Everything you need to know about Culture Night Belfast 2018
This year's theme is “Love”
Last updated 21st Sep 2018
Culture Night Belfast returns this weekend for its tenth year and it's set to be the biggest yet.
The most exciting night in the city's social calendar, is a free, city-wide event that celebrates culture, creativity and the arts.
Culture Night started in 2009 and has grown over the past decade, with last year's event attracting a record crowd of 100,000 people.
When is Culture Night happening?
Friday 21st September with activities taking place right across Belfast city centre.
Most events will take place between 1pm – 10pm, however, all events aimed specifically at children will end at 9pm.
What's happening?
With over 230 different free events taking place, from Opera to Brass Funk and Circus performance to Cabaret, there's something for everyone.
Download the full programme of free events happening
Come enjoy the evening at CastleCourt from Cool FM's live broadcast at Royal Avenue to dances, singing, live theatre and beauty sessions.
COOL FM CULTURE SESSIONS STAGE
17:30 Owen Denvir
18:00 Cora
18:30 Owen Lamont
19:00 Davy Watson
19:30 Triona
20:00 Niamh McGlinchey
20:30 Ben Cutler
21:00 Aidan Logan
21:30 Ennis Brothers
Some of the other highlights include;
Tie the knot at Bullitt's Chapel of Love!
Bullitt Hotel, 40a Church Lane, BT1 4QN - 6PM
Head to Church Lane and get hitched at Bullitt’s Chapel of Love – Las Vegas style! Bringing new meaning to the term shotgun wedding, Bullitt welcomes you to walk down the aisle, declare your love and celebrate your unholy matrimony with live music, drinks, DJs and dancing – NO boring speeches allowed!
Cathedral Quarter Cultural Walking Tour
Cotton Court 30-42 Waring St, Belfast BT1 2ED - 2PM
On this tour you’ll discover the richness of the Cathedral Quarter’s culture from Religion to Punk and Sculpture to Graffiti plus you’ll hear about the People and Places that conspired to make Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter one of the top destinations in the world.
Chinese dance workshop & performance
The Big Fish, Donegall Quay, Belfast BT1 3NU - 4:30PM/5:30PM
Faded flowers – A Chinese dance followed by a dance movement teaching workshop; this is a Chinese dance combining jazz improvisation and classical Chinese dance elements. The music is from a popular song in China based on a TV drama in which one of the concubines of the emperor feels she cannot control her life and has not been been fully loved. The dancers’s body and movement is used to demonstrate the process of the flower life cycle from blossom to decay, which is used to symbolise the coming and going of love and the uncontrollable element of people’s everyday life.
Join Emily McDonough for a dance off!
Black Box. 18-22 Hill St, Belfast, BT1 2LU - 7:30PM/8:00PM
The Black Box’s theme for Culture Night is Love To Disrupt! Join local dancer extraordinaire Emily McDOnough for a dance off. Family friendly. Learn a few moves, then bust them out in a dance battle royale.
Emma Horan Live
Talbot Street Car Park. Talbot St, Belfast, BT1 2LU. - 19:30PM/21:00PM
Singer-songwriter Emma Horan treats you to a mixture of her unique mash-ups, popular covers and some of her latest releases of original music.
A spectacle of light and magic!
Writer's Square, Belfast, BT1 1Z - 20:00PM/22:00PM
A Culture Night-themed spectacle of sound and vision to rival no other! In partnership with Power NI, Culture Night plans to “projection map” three thrilling animations directly onto St Anne’s Cathedral in a groundbreaking venture that has rarely been witnessed on these shores. Join us at Writer’s Square for an utterly illuminating experience.
Performances by Polercise
Buoy Park, Academy St, Belfast, BT1 2GT - 19:00PM/20:00PM
A 1 hour display of Pole Dance Fitness skills by Polercise instructors & students. These elite athletes will demonstrate through a choreographed routine, the strength and agility that Pole Dance now represents in the field of sporting entertainment. They will bring their own style and flare to the stage, sport, art, drama, comedy, classical. A display to ease your dismay.
Pop-up alfresco theatre
AC Hotel by Marriott Belfast
Harbour, Donegall Quay, Belfast, BT1 3FE - 16:00PM/20:00PM
Theatrical suprises along the terrace at one of Belfast’s newest, most exciting hotels.
Live Pro Wrestling on the Streets of Belfast
St Anne’s Square, 2 Edward St, Belfast, BT1 2LS - 18:30PM/22:00PM
Pro Wrestling Ulster is bringing its Hard Hitting, High Flying Live Show back to the Streets of Belfast for another night of action at Culture Night Belfast. Matches will take place every half hour form 6pm to 9.30pm. And this year marks the inaugural CNB Title Belt championship. There can be only one winner.
Live American Football & Quarterback Challenge
The Big Fish, Donegall Quay, Belfast, BT1 3NG - 18:00PM/21:00PM
Come have a look at one of the fastest growing sports in Ireland – American football! Belfast’s gnarly Knights will be putting on live drills, giving you a taste of what its all about, and invite you to try it yourself, with their Quarterback Challenge.
A tap-dancing world record attempt
The Europa Hotel, Great Victoria St, Belfast BT2 7AP - 18:00PM/19:30PM
Culture Night Belfast has teamed up with Bank of Ireland UK, – the people who brought you “tap, pay, go” – to make an attempt to hot foot our way into the record books! On the evening of Culture Night, in the Europa Hotel, we’re going to attempt the world record for the largest ever tap dancing lesson! Come witness the spectacle of a genuine world record attempt on the biggest night in the city’s cultural calendar. And if you have tap shoes, maybe you can lend a hand (or a foot!)
Culture Night Belfast 2017
Best places to eat on the night
Pop-ups will feature some of the best local street food vendors offering fabulous flavours from around the world. Visit the Events page and search under ‘Food’ to see a full list of Culture Bites pop-up locations.
Getting there by foot, car, bus, glider or rail
Translink is providing Metro Nightmover services at 11.30pm, Midnight, 12.30am and 1.00am on selected routes. Visit www.translink.co.uk/culturenight
New for Culture Night this year is Glider! Offering fast and reliable journeys linking West Belfast, East Belfast and Titanic Quarter via the city centre.
The Cathedral Quarter is a leisurely 10-minute walk from Belfast City Hall and a 20 minute walk from both Central (Lanyon) and Great Victoria Street Stations.
If you do need to bring your car, parking around the city will be limited with no on-street parking spaces available within the Cathedral Quarter including Donegall Street, North Street, Union Street, Kent Street, Academy Street, Exchange Street, Hill Street, Waring Street, Skipper Street, Talbot Street and Royal Avenue.
What's the weather going to be like?
At the moment the Met Office are forecasting a dry evening. You won't need a brolly but be sure to wrap up warm.
"After a dull start it should brighten up with increasing amounts of sunshine in the afternoon - high of 14C"
Download the Culture Night Belfast app
Get the latest updates, plan your own personal schedule and access the latest news.
Download the Culture Night Belfast app and make the most of your Culture Night experience.
Culture Night is a family friendly event and intoxicated behaviour will not be tolerated. Culture Night is not a ‘bring your own’ event and usual street drinking legislation applies. Culture Night is a breastfeeding-friendly event.