Spring 2019 04/01/2019 14:50 Open a week 7 days Opening in spring 2019 2019 spring in Opening Book online save to Walk in the footsteps of peacemakerspresidents and through the newly restored Hillsborough Castle and Gardens, NorthernIreland’s only royal residence. Free car park, new café and shop DAY OUT DAY ENJOY A ENJOY MAJESTIC Hillsborough Castlen dan Gda Grdenardens s Hillsborough Castle a Hillsbourough 210x130.indd 1 facebook.com/ visitbelfastcity Hello! twitter@visitbelfast Celebrate St Patrick 12 this March. Easter Events Fun for all the 40 family! Welcome to 2019! City of Music Here’s a preview of what’s happening Tune in to your 06 in Belfast in the year ahead. 36 Belfast playlist. 46 The Directory Sightseeing tours, restaurants, cafés, Terry Bradley pubs or clubs... The story behind we’ve got it all 20 the artist. covered. With special thanks to our strategic and corporate partners Translink, Diageo NI, Value Cabs, Victoria Square, Belfast One, Titanic Belfast, Hastings Hotels and Belfast Waterfront. Belfast City Guide is available free Belfast City Guide is produced by Tel: +44 (0)28 9023 9026 Disclaimer All information in this from the Visit Belfast Welcome Visit Belfast Fax: +44 (0)28 9024 9026 guide is correct at the time of Centre and outlets across the city. 9 Donegall Square North Email: [email protected] publication but is subject to change Belfast BT1 5GB www.visitbelfast.com without notice. Check online for Designed by McCadden Northern Ireland latest info at visitbelfast.com VISITBELFAST.COM 3 BELFAST BUCKET LIST MUST DO: Check out our guide to the best Belfast events not to be missed! FESTIVAL 01 CELEBRATION 03 SCIENCE 05 Out to Lunch Festival Chinese New Year Tim Peake Spacecraft 4–27 January 3 February and VR Experience Various Venues Ulster Hall 20 Feb – 12 May Boasting a packed Featuring traditional Ulster Folk and menu of comedy, Chinese musicians, Transport Museum music and literature. acrobats and dancers, Using the very latest in VR cqaf.com as well as stalls, martial technology, experience what arts displays and sports 03 it feels like to sit inside the demonstrations. Soyuz’s descent module as ulsterhall.co.uk it makes its dangerous high- speed journey back to earth. nmni.com/soyuz MUSIC 06 Brilliant Corners – Belfast Jazz Festival 2–9 March Various Venues Serving up a multi-genre SCIENCE 04 musical banquet from NI Science Festival traditional big band 14–24 February and straight-ahead Various Venues small ensembles to Offering a stimulating the avant-garde. 02 EXHIBITION range of events focusing brilliantcorners on the wonders of science, Leonardo da Vinci: belfast.com technology, engineering A Life in Drawing and mathematics. MUSIC 07 1 Feb – 6 May nisciencefestival.com Ulster Museum Belfast Nashville Part of a nationwide Songwriters Festival event marking the 500th 6–10 March anniversary of his death, Clayton Hotel two of Leonardo’s most Celebrating the art of famous works will be song writing in a series of the centrepiece of this concerts, showcases and a unmissable exhibition. convention for songwriters. nmni.com/um belfastnashville.com 4 VISITBELFAST.COM 12 FAMILY FUN 08 CELEBRATION 10 CINEMA 13 Belfast Children’s Festival St Patrick’s Day Belfast Film Festival 8–13 March Celebrations 11–20 April Various Venues 17 March Various Venues A packed programme of Belfast City Centre An exciting and diverse theatre, dance, visual art, Belfast comes alive selection of film from music, literature, comedy, with colour for the annual across the world workshops and talks, carnival parade and including classic and guaranteed to inspire joy, St Patrick’s Day concert. premiere screenings. creativity and curiosity. belfastcity.gov.uk/stpatricks belfastfilmfestival.org youngatart.co.uk FASHION 11 FAMILY FUN 14 Belfast Fashion Week Lord Mayor’s Day 28–31 March 13 April Various Venues Belfast City Hall A showcase of the Enjoy an afternoon of upcoming spring/summer live music, dance and a fashion trends from unique packed programme of free local designers to high activities, as the grounds street favourites. of city hall come alive with belfastfashionweek.com lots of colour and noise. belfastcity.gov.uk/ EXHIBITION 12 lordmayorsday CULTURE 09 Game of Thrones: Feile an Earraigh CELEBRATIONS 15 The Touring Exhibition 11–17 March 11 April – 1 September Various Venues Easter Celebrations Titanic Exhibition Centre Belfast’s traditional 19–23 April Don’t miss the largest Spring festival returns Various Venues public display of breath- with a feast of music, Get out and enjoy lots of taking images and enthralling talks, screenings, tours artefacts from the hit TV ‘eggciting’ Easter events and live entertainment. show Game of Thrones. taking place in Belfast and feilebelfast.com gameofthrones beyond for all the family. exhibition.co.uk visitbelfast.com VISITBELFAST.COM 