Morning!

One of Belfast’s biggest cultural events is almost here. We’ve teamed up with them for a great opening-night prize.

Before then, there’s plenty happening around Belfast, from a new comedy club starting tonight and a new Ravenhill coffee stop, to apple picking, roller derby and a few Belfast stories worth knowing about.

Here’s what’s on this week …

Plans have been submitted for a temporary ‘Bella Vista’ wheel at Weavers Cross, with permission sought to keep it there until 2030.

It’s not approved yet, but if it gets the go-ahead, Belfast will soon have a noticeable new addition to its skyline.

FIND OUT MORE →

Belfast City Council’s Cultivate programme is open for applications, offering six months support for early-stage businesses with a social or environmental focus.

Fifteen businesses will also get the chance to pitch for a share of a £10,000 grant fund.

Applications close this Thursday 8 October.

FIND OUT MORE →

Belfast’s first electrically assisted wheelchair-accessible bike is now available at Girdwood Community Hub.

It’s free to use and designed so wheelchair users can cycle alongside family members or carers. Until now, anyone wanting to use a similar e-assist bike had to travel outside Belfast.

FIND OUT MORE →

BELFAST INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL

Belfast International Arts Festival returns from next Wednesday to 8 November, with more than 200 events across the city, spanning theatre, music, dance, art and more.

For the opening night, we’ve teamed up with the Festival and The Parlour to give away a pair of tickets to see the iconic Senegalese band Orchestra Baobab at Mandela Hall next Wednesday 14 October. The prize also includes a £50 food and drink voucher for The Parlour (more on The Parlour’s refurbishment below).

The giveaway is on Instagram but Belfast Brief readers can get an extra entry. Just reply to this email and tell us one Belfast place, event or business you think more people should know about.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE FESTIVAL →

Clifton Street Cemetery Tours
Friday 9 October · Clifton House
Explore one of Belfast’s oldest burial grounds, with stories of bodysnatching, cholera, famine and some of the people who helped shape the city.
More →

Local Voices on Screen
Sunday 11 October · Queen’s Film Theatre
Cinemagic and local filmmaker Macy Stewart show two short films followed by a panel discussion on local film-making, culture and community.
More →

Live Pro Wrestling
Sunday 11 October · Shorts Sports Club
Titanic Wrestling takes over Holywood Road for an afternoon of family-friendly live wrestling.
More →

Blood, Sweat and Linen
Saturday 10 October · starts Shankill Methodist Church
A free walk through the lives of Shankill mill workers, including the women known as the “Millies” and figures such as May Blood.
More →

Out of Ideas Comedy Club
Tuesday 6 October · Ulster Sports Club
A new comedy club night in Belfast every other Tuesday with £3 entry and £4.50 pints. Listed performers included William Thompson, Diona Doherty, Talal Jomar and James McKegney
More →

The Parlour, Elmwood Avenue

The Parlour has just reopened following a four-month refurbishment and told us;
“The bar is a space for all, open 7 nights a week. Whether you’re popping in for an afternoon coffee, evening food & drinks or a night of live music & pints, it’s the place to be in the Queen’s Quarter.”

It’s a familiar Belfast name, but the refurbishment gives people a reason to take another look.

More →

The September draw is done: all five £20 TocToc voucher winners have now been emailed. Check your inbox if you subscribed to Belfast Brief during September.

Friday 9 October · The Duncairn

Wexford singer-songwriter Rachel Grace brings pop, soul and folk influences to The Duncairn for her first Belfast headline show following the release of her debut album Never Grows Old. 18+, BYO.

FIND OUT MORE →

Ulster Orchestra: Rhapsody in Blue
Friday 9 October · Ulster Hall · 7.45pm
Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with pianist Julian Joseph. Tickets are listed from £12 to £38.
More →

Damien O’Kane & Ron Block Band
Thursday 8 October · Black Box
Irish and American roots music meet in a transatlantic collaboration.
More →

BFrank Single Launch
Friday 9 October · Oh Yeah Music Centre
A Belfast release-night option for Friday, with BFrank launching new music at Oh Yeah.
More →

Sunday 11 October · Ardress House, Portadown

This one is a bit ‘out there’ - a different activity and 40 minutes from Belfast - but has come highly recommended and this weekend is the final chance for 2026.

