Thursday, April 09, 2009

Titanic Made in Belfast Festival

I’ve tripped over yet another festival happening in Belfast. The Lord Mayor Tom Hartley was right when he commented that there are over 80 festivals in Belfast each year, and that as soon as one ends, another starts.

As the building work in Titanic Quarter progresses, and we head towards the 14 April 2012 anniversary of the Titanic hitting an iceberg and sinking, more and more energy is being pumped into raising public awareness about the history of the shipyards and its skilled workforce.

banner advertising Titanic events from Belfast City Council

The Titanic Made in Belfast festival runs from Saturday 11 to Sunday 19 April.

Unfortunately, the main festival exhibition and many of the talks are being held inside W5 (at the Odyssey), so while the events are free, you must first pay the W5 admission charges to gain entry.

There are also free bus tours around Queens Island, leaving Belfast City Hall daily at 11am and 2pm from 11-19 April. You need to pick up your free ticket from the Belfast Welcome Centre in advance. The two hour tour takes in the Harland & Wolff site, including the main offices where the Titanic was designed, as well as the Thompson Dry Dock and Pump House.

If you want to see it from the water, 75 minutes boat tours leave Donegall Quay up to five times a day during the festival. £7 per person.

And there’s more! Tours around the dock and Pump House, extended walking tours, and even a GPS-based audio/video interactive trail unit by that can be picked up for £5 from the Belfast Welcome Centre all year round.

Beats the Belfast Shopping Festival with its "month long extravaganza celebrating the city’s exceptional retail offering" ...

6 comments:

AM said...

sounds good - must try it with the kids next time I am up

LT said...

I saw the "Titanic: Made in Belfast" exhibit last year and it was a fantastic insight into the city and its history. Highly recommended.

m.

Anonymous said...

Amazing part of our history - our school (BlackMounatin P.S. - right beside the Dalek!!) was involved with The Boat Factory play written by Dan Gordon. The kids absolutely loved it - highlights on the Lyric website.

Manuel said...

Alan, you made the final 3...

http://desked.wordpress.com/competitive-desking/

Manuel said...

huzzah for Alan!

patrick.j.toms said...

I went to the titanic exhibition,at the odyssey it was the same as the last lot no change,plenty of large pictures,when youv,e seen one youv,e seen them all so it seems,maybe it should be changed each year for those who have seen it before.I speak as the spokesman and president of the shannon ulster titanic society