Belfast has marked the official opening of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2026, beginning a week of song, dance and culture at the world's largest celebration of traditional Irish music. The festival stretches from August 2 to 9, with more than 200 events and 180 traditional music competitions taking place across venues, pubs and streets in the city.
A first for Belfast and Northern Ireland
The annual festival is being hosted in Belfast for the first time, and in Northern Ireland for only the second time, after Londonderry welcomed it in 2013. The 2026 edition is poised to be among the most culturally diverse in the festival's history, with cross-community participation and a celebration of traditions from Northern Ireland and beyond.
Opening day collaborations
The opening programme includes a special collaborative performance from host branch Ards CCÉ, South Asian Dance Academy and Belfast Bands Forum, joined by highland pipers and champion Irish dancers led by Riverdance lead Lauren Smyth. They will perform at the Gig Rig outside City Hall, where musicians and dancers will play daily from 11am to 11pm.
Sunday's stage
On Sunday, the outdoor stage will also welcome more than 100 children from primary and secondary schools across North Down and Belfast, taking part in a schools choir project. The evening lineup continues with Goitse, Blackwater Céilí Band and accordion virtuoso Sharon Shannon with her Big Band.
Competition and sessions
Musicians and dancers from across the world flock to the host city to compete in the All-Ireland Fleadh, with Irish hopefuls having qualified through county and provincial Fleadhs. Others come for music workshops and the open music sessions that will spring up in a range of venues and spaces across Belfast.