From a friend of Belfast Brief, “For £5 you can pick a bag of apples, a mix of Bramley and Golden Delicious. Inside there are local sellers of crafts, apples, cider etc. Children can press apples and get juice as well as play in the garden and walk in the woods.”

Sounds like a fun day trip!

FIND OUT MORE →

🪄 The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
From Saturday 10 October · Cahoots Theatre
New family show at Cityside opens this weekend and runs to 25 October. The show lasts around 90 minutes and is recommended for ages 6+.
More →

🎃 Streamvale Pumpkin Patch
Friday 9–Sunday 11 October · Streamvale Farm
Pumpkin picking and carving, tractor rides and Halloween activities.
More →

Need more ideas for the kids?
Our Family Guide has more things to do, places to go and family-friendly ideas around Belfast. Let us know what’s missing - we’ll update again soon.

Sunday 11 October · Newforge Sports Complex

Belfast Roller Derby’s Sporting Pride event has a community marketplace from 1pm, an exhibition game at 2pm and give-it-a-go sessions later in the afternoon, with loan skates and protective kit available. And it’s all free.

FIND OUT MORE →

💪 Kickass Bootcamp
Saturday 10 October · Ormeau Park
A Saturday-morning session, with drop-in places available as part of the current autumn programme.
More →

🎸 Belfast Punk Music Walking Tour
Saturday 10 October · starts Go Petrol
A two-and-a-half-hour walk through the streets and venues connected to Belfast’s punk history.
More →

Something we didn’t know: Belfast’s Albert Clock is intentionally kept slightly fast.

The 19th-century mechanism is still almost entirely original and completely mechanical. Before automatic winding was added, someone had to climb up and wind the weights by hand twice a week. One of them weighs around 60 stone!

Today, specialist clockmaker Chris Canavan checks it every month and prefers it slightly ahead of the real time. His reasoning is brilliant: with the bus stops beside the clock, Belfast would rather be a minute early than a minute late!

The Irish News recently went inside the tower to meet the man keeping it ticking.

FIND OUT MORE →

Voicing the Void is a local organisation doing great work amplifying marginalised voices across Belfast and beyond.

During Hate Crime Awareness Week, Small Acts is a week of storytelling, creativity and connection. Spaces will be created for people to come together, build new relationships and find new ideas and perspectives.

There is loads going on from Saturday 10 October, finishing at QFT on Friday 16 October with short films, spoken word and restorative storytelling.

FIND OUT MORE →

We’ll share more about these in future editions, but they’re worth putting in the diary now.

COMING SOON

14 OCT–8 NOV
🎭 Belfast International Arts Festival
Across Belfast
200+ events across 30 venues

18 OCT–5 JAN
🎨 Royal Ulster Academy Exhibition
Ulster Museum
Annual showcase of local visual art

27–31 OCT
🎭 Annie
Grand Opera House
Family musical starring Claire Sweeney

29 OCT–7 NOV
🎬 Belfast Film Festival
Various venues
Ten-day celebration of independent cinema

LATER THIS AUTUMN

6–16 NOV
🎵 Sound of Belfast
Various venues
Ten days celebrating Belfast music

14 NOV
🎄 Belfast Christmas Lights Switch-on
City Hall
Annual switch-on, tickets to follow

15 NOV
🏃 Belfast City 5K Festive Fun Run
City Hall
Family-friendly festive city-centre 5K

What’s the small Belfast event, group or business more people should know about?

Hit reply and tell us about it. We’ll try to include in upcoming editions.

Thanks for reading.

This edition went out to over 1,250 subscribers, thanks in large part to people sharing Belfast Brief with others.

Know someone who’s always asking, “What should we do this week?”

💬 Share Belfast Brief by WhatsApp

✉️ Share Belfast Brief by Email