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food-drink · Friday 24 July 2026 · Various 
Belfast Whiskey Week 2026
At Various venues across Belfast · Belfast City Centre, Belfast, Co. Antrim
At Various venues across Belfast · Belfast City Centre, Belfast, Co. Antrim
Seven years in, Belfast Whiskey Week has earned its place as Ireland’s largest whiskey festival - nine days of tastings, distillery events, cocktail nights and food pairings spread across Belfast city centre. The 2026 edition runs 24 July to 1 August, with over 100 events and more than 40 whiskey brands taking part. It draws serious whiskey drinkers from across Ireland and further afield, but it is also an easy entry point for anyone who is curious and not yet committed to a particular dram. If you are in the north in late July, this is worth planning around.
The week is built around three strands running simultaneously. Belfast Fringe Fest takes whiskey out of the formal tasting setting - pop-up experiences, surprise venues and local legends keeping things unpredictable. Belfast Cocktail City puts the city’s best bartenders to work across nine nights of whiskey-led cocktail events, a good option if straight pours are not quite your thing. Belfast Food Fest pairs artisan producers with local chefs for immersive dining experiences, making the case that whiskey and food belong on the same table.
The centrepiece is the Whiskey Expo, held at the Europa Hotel on the final day, Saturday 1 August. Over 40 distilleries attend, with tastings, meet-the-maker sessions and the Irish Whiskey Industry Awards rounding out the day. Events do sell out - the festival has drawn more than 20,000 whiskey fans since it started in 2019 - so booking early is sensible. Individual events start from GBP 15.
Belfast is well connected by road and rail. Dublin to Belfast takes just over two hours by Enterprise train, with services running several times daily from Connolly Station. From the north-west, the Derry to Belfast rail line runs regularly. Europa Bus Centre and Belfast Great Victoria Street station sit right in the city centre, putting most festival venues within easy walking distance. If you are driving in, the city has several multi-storey car parks close to the centre, though public transport is the more practical option for an event built around drinking.
The festival makes a natural excuse for a longer weekend - the Cathedral Quarter, the Titanic Quarter and the Victorian covered market at St George’s are all worth the extra time. There is more to see in Belfast and across Co. Antrim.
Heading to Various 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.