Posts Tagged ‘festivals’

Belfast’s Festivals – From the Traditional to the Insane

March 28th, 2012 Tushar Mathur

If you are planning on visiting Belfast for a week or longer you should definitely try and visit the city during festival time.  Being the capital of Northern Ireland, Belfast is host to a number of festivals every year and everything from the traditional St Patrick’s Day celebrations to the oddly bizarre International Oyster Festival can be experienced.  Let’s take a look at five of the best festivals that Belfast has to offer.

St Patrick’s Day

St Patrick’s Day is the most traditional festival celebrated in Belfast and if you are planning on visiting Belfast during March you should definitely try and make sure you are in the city for the 17th.  On the 17th March every year a carnival atmosphere sweeps through the city and it is one that adults and children alike are sure to love.  A carnival parade is followed by performances by street artists and concerts and as the sun goes down parties held in many of the local pubs get underway.  If you want to experience a true Irish festival you have to visit the city St Patrick’s Day – grab a Guinness and watch the entertainment begin.

The Belfast Film Festival

The Belfast Film Festival has been running ever since 1995 and it is now one of the largest festivals that the city hosts.  The 2012 festival will be held between the 31st May and the 10th June and is set to be even bigger than ever before.  This year is the 100 year anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic and the 2012 festival aims to recreate the experience through a variety of films and seminars.  The theme of the Belfast Film Festival changes each year with previous themes including Irish Women, Racism and Protestant Identity.

The Hilden Beer Festival

If there’s one thing that the Irish are known for it’s beer and the Hilden Beer Festival won’t disappoint.  Usually held at the end of August, the Hilden Beer Festival has been running for over 30 years and has consistently grown in size year after year.  If you have a penchant for trying out new local brews you certainly won’t want to miss it.  The 2011 festival boasted 27 original beers brewed by 19 different breweries located throughout the UK.  Ciders and ales can also be enjoyed and live music makes the weekend absolutely perfect.

Click to continue reading

Posted in Festivals Comments Off

Weathering the festivals

September 24th, 2008 Tushar Mathur

If your intention is to make visiting music festivals a common occurrence, then buying a sturdy tent is obviously the most sensible thing to do.   Having a vehicle to transport you and your equipment, or if public transport is your only option, this will make a huge difference in your decision regarding what camping gear to purchase.

Without doubt being completely water proof is the first thing you should be looking at, as no matter how comfortable the mattress is you are lying on, to have it soaking wet is not an option anyone wants or needs

Next is wind proof and probably an all in one tent is the surest way of achieving both of the above. Problem is this is not a rented camping ground where probably the most usual people to be found are families.  Music festivals hold all types of the human race and some will consider putting a hole in your comfy tent a very big joke.   Taking this into account, strength of material and being water proof is probably your best option.

It is possible to get both wind and rain proof tents for under sixty pounds; this will of course include the ground sheet.

Next we have sleeping bags which can be very cheap, well under 20 pounds or as dear as you want.  You can even have double sized bags.  They all seem waterproof and have cosy inner linings. For extra warmth and comfort a li-lo or self inflating mattress is good to have, anything that keeps you further off the cold, hard ground has to be good.

Unless you intend buying all your food from an on field van some kind of stove is necessary be it one ring or 4.  They are remarkably cheap and the gas containers are pretty light.  You could just take a saucepan which can be used for boiling water and for cooking.  Do not forget your tin opener which should have bottle opener combined. Box of matches might be a good idea.

If you are not taking a gas lamp, then a torch and (not to be forgotten) batteries, are simply a must.

Click to continue reading

Posted in travel, Vacation Comments Off