It’s just four days (and counting) until the biggest, most inclusive and dazzlingly diverse cultural showcase to be held anywhere in Northern Ireland kicks off in Belfast.
Culture Night Belfast will illuminate the four corners of the Cathedral Quarter, stretching into the four corners of the city itself, in an evening of exploration and adventure.
Music, theatre, comedy, cathedral recitals, journalists for free speech, rock gigs, group drumming, children’s workshops, electronic performances, giant sculptures, street parties, exhibitions, tasters, tours, magic performers, interactive murals, family friendly performances, barbershop opera, outdoor wrestling, debates, lectures, quizzes, trails, video installations, flying saucers, DJ and street skills, archaeology from the air, caravan jams in car parks, giant projections, stand-up in double decker buses, stories, readings, digital arts, mini-festivals in Minis, flash mob meditation, an interactive transatlantic dining experience and a love and peace parade is just a sample of the 250-plus happenings, events and occurrences that are taking place across one city in one evening on 21st September.
And there’s free buses all night to transport Culture Nighters of all shoe sizes, tastes and temperaments to the west and east of the city and back again into the central hub to join up Belfast in one giant civic celebration.
Culture Night Manager Adam Turkington said: “The response to the fourth Culture Night Belfast has been out of this world. It’s all kind of snowballed into a giant evening right across the city where everything happens all at once! So many amazing artists, performers and organisations have offered their services free of charge and it demonstrates just what a dazzling wealth of talent and creativity we have within our city limits. It’s something that I’m hugely proud of and everybody who comes down on 21st September, will witness first hand what an astounding ‘city of culture’ Belfast truly is.”
He added: “We’re very excited about the scale and quality of Culture Night 2012, and we’re looking forward to seeing people of all ages getting out and sampling Belfast night life as they’ve never seen it before.”
Over 25,000 people are expected to take part in Culture Night 2012, and organisers have endeavoured to ensure that something will be happening in every available space and place throughout the city centre, throughout the evening.