Belfast’s streets come alive with music this December
Belfast City Council and Snow Water will be showcasing a magical programme of free live Christmas music events every weekend until 21st December 2025, celebrating Belfast’s status as a UNESCO City of Music.
20 days of fabulous performances featuring traditional and contemporary festive favourites, memorable experiences to lift your spirits, leading soloists to plenty of sing-along moments with choirs, it’s the ultimate way to celebrate the season!
Curated by Snow Water, its Director Carolyn Mathers commented “Snow Water marks its 10th anniversary this year so we’re excited to be showcasing some of our finest musicians - from choirs to brass bands, from NI Music Prize winners to jazz orchestras, from opera to our singer-songwriters, from trad groups to carol singers - we hope to bring a little joy, a little beauty and a little magic to the days leading up to Christmas.”
Highlights include:
🎶 A Christmas Sing-Along of seasonal tunes and carols with the award-winning NI Opera (lyrics provided!)
🎶 A host NI Music Prize nominees and winners, including Taylor Lally, Tessio, Sasha Samara and Rory Nellis plus Oh Yeah Music Centre Scratch artists Aqua Tofana, Sophie French and Charlie Hanlon.
🎶 Enchanting professional soloists Petra Wells, Rachael Heater and Dessie Havlin and the Chordblossom Christmas Showcase
🎶 Carols from the award-winning Downshire Brass Band, jazz trios, concert bands, harpists, fiddle players and dancers from Trim the Velvet and the Avenue Arts Academy dancers.
🎶 A host of choirs including the Belfast Musical Theatre Choir, the 80 strong Hazelwood Integrated School Choir and Belfast’s oldest choir, Renaissance Chamber who will be celebrating their 50th anniversary next year.
The finale will be a performance from the Belfast Community Gospel Choir at Grand Central Station (fresh from their sell-out performance at the Waterfront Hall).
Expect songs by Darlene Love, Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker, Taylor Swift’s Christmas Tree Farm, Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas, to carols so traditional and timeless such as ‘Silent Night’, which are as festive as mince pies!
Performances will take place at outdoor locations across the City Centre, including City Hall, Grand Central Station and Royal Avenue, every Thursday and Friday from 5.30pm to 7.30pm and every Saturday and Sunday from 2pm to 5pm – all admission free!
For full timetable details, check out belfastcity.gov.uk/Events/Music-programme-Under-a-Christmas-Sky
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