5 2019 HIGHLIGHTS It’s no secret – Belfast is a city on the rise, with world-class attractions, great guest accommodation, superb shopping, mouth- watering restaurants and one of the warmest welcomes you can get – making Belfast a great place to visit this year. There’s also a packed programme of fantastic events on offer, so here’s your New Year preview for dates to put in your diary during 2019. LEONARDO DA VINCI: TIM PEAKE GAME OF THRONESTM: A LIFE IN DRAWING SPACECRAFT AND VR THE TOURING 1 February – 6 May DESCENT EXPERIENCE EXHIBITION Ulster Museum 20 February – 12 May 11 April – 1 September To mark the 500th Ulster Folk and TEC Belfast anniversary of the death Transport Museum Fans from around the of Leonardo da Vinci, 144 On 15 December 2015, world will have the of the Renaissance master’s British astronaut Tim opportunity to step greatest drawings in the Peake embarked on the inside Westeros and Royal Collection will go on Principia mission to the the lands beyond. display in 12 simultaneous International Space Station, Inspired by and filled exhibitions across the UK. where he spent six months with the breath taking The Ulster Museum’s orbiting Earth. On 18 June images and enthralling exhibition will include two 2016, Tim returned to Earth artefacts from the hit of Leonardo’s most famous in the Soyuz TMA-19M HBO series GAME OF works – The Head of St descent module, which will THRONES, this all-new Anne, made around 1510 in land at the Ulster Transport exhibition will drop fans preparation for his famous Museum this spring. The into the centre of the masterpiece The Virgin and display of the iconic craft will Seven Kingdoms for an Child with St Anne, which be accompanied by Space up-close and personal hangs in the Louvre, and an Descent VR, a unique virtual look at authentic props, anatomical drawing from reality adventure narrated costumes and set 1489, The Skull Sectioned. by Tim Peake himself. Visitors decorations from Visitors will also be able to view will be able to view the the show. Spacecraft for free and take examples of all the drawing gameofthrones part in other paid-for activities. materials employed by the artist. exhibition.co.uk nmni.com/soyuz nmni.com/um 6 VISITBELFAST.COM 2019 HIGHLIGHTS GAME OF THRONES® LEGACY EXPERIENCES As Game of Thrones finishes filming after A BRAND NEW DAY THE OPEN a decade in Northern FOR THE BELFAST 14–21 July Ireland, HBO plans to CITY MARATHON! Royal Portrush celebrate the show’s 5 May Each year, the world’s incredible legacy by Stormont Estate greatest golfers take on converting several filming The 38th Belfast City golf’s one true test, The locations into visitor attractions. Plans are Marathon is set to make Open. Their goal is to etch underway to include history on 5 May 2019 by their name into history, the standing sets for moving to a Sunday. The joining an illustrious club iconic locations such event is set for a massive where membership is earned as Winterfell, Castle year of change with a brand by achieving the title of Black, and Kings Landing new, flatter and faster route Champion Golfer of The Year. alongside a studio tour for marathon participants The 148th Open makes a of Linen Mill Studios in and a new start location historic return to Northern Banbridge. Each site in the grounds of the Ireland in 2019. Golf’s oldest will feature breathtaking iconic Stormont Estate. and most international sets as well as displays There’s a full line up of Championship returns after of costumes, props, events for all levels of fitness 68 years with the world’s weapons, set decorations, including the Marathon greatest players competing art files and models. and Wheelchair Race, for the Claret Jug at Royal The visitor experience Team Relay, 8 Mile Portrush. *Championship will be enhanced by state-of-the-art digital Walk and Fun Run. Days are sold out; however content and interactive Register online via the new Practice Days tickets are materials. For updates app by 12 April 2019. still available. see: visitbelfast.com/ belfastcitymarathon.com theopen.com gameofthrones VISITBELFAST.COM 7 BELFAST BUCKET LIST MUST SEE: Check out our bucket list for the must see places you don’t want to miss on any visit to Belfast. HISTORY 01 Belfast City Hall Exhibition Experience an exciting exhibition showcasing the journey from the city’s past to present, showing the vibrancy and diversity of Belfast City Hall across six themed zones. Free guided tours also available. SEE MAP D4 EXPERIENCE 02 05 Titanic Belfast This state-of-the-art SHOPPING 03 SPORT 05 visitor experience tells Victoria Square Belfast Giants Ice Hockey the story of the Titanic, An exceptional Bring all the family and from construction to her shopping experience get ready to cheer on launch and subsequent with spectacular views, the city’s own Stena place in history.