Belfast's city center is very busy this week as it hosts Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, the most important event for traditional Irish arts. This is the first time the festival has been held in Belfast. Organizers expect about 800,000 visitors between August 2 and August 9.
To manage the large number of guests, three big parking areas were set up outside the city. Visitors can park their cars and take free buses to the festival areas. Over 1,300 volunteers from all over Ireland are helping at the event.
The main stage, called the Gig Rig, is located at Belfast City Hall and offers free entertainment all day. Pádraig Ó Duinnín, who managed the Gig Rig project, said, "It is going to be a fantastic week, like nothing we have ever seen before. There is something here for everybody."
The opening ceremony included famous accordion player Sharon Shannon and featured a mix of cultures, with South Asian dancers performing with Irish dancers and bagpipers. Musicians came from countries like Japan, Australia, and Germany.
Political leaders, including President Catherine Connolly and Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, were present. Little-Pengelly stated, "Culture need not divide us. At its best, it invites us to listen, to learn, and to discover."
The festival has over 200 activities and 180 music competitions. Different neighborhoods are hosting events, including language lessons and workshops at The Mac. A special fringe program includes over 90 smaller community events.
Belfast, already a UNESCO City of Music, is a fitting host. The festival previously visited Northern Ireland in 2013 in Derry. The organization behind the event, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, is celebrating its 75th anniversary. The festival will return to Belfast in 2027.