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heritage · Sunday 26 July 2026 · Various 
Belfast TradFest Ceili Programme 2026
At Redeemer Central, The Black Box and venues citywide · Donegall Street, Belfast, Co. Antrim
At Redeemer Central, The Black Box and venues citywide · Donegall Street, Belfast, Co. Antrim
Belfast TradFest is a week-long celebration of traditional Irish music that runs from Sunday 26 July to Sunday 2 August 2026. Now in its 8th edition, the festival has become a fixture on Belfast’s cultural calendar - the event most credited with putting trad music firmly on the city’s map as a UNESCO City of Music. The ceili programme in particular offers something accessible to anyone: no experience needed, no partner required, just a willingness to join in. If you have been wanting an excuse to try set dancing or ceili for the first time, this is the right week.
The ceili strand runs across several evenings and venues during the festival week. The opening night is a free outdoor Titanic Ceili at the Titanic Slipways on Sunday 26 July at 1pm - a great entry point if you want the atmosphere without the ticket commitment.
From Monday 27 July onwards, the action moves indoors to Redeemer Central on Donegall Street in the Cathedral Quarter. Each evening brings a different ceili band:
The Black Box on Hill Street hosts The Big Queer Ceili on Wednesday 29 July at 9pm, with The Lagan Ceili Band and caller Alexa Moore - one of the most popular nights in the programme in recent years.
Each ceili is called, so newcomers are guided through the dances step by step. The atmosphere at TradFest events is notably inclusive - the festival has built its reputation on an open-door ethos that welcomes people of all backgrounds and ages.
The festival also runs a summer school, pub sessions, concerts and workshops across more than 40 venues throughout the week, so a ceili night can sit comfortably within a broader TradFest programme.
Redeemer Central and The Black Box are both in Belfast city centre, within a short walk of each other in the Cathedral Quarter. If you are travelling by train, Lanyon Place (Belfast Centraal) is roughly a 10-15 minute walk. The Europa Bus Centre on Great Victoria Street connects to most towns across Northern Ireland and to Dublin via Translink. By car, Belfast sits on the M1 from Dublin (roughly 1 hour 45 minutes) and the M2 from the north. City centre parking is available at the Q-Park on Hill Street and at Cathedral Quarter car parks, though weekend evenings fill up quickly - public transport is the easier option.
The Cathedral Quarter is a good base for the evening - plenty of pubs and restaurants within a short walk of both main venues, and the Titanic Quarter is a short taxi or bus ride away for daytime visits. There is more to see in Belfast and across Co. Antrim.
Heading to Redeemer Central, The Black Box and venues citywide 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.