👋 GOOD MORNING BELFAST
The Big Fish was gutted - and so are we. 🫣
Despite that, there are plenty of good things to highlight this week.
The Ulster Orchestra is playing a free set this afternoon, there’s a Big Autumn Jazz Weekend, and a brilliant story about all the places called Belfast around the world.
We’ve also got 5 free places for a Rainbow Run, plenty of ideas for getting out and about, and a chance to be involved with Belfast International Arts Festival.
Here’s what’s going on in Belfast this week…
📌 THINGS WORTH KNOWING
1: ULSTER ORCHESTRA TODAY
If you’re anywhere near Grand Central Station this afternoon, the Ulster Orchestra is playing a free 20-minute set at 4pm.
It’s the Orchestra’s first live performance at the station. No ticket needed - just turn up.
2: 25 BELFASTS, 1 TO GO
Did you see this over the weekend? A retired local doctor has been travelling the world to visit every place called Belfast, much of it on a 1970s motorbike.
Africa, North America, New Zealand, Australia… and now just one remains: Belfast, Jamaica.
Brilliant Belfast story from BBC News NI.
3: £63 OFF YOUR ELECTRIC BILLS
Northern Ireland households will receive a £63 electricity discount from 6 October.
You don’t need to apply as the support is applied automatically. However, it seems the response from Belfast has been mixed…
⭐ BELFAST BRIEF PICK
Big Autumn Jazz Weekend
25-27 September · Ballyhackamore
Scott’s Jazz Club is holding its first-ever Big Autumn Jazz Weekend this Friday to Sunday, with three days of live jazz, talks and listening sessions.
There’s another reason to go this time. After six years at the Hack Club, Scott’s is leaving its home at the end of September while the team looks for a new venue.
If you can, this feels like a particularly good weekend to get along and support them before they leave Ballyhack.
Several headline concerts are already at waiting-list stage so check the live programme before travelling
📍 ACROSS THE CITY
⬆️ NORTH
Malin Lewis Trio
Friday 25 September · The Duncairn
Multi-instrumentalist Malin Lewis brings smallpipes, fiddle and guitar to The Duncairn, joined by Sally Simpson and Ali Hutton.
More →
⬇️ SOUTH
Trad Music Night
Thursday 25 September · The Commons
Now a weekly occurrence at this beautiful venue. Come along to play. Come along to listen.
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➡️ EAST
East Block Bazaar
Sunday 27 September · Banana Block
Explore stalls across Banana Block and Boundary Taproom with freshly baked goods, handmade jewellery, curated vintage picks and more.
More →
⬅️ WEST
Won’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough
Sunday 27 September · The Balmoral Hotel
A Michael Jackson-themed brunch with food, fizz, dancers, a live DJ and plenty of classic hits.
More →
🎯 CITY CENTRE
Belfast Record & CD Fair
Saturday 26 September · Oh Yeah Music
Belfast Record & CD Fair is in its 16th year, bringing together traders and collectors from across the region. Expect to find everything from high-end collectable items to clearance bargains.
More →
CastleCourt Discount Night
Thursday 24 September · Castlecourt
Discounts, giveaways and pop-ups from 5-9pm. The deals are open to everyone but students can pick up free goodie bags with valid ID. There’s also free face painting and free parking from 5–10pm.
More →
🍽️ FOOD & DRINK
✂️ New Opening
Bread Street Bakery & Cafe
Bread Street opened its newest bakery and café on the Lisburn Road earlier this month.
You’ll get the local bakery’s sourdough croissants, pastries and great coffee. The Lisburn Road branch is its fourth location since the business started in 2023.
More →
💷 Deal of the Week
2Taps turns 21
For its birthday, 2Taps is offering two tapas, breads and dips, and a glass of sangria for £21. The offer runs Monday–Thursday, 5–9pm, and Friday, noon–4.30pm, before a big birthday party this Sunday 27 September.
☝️ Don’t Forget
Win one of five x £20 TocToc Vouchers
We’ll keep talking about TocToc throughout September. The place is that good. All Belfast Brief subscribers during September have a chance to win. Bonus entries (max 5!) when forwarding this email to a friend or family member (c.c. [email protected])
More →
🎵 LIVE MUSIC
Output Belfast
Thursday 24 September · The MAC & Oh Yeah
If you like discovering artists before everyone else does, Output Belfast is the music event to look at this week.
The Daytime Conference runs from 10am while the free Evening Showcase starts at 7.30pm and spreads across Cathedral Quarter venues.
MORE MUSIC WORTH KNOWING
🎮 The Funky Kongs: Video Games Live
Sunday 27 September · Union Bar
A Belfast five-piece plays video-game music while audience members race Mario Kart on the big screen.
More →
🎼 Ulster Orchestra: Beethoven 200
Friday 25 September · Ulster Hall
Ulster Orchestra’s 60th anniversary season opens under Chief Conductor Anna Handler with a host of guest performers and young choirs joining the Orchestra for the finale.
More →
🎸 Laura Veirs + Karl Blau
Thursday 24 September · The Black Box
US singer-songwriter Laura Veirs brings material from her new Temple Songs album to Belfast, joined by Karl Blau.
More →
🎻 Traditional Irish
Follow Belfast Session Guide for a complete listing of Trad music sessions and gigs across Belfast.
Follow →
🧑🧑🧒🧒 FAMILY PICK
🌈 Rainbow Run with YouthAction NI
Friday 25 September · Titanic Slipways
YouthAction NI is taking over Titanic Slipways for an evening of fun, music… and a sky full of colour. Walk, run, skip, dance or wheel your way around while raising money to support local young people.
Belfast Brief readers get a little extra: YouthAction NI have given us 5 FREE places. Reply to this email - first come, first served.
Everyone else can get 10% off using code RAINBOW10 when booking.
Credit: Maria Therese Hurson, Stills Photographic.
ALSO WORTH A LOOK
🌿 Muddy Tots Explore Day
Friday 25 September · Ravine NI
A two-hour outdoor nature session for walking-age children up to 6, with outdoor games, nature-based arts and crafts, forest skills and hands-on learning.
More →
🚀 W5 LIFE: Blast Off & Build
Saturday 26 September · W5
Children aged 8+ can use LEGO and Minecraft Education to design and build a futuristic space base at this free W5 LIFE session.
More →
🎡 Fundamania Belfast
Until 11 October · Boucher Road
We’ve been reliably informed by a teenager that Fundamania absolutely had to make the Belfast Brief this week. Everything from dodgems and a Ferris wheel to bigger thrill rides.
More →
🎬 VFX Movie Workshop
Saturday 26 September · Crescent Arts Centre
Ages 9–12 can film scenes and add visual effects using iPad apps.
More →
Need more ideas for the kids?
Our Belfast Brief Family Guide has more things to do, places to go and family ideas around Belfast.
🫂 Belfast Community Spotlight
Belfast International Arts Festival
Belfast International Arts Festival is looking for Volunteer Ambassadors for this year’s festival, running 14 October–8 November.
Volunteers help welcome audiences, answer questions, recommend events and gather feedback across a programme of more than 200 events.
It’s a chance to see one of Belfast’s biggest cultural events from the inside, meet plenty of people and help visitors get more from the festival.
👀 HIDDEN BELFAST
Belfast was once Linenopolis
By the end of the 1800s, Belfast had become one of the world’s great centres of linen production, so much so that the city earned the nickname “Linenopolis.”
Women were central to that industry, making up around 70% of Belfast’s linen-mill workforce by 1895. The women working in the mills became widely known as the “Millies.”
The Guardian has just visited a Belfast community garden where flax is once again being grown and put through the traditional processes needed to turn it into linen — reconnecting the city with an industry that once helped shape it.
Jennymount, in the early 1900s, one of the largest linen mills in Belfast
🗓️ LOOKING AHEAD
We'll share more about these in future editions, but they're worth putting in the diary now.
Coming Soon:
29 SEP-3 OCT
🏚️ The Addams Family
Grand Opera House
Musical Comedy. Recommended ages 8+
30 SEP-4 OCT
🎨 Bounce Arts Festival
Across Belfast
Comedy, music, theatre, film and more
Later this Autumn:
14 OCT-8 NOV
🎭 Belfast International Arts Festival
Across Belfast
200+ events across more than 30 venues
29 OCT-7 NOV
🎬 Belfast Film Festival
New cinema, filmmakers and special events
6-16 NOV
🎶 Sound of Belfast
Across Belfast
A citywide celebration of Belfast music
14 NOV
🎄 Belfast Christmas Lights Switch-on
City Hall
Ticket-release details still to come
📸 YOUR BELFAST
Show us Belfast through your eyes
Seen something happening around Belfast that we should know about?
Send it our way — whether it’s a great new spot, an interesting local story, a brilliant event or simply something that made you stop and look.
👋 UNTIL NEXT WEEK
That’s your Belfast Brief for this week.
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“Music is woven into the DNA of Belfast. We have so many incredible bands and artists – and more every single year.”