WITH just three weeks to go until Féile an Phobail presses the start button for the city’s biggest party this summer, a dash of colour has been added to the festival’s nerve centre, the Falls Park.

Colourful Féile flags and festival bunting have been erected to mark out the park as the heart of the festival while the Galetacht Quarter, which will also host many events, is also bedecked in colour.

The festival was launched last week, the programmes are out and the tickets are on sale. All that remains now is for the curtain to go up on August 1.

“The countdown is really on now for Ireland’s biggest community artsfest and summer school,” said Féile Director Kevin Gamble. “The Falls Park and Gaeltacht Quarter are really the headquarters for Féile events, including all of our headline concerts and the comedy night. Along with our Big Top marquee, we have been working closely with Fáilte Feirste Thiar and Belfast City Council and have invested in festival banners and flags to mark the Gaeltacht Quarter and Falls Park as festival venues, something we believe will help create a bit of festival atmosphere as well as adding colour to the local area. We will also be using a group of street buskers to provide some light entertainment during the festival throughout the Gaeltacht Quarter, again to bring a special atmosphere to our community.”

Kevin says the tickets are selling like hotcakes for this year’s line-up and he is encouraging everyone to secure theirs before its too late.

“Don’t leave it too late to join in the fun,” he said.  “Many of our headline concerts are selling tickets at a record pace and we have actually increased the size of our marquee to cater for the demand.

“With the likes of Faithless playing their only gig in Ireland in 2013, Chicane Live, The Coronas, Happy Mondays, The Charlatans, LAPD, Damien Dempsey and The Beat gracing the Féile stage, it’s no wonder demand for tickets is so great.

“We also have the Wolfe Tones playing their only Belfast gig as part of their 50th anniversary tour on Thursday, August 8 and we have also attracted one of Ireland best loved comedians in Paddy Kielty, who, along with rising star Mickey Bartlett, will deliver our famous comedy night – that’s usually the first to sell out so get your tickets early!”

For more information. log on to www.felebelfast.com or call 90 313440.