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festivals · Friday 17 July 2026 · Various 
Belfast Pride Festival 2026
At Custom House Square and venues across Belfast · Custom House Square, Belfast, Co. Antrim
At Custom House Square and venues across Belfast · Custom House Square, Belfast, Co. Antrim
Belfast Pride Festival is the biggest LGBTQIA+ celebration on the island of Ireland, and 2026 marks its 35th anniversary - a milestone for a city that has changed enormously since the festival first took to the streets. Ten days of events build across Belfast through late July, with community gatherings, club nights, arts performances, market stalls and family activities spread right across the city before everything peaks on parade day. The theme for 2026 is “Love In Every Colour.” Whether you are part of the LGBTQIA+ community or simply want to be present for one of Belfast’s most joyful public occasions, this is a festival that has earned its reputation.
The festival runs from Friday 17 July through Sunday 26 July, with over 150 events taking in everything from cabaret and comedy to community open days and ticketed club nights. The full programme is published at belfastpride.com and grows as community groups and performers add their own events - so it is worth checking back closer to the date.
The centrepiece is the Pride Parade on Saturday 25 July. Build-up at Custom House Square starts from 11am and the parade steps off at 1pm, travelling along High Street, past Bridge Street and Waring Street, down Donegall Street and Royal Avenue, through Donegall Place and Chichester Street, finishing at Victoria Street. Hundreds of groups, floats, community organisations and individuals take part; the route draws enormous crowds along the footpaths.
Directly after the parade, the Party in the Square brings six hours of live music, drag performances, local and international DJs and family-friendly shows back to Custom House Square. The Pride Village at the Big Fish on Donegall Quay runs alongside the main celebrations as an alcohol-free and smoke-free space with market stalls, information stands, children’s entertainment, bouncy castles and a quiet area - it welcomes all ages and does not require a ticket.
Some club nights and concerts are ticketed separately; check the full programme for details.
Belfast is easy to reach by road and rail from across Ireland and Britain. From Dublin, Enterprise trains run directly to Lanyon Place station (formerly Belfast Central) in just over two hours; there are also frequent Translink and Bus Eireann coaches on the route. From Derry, Coleraine and Larne, Northern Ireland Railways connects into Lanyon Place as well. Lanyon Place is a short walk from Custom House Square, which puts you right at the heart of the festival.
The city centre is well served by Metro buses, and the Glider rapid transit runs along the east-west corridor. For drivers coming from the south, the M1 brings you into central Belfast; parking in the city centre is available at several multi-storeys near Victoria Square and the Cathedral Quarter, though on parade day the area around the route fills up early, so arriving by rail or coach is the easier option.
The parade route passes through some of Belfast’s most interesting streets, taking you past the Cathedral Quarter’s bars and independent restaurants, the Victorian grandeur of Royal Avenue and the regenerated waterfront at Custom House Square and Donegall Quay. It is a good excuse to spend the weekend rather than just the day. There is more to see in Belfast and across Co. Antrim.
Heading to Custom House Square and venues across Belfast in Belfast? Antrim has plenty more to see. Read the Belfast area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.