Belfast awash with a sea of activities

Belfast will be awash with fun for all the family, with a sea of activities for all ages during the biggest event to be staged anywhere in Ireland this year. Four days of festivities – from fireworks to funfairs – are planned to mark the fantastic finale to the 2009 Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge, which will see more than 30 of the World’s finest sailing vessels berthing in Belfast from 13 – 16 August.

From Custom House Square to Pollock Dock, the former Stena terminal to the Odyssey, Belfast’s riverside will be transformed into a ‘city within a city’ – with the emphasis very much on fun.

There will be music and street theatre, magic and science, walking tours and markets, watersports and comedy – and not forgetting those magnificent Tall Ships, which will form the centerpiece of the event. There also will be a fantastic fireworks display on each of the three evenings on which the ships are here.

Among the highlights are:

Street theatre from Barren Carousel, That Man, Ladies of the Waves, The Magilligan Brothers and Mr H, among others;
Nightly concerts in Custom House Square, featuring Four Men And A Dog, The Battlefield Band, Orquestra Cache and Flook;
The finale of the ‘UK Strongest Man’ competition and the Irish Open Arm Wrestling Championships;
Live radio broadcasts with Hugo Duncan and Alan Simpson;
Outdoor laserquest, drumming workshops and live science shows, all at Queen’s Quay;
Music from Jo Jingles, the Band of HM Royal Marines and ‘Young Star Search’;
A dedicated family activity zone at Clarendon Dock, with face painting, arts and crafts, a climbing wall and a dive tank, as well as live music
The opportunity to experience Belfast’s Maritime history with a visit to the Thompson Dry Dock and Pump house, Titanic’s Drawing Office, MV Confiance, the SS Nomadic and a Lagan Boat tour.

A free shuttle service will operate between the six sites on both sides of the river, as well as to and from the City Centre.

For all the latest information on the Tall Ships, pick up a brochure from outlets across Northern Ireland, visit the Belfast Welcome Centre in Donegall Place, call (028) 9024 6609 or log on to www.gotobelfast.com

August 13, 2009   Posted in: Ireland