January Festivals
New Years Eve/Day: is celebrated across Northern Ireland and usually involves night-long parties, fireworks and lots of alcohol. Many people travel to Belfast from all over the UK to join in their famous celebrations. March Festivals
St Paddy’s Day: a sea of green fills every town and village in Northern Ireland to celebrate Ireland’s patron saint. St Patrick’s Day in Northern Ireland is one of the largest events in the province, and indeed the world. Many people even choose to visit the grave of St Patrick in the village of Downpatrick, south of Belfast. July Festivals
Orange Fest: marches take place all over Northern Ireland, with droves of ‘Orange Men’ parading through the streets bearing flags and accompanied by marching bands to show their allegiance to William III, the Dutch-born Protestant king of England. The parade dates back to the late 1700s and is best seen in Belfast. August Festivals
Feile an Phobail: the largest community festival in the whole of Ireland takes place in West Belfast and features a carnival parade, theatre performances, concerts, street parties, and historical tours of the City and Milltown cemeteries. October Festivals
Banks of the Foyle Hallowe'en Carnival: this fun annual Londonderry festival takes place over five days before Halloween with a huge parade of demons, witches, ghosts and ghouls. The fireworks display is impressive. November Festivals
Belfast Book Fair: the longest-running and biggest book fair in the country usually takes place in Wellington Park Hotel and features dozens of dealers from Ireland and the UK mainland. Foyle Film Festival: this annual Derry event features prominent premieres in Londonderry’s cinemas for 10 days in November and also includes filmmaking workshops and master classes. December Festivals
Christmas: as with the whole of the UK, Christmas is a time for celebration. The day itself is typically a family affair, while the run up to the 25th sees friends and family enjoying some good parties, last minute shopping and food preparation. | 
