August Féile - West Belfast Festival

From the largest free festival in Belfast to the biggest community festival in Ireland!

While Belfast Pride reaches its peak on Saturday with music in Custom House Square from noon and its parade through the city centre starting at 2pm and, the West Belfast Festival – the August Féile – is just starting its programme.

Féile an Phobail pack an enormous number of events into their ten day programme.

If you’re quick, you’ll catch the book sale in St Mary’s University College on Saturday morning (11am, 31 July) or park up to watch Mamma Mia in the drive in movie theatre at Anderstown Leisure Centre at 10pm.

Creationism for Dummies – by a Dummy (Alan McKee from Grimes and McKee) is promising to “be your unreliable guide out of the darkness or superstition, towards the enlightment of science” in Roddy MacCorley Social Club, Glen Road on Saturday at 8pm.

Chaired by Eilish Rooney, a panel will discuss the question of an Amnesty for the Truth about past events in the Conway Education Centre in Conway Mill on Monday 2 at 7.30pm. The panel includes Micky Culbert, Alan McBride, Louise Mallinder and Colm Campbell.

The now-annual community discussion feature on Wednesday 4 August. West Belfast Youth Talks Back in St Louise’s at 2pm, followed by the less youthful West Belfast Talks Back at 7.30pm. The evening panel includes Ian Paisley Jnr (DUP), Naomi Long (Alliance), Barry McElduff (Sinn Féin) and Finton O’Toole (columnist, author and commentator).

Also on Wednesday, the Russian Chamber Philharmonic St. Petersburg Orchestra supported by the Féile Women’s Singing Group promises a musical treat at 7pm in Clonard Monastery.

And over in Colin Glen Forest Park Centre at 7.30pm on Wednesday, the history and development of the Bible in the Irish language will be presented to mark the release of An Biobla Naofa as a free digital download.

Lenny Henry is leading the bill on Thursday night’s comedy night.

One intriguing drama Heist is playing in Trinity Lodge (Turf Lodge) on Tuesday 3, Wednesday 4 and Thursday 5 at 8pm. Written by Kieron Magee, it looks at the Northern Bank robbery in Belfast in 2004, switching between the courtroom and the robbery itself.

You’ll find the full programme together with the ticket booking on the Féile website, though many of the events are free.