The Belfast Festival at Queens

One of Ireland's largest international arts, the Belfast Festival at Queens, takes place during the last two weeks of October with a host of internationally renowned acts in theatre, dance, music, comedy, literature and art.

The festival started out as a small event on Queen's University campus, Belfast and has grown to become the largest event of its kind in Ireland. Now in it's 50th year, the Belfast Festival at Queens attracts the cream of international acts to the city and celebrates the dynamic artistic talents of Belfast. The two-week festival attracts some 50,000 visitors to see a range of events in theatre, dance, classical music, Jazz, folk, comedy, literature and visual art, at venues across the city.

Past performers at the Belfast Festival have included Dizzy Gillespie, Ravi Shankar, the Moscow State Circus, Laurence Olivier, the Royal Shakespeare Company and Jimi Hendrix! This year it's the turn of the Frank Skinner, John Prine, Ute Lemper, Andreas Scholl, Tailor's Daughter, Jimeoin, Duke Speacial & The Frames, Comedians Bill Bailey & Sean Hughes to entertain the Belfast audiences.

Our guides can arrange flights and accommodation in and around Belfast for the festival period and should you wish to extend your stay and explore Northern Ireland, our guides are on hand to help you build your own customized vacation to Ireland, so if you would like more information about Ireland, our self-drive Irish vacations, escorted coach tours or activity vacations please contact one of our Ireland based Guides who can provide you with a free quote.

Festivals to see on your Ireland vacation

• Cork Week - July
  Cork Week, commonly known as Ford week (The festival was sponsored by Ford Motor Company for many years), is Ireland's largest international sailing regatta and is held in July every two years.
   
• The Dublin Horse Show - August
  The Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show will take over the entire RDS complex in the heart of Dublin during August.
   
• The Rose of Tralee - August
  Ireland's premier beauty festival the Rose of Tralee attracts contestants and visitors from all over Ireland and the World to the colourful town of Tralee in Co. Kerry.
   
• Irish Match Making Festival Lisdoonvarna - September
  Throughout the month of September, the spa town of Lisdoonvarna close to the Burren in Co. Clare, celebrates the world famous Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival with music and lots of fun.
   
• Galway International Oyster Festival - September
  The Galway International Oyster Festival is the premier event in the Galwegian calendar, when people from all over the world descend on Galway to sample the world famous oysters of Galway Bay and the legendary craic of the West of Ireland.
   
• Kinsale Food Festival - October
  In October, Kinsale, the gourmet food capital of Ireland, holds the Kinsale Food Festival promising a host of culinary delights, appearances from renowned celebrity chefs and a range of entertainments for all the family.
   
• The Guinness Jazz Festival Cork - October
  Ireland's biggest Jazz Event, the Guinness Jazz Festival in Cork kicks off at the end of October from the and this year promises to be one of the biggest ever.