Belfast Maritime Festival Music Trail – Over 60 musicians set to light up the Maritime Mile this weekend

Belfast City Council will be showcasing a fabulous programme of live music during the Belfast Maritime Festival, celebrating Belfast’s status as a UNESCO City of Music.

Over 60 of Northern Ireland’s leading musicians will be performing in outdoor venues across the Maritime Mile, including Americana, jazz, opera, bluegrass, classical, indie and folk artists. Curated by Snow Water, performances will take place at Donegall Quay, the AC Hotel, the SoundYard and Titanic Distillers from 11 am to 6 pm on Saturday 6^th and Sunday 7^th September – all admission free!

Highlights include SASHA SAMARA (NI Music Prize Winner for Best New Artist), MATT MCGINN (RTÉ Radio 1 and BBC Radio Ulster’s ‘Album of the Week’, Hotpress ‘one to watch’), vocalist and lyricist CHUBBY CAT (nominated for the RTÉ Choice Music Prize and named as one of RTÉ 2FM’s Rising Artists for 24), KING CEDAR (the critically acclaimed  Stephen McCartney whose debut album was recorded with Grammy Award Winner Andre De Santanna) alt-pop from internationally acclaimed REEVAH (‘Her voice is pure, understated and fearless’ PRS, shortlisted for Best Album at the NI Music Prize 2024), JACKIE RAINEY with EMMA DORAN (an incredible singer-songwriter who has toured Europe and America with Sinéad O’Connor’s band and opened for the Paul Brady.

Gretchen Peters, Nancy Griffith), EILIDH PATTERSON (‘Her vocals wrap around you like a blanket in winter’ Maverick Mag), WILFIE (‘a voice that sounds like he’s been walking the road for 1000 years’ McMillan, U2), RORY NELLIS (NI Music Prize winner and ‘one of Ireland’s naturally gifted songsmiths’ The Thin Air), whilst DAVID BROWNE MURRAY (who has toured with the likes of Frank Vignola, Andy McKee, Gareth Pearson) will bring some laid back gypsy jazz and funk.

NI’s award-winning opera company, NORTHERN IRELAND OPERA, presents LAURA SHAW and MARY MCCABE, who will perform a selection of much-loved arias and songs, including works by Puccini, Verdi, Mozart and Bernstein. The 40 strong NORTHERN IRELAND CONCERT BAND (NI’s leading wind band) will entertain with wonderful jazz and swing standards, whilst THE STRING NINJAS, CELLO FELLA and the BROKEN STRING BAND, the purveyors of great bluegrass, roots and string band music, will have your feet tapping!

Check out the full timetable:

Saturday 6^th September

SOUNDYARD
11am Broken String Band
1.30pm NI Opera presents Laura Shaw
3pm Chubby Cat
4.30pm Reevah

TITANIC DISTILLERS
1pm Eilidh Patterson
2.30pm Rory Nellis

AC HOTEL
12pm Wilfie

DONEGAL QUAY
11am Brass Quintet
1pm Cello Fella
3pm Jazz Session
5pm Trad Session

Sunday 7^th September

SOUNDYARD
11am NI Opera presents Mary McCabe
12.30pm Sasha Samara
2pm Jackie Rainey and Emma Doran
4pm NI Concert Band

TITANIC DISTILLERS
2pm King Cedar
3.30pm Matt McGinn

AC HOTEL
12pm David Browne Murray

DONEGAL QUAY
11am David Walker
2pm String Ninjas
4pm Jazz Session

Carolyn Mathers, Director of Snow Water, commented:

“Snow Water marks its 10^th Anniversary this September and we’re delighted to start our anniversary year of events by working with Belfast City Council in showcasing some incredible musicians at the Belfast Maritime Festival Music Trail.   It’s always a fabulous weekend in Belfast for all ages, and this year the Council and its partners will be transforming the waterfront into a celebration of our sea, ships and stories.”

Belfast Maritime Festival goers can hop on board a fleet of ships docked at Queen’s Quay and Belfast Harbour Marina, including the stunning Andalucía – a Spanish galleon replica – and meet the crews to get a glimpse of life at sea. Younger visitors will enjoy the circus performances at Fools by the Sea at The Arc, Kids’ Cove at the Queen’s Quay – with arts and crafts, circus and dance and pirate play time – as well as family-friendly funfair rides at the Island Adventure Park beside the Slipways.

Hamilton Dock Maritime Village will celebrate past and future with immersive technology, interactive exhibits and boat-building exhibitions. And Science Street is back by popular demand, transforming the waterfront into a space for hands-on learning and discovery – from marine biology and climate change to biodiversity. The Slipways Street Food Market is sure to tempt the tastebuds, along with the Artisan Producers’ Market, where regional producers will be showcasing and selling their goods. Those who’d prefer a more chilled out experience can check out what’s happening at floating installation, ‘Drift’ and explore ‘City Sensations’ – a range of accessible and inclusive programming at Belfast Harbour’s City Quays Gardens.  For more event information, visit Belfast Maritime Festival.

The Belfast Maritime Festival is organised by Belfast City Council in partnership with Maritime Belfast Trust, the Belfast Maritime Festival is also supported by Belfast Harbour, Titanic Quarter Limited, Titanic Belfast, Department for Communities, Tourism NI and the Odyssey Trust.