Belfast Children's Festival launches with the best of local and international arts for children and young people (6–11 March) #bcf20

Ireland’s largest children’s festival was launched on Wednesday with a programme packed full of drama, dance, music, and thoughtful activity for babies, children and young people. Between Friday 6 and Wednesday 11 March the festival will explore the theme of ‘place’, asking what makes a home and how to be a placemaker.

Welcoming the festival launch to its hub venue, The MAC’s CEO Anne McReynolds reminded guests that year after year Young at Art bring the best the world has to offer for children and young people.

Some highlights from the programme:

The Untold Truth of Captain Hook by local theatre company Replay allows the villain of Peter Pan to become the hero of his own tale, taking audiences on an awfully big adventure through the time before Neverland in the Lyric’s Naughton Studio between Friday 6 and Sunday 8 March. Age 7+. £10.

After last year’s concert version of horror opera The Musician, Belfast Ensemble are back with the world premiere of Conor Mitchell’s Kindermusik Project which uses nursery rhymes and nonsense songs to explore what a tune ‘means’, how we hear it, and how we might one day play it. Written for narrator, chamber ensemble and toy instruments, it will be performed in St Martin’s Centre, 88 Newtownards Road between Friday 6 and Sunday 8 March. Age 6+. £10.

ØAR is an immersive augmented reality fusion of dance and technology. Participants can interact with short dance works using connected tablet, moving and interacting with and influencing the performances. Belfast campus of Ulster University on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 March. Age 5+. Free.

Baby Rave, pioneered by festival organisers Young at Art, is back with its accessible, family-friendly dancing in The MAC on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 March with its fun-filled Age 0–4. £10 (includes entry for adult and baby).

Last year’s Family Comedy Club with Paul Currie’s brand of madcap puppetry and clowning sold out very quickly. He’s back in the Black Box on Tuesday 10 March if you dare accompany your youngsters. Age 6+. £10.

Hermit is a non-verbal physical performance from Dutch artist Simone de Jong who is the shy inhabitant of a miniature house, promising to be a funny and moving performance about being alone, coming home, and what it takes to open your home. Tuesday 10 and Wednesday 11 March. Age 2–6. £10.

Seedhead Arts have long run adult magic nights in the Black Box Green Room. But they’re bringing a Mini Midweek Magic to the Belfast Children’s Festival on Wednesday 11 March with close-up magic, stage tricks and thrills for all by the best local talent. Age 5+. £8.

Tetris closes the festival on Wednesday 11 March with a Dutch physical dance quartet Arch8 who – inspired by the well-known game – explore private languages, social architecture and how we fit in and cooperate through a performance suitable for 5 year olds and upwards. Age 5+. £10.