltown and City cemeteries and join one of Coiste’s famous Falls Road mural and Falls/Shankill tours. You can also learn about James Connolly’s time in Belfast, the history of Belfast Celtic and more.
Féile an Phobail Director Kevin Gamble said: "Each year our Spring Festival, Féile an Earraigh, continues to grow with over 300 events taking place this March.
“This year's Féile an Earraigh is running in partnership with Seachtain na Gaeilge, providing audiences with an opportunity to immerse themselves in Irish music, culture and language. The festival is programmed to coincide with the celebration of our patron saint, St Patrick.
“It is the first in a series of events and festivals that Féile an Phobail will deliver in 2026, with planning for our internationally renowned August Féile at full pace.
“This year’s Féile an Earraigh will deliver a wonderful mix of traditional music, Irish language events, and St Patrick’s Day related arts and cultural events.
“There are over 300 Irish arts and cultural events taking place right across the city, including 120 Irish trad music sessions.
“It is especially important that Féile an Phobail is leading in the promotion of Irish traditional music, as we celebrate bringing the prestigious Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann here to Ireland's second city for the first time ever this August.
“We will showcase our great city to the many thousands of visitors that will be in Belfast or thinking of coming to Belfast to celebrate St Patrick's Day in Ireland.
“Belfast City Council is working with key stakeholders, including Féile an Phobail, to place Belfast at the heart of Ireland’s St Patrick's Day offering. We have a lot more work to do, but events like Féile an Earraigh provide a spotlight for showcasing the rich cultural and artistic talent and diversity in Belfast."
Kevin said that Féile highlights the "vital contribution" that local artists and the wider arts sector in Belfast and beyond provide to society and how it goes a long way to improving the image of the city.
"We provide an important platform for local, national and international artists to showcase their talent," he added.
“Some of the highlights of this March’s Spring festival include the Féile Trad Trail with over 120 free live Irish traditional music sessions at venues across every part of Belfast and in the city centre from 1st March through to St Patrick’s Day. As well as the very best of Irish trad musicians from Belfast, musicians from right across Ireland will be taking part.
“On Saturday 7th March Spraoi Cois Lao will take place at Custom House Square. This is a family friendly celebration of Irish culture, music and language, with live Irish music, bouncy castles, characters, sensory room, climbing walls, ceili dancing, and fun for all the family.
“On St Patrick’s Day the Craic 10k will take place from Belfast City Hall. Up to 6,000 people will take part in this huge event, and you should get registered now and get yourself ready for this great event.
"And to cap it all off the St Patrick's Day carnival parade will take place in Belfast city centre with enormous crowds expected as Belfast celebrates our patron saint.
“Féile is a powerful advertisement for the incredible, talented and creative community that is West Belfast and this year’s Féile an Earraigh is going to be the biggest yet."
You can find a daily event schedule here.
A festival programme, including all Trad Trail times is available here.
