Published8th Jul 2026, 15:12 BST
Belfast City Hall will come alive with family fun, cultural celebration and entertainment as Orangefest returns this Monday (July 13)
Created to complement the traditional Twelfth celebrations, Orangefest is designed to encourage families, spectators, visitors and local people to enjoy Belfast city centre throughout the day
With the Twelfth falling on a Sunday in 2026, the annual parades and Orangefest celebrations will take place on Monday, July 13, marking the 336th annual demonstration of the Battle of the Boyne
Established in 2007, Orangefest is delivered in collaboration with the County Grand Orange Lodge of Belfast and is designed to promote understanding and respect for the rich and diverse cultural heritage of Northern Ireland
From circus performances and skills workshops to music and a ceilidh by local music act The Rogues, the event takes place in the grounds of City Hall from 11am to 4pm
Other activities will include garden games, kids colouring in and crafts tent and much more
There will also be a selection of free food and drink vouchers available on a first come first served basis throughout the day
Belfast County Grand Master Spencer Beattie said the team behind Orangefest are looking forward to welcoming people back into the city for this year’s celebrations
He said: “Orangefest is about creating a welcoming and family-friendly atmosphere in Belfast during one of Northern Ireland’s most significant cultural celebrations
“With the parades taking place on Monday 13th July this year, we want to encourage families, visitors and locals to come into the city, enjoy the spectacle and make the most of what Belfast has to offer
“Our aim is to complement the traditional Twelfth demonstrations with activities that are accessible, enjoyable and inclusive, while also supporting the city centre and local businesses.”
Meanwhile, there will be 18 main parades in Northern Ireland on the Twelfth, which will actually take place on July 13
The venues for this year’s 18 large-scale Twelfth parades are as follows: Ballymena, Larne, Ballymoney, Portglenone, Glenarm in Co Antrim, Newtownhamilton in Co Armagh, Belfast, Rathfriland, Killyleagh, Royal Hillsborough, Ballymartin, Ballywalter in Co Down, Maguiresbridge in Co Fermanagh, Limavady, Kilrea in Co Londonderry, Cookstown, Castlederg, and Aughnacloy in Co Tyrone
The Orange Order said “preparations are at an advanced stage” for “one of the largest annual festivals in Europe”, with over 1,000 lodges taking part, accompanied by about 600 marching bands
The Co Armagh demonstration (this year held in Newtownhamilton) is the single largest Orange gathering, the order said, while Belfast hosts the longest Twelfth parade route of the day, with participants walking over six miles to the field
The order says that the other sizeable parades will be in Maguiresbridge, Limavady, Cookstown, and Rathfriland
In his first year in office, Grand Master Harold Henning has said: “The tradition of Orange parades stretch back 230 years, and the Twelfth continues to draw huge attendances of both participants and spectators
“Our parades are a vibrant public expression of our identity, culture and heritage and that tradition is one which is held dear by a great many people in our community.”
The only parade in the Republic, in Rossknowlagh, will be held on July 11
BelfastNorthern IrelandBallymena
