This May Day Bank Holiday weekend laughter becomes the loudest sound in Belfast City Centre and Cathedral Quarter.
Belfast’s favourite family friendly festival is back for the 12th year. The Festival of Fools brings a welcome rush of international silliness and smiles to the streets of Belfast with more than 120 free performances to enjoy from around the world from Friday 1 – Monday 4 May.
International Excellence
From the USA, there’s Jonathan Burns, the most flexible comedy act around, with his feats of crazy contortion; and Dan Holzman, a juggler with more comic turns than The Beano in a force 7 gale. Australian acrobat Fatt Matt arrives to prove to the world that spending his life living Down Under really hasn’t changed him a bit as he entertains the masses with his ukulele playing – whilst balancing on his head! From Spain, La Bella Tour present a show in which two destitute and desperate clowns are searching the planet for the perfect laugh and they are prepared to do anything to find it – catastrophe and chaos ensues!
Birthday Celebrations
2015 also marks the 30th birthday of sister organisation Belfast Community Circus School, and the Festival of Fools features more than 20 acts who have either trained, or taught at the school. Featured companