The biggest music event since the pandemic began saw 10,000 people attend a concert in Belfast’s Falls Park on Sunday night as part of the annual Féile a Phobail.
The Diversionary Féile Music Night featured international DJ Paul Van Dyk and Judge Jules. The dance fans had to prove that they had been fully vaccinated. Or had a negative result from an NHS lateral flow PCR test within 48 hours of the event. Evidence of recovery from a Covid-19 infection within the previous six months was also acceptable.
To encourage people to attend, 500 free tickets were given away to young people who attended a Féile vaccination unit on August 3rd. Crowds started to form at 6am to get the tickets.
Féile an Phobail is a community led festival held in Belfast every August, since 1988. This year the festival events will be split between online and live. There will be more than 200 different events on offer.
The festival has an eclectic mix of arts and cultural events. It includes headline music concerts, international sporting events and Irish traditional music. There will also be talks and debates, tours and walks, comedy, theatre, visual arts, family, and events for young people. Féile Belfast
WBA Featherweight Title Fight
On Friday night, Falls Park hosted a boxing night involving local former Olympian Michael Conlan who won the interim WBA featherweight world title points win over TJ Doheny. That too was a sold-out event with 8,000 fans attending.
Other upcoming events are the Cage Conflict IV MMA Fight Night, music from Back to the 80s, and The Wolfe Tones.
Last week, music fans in the Republic of Ireland were disappointed when the hopes for Electric Picnic music event were dashed. The event was scheduled for late September and planning permission was refused by Laois County Council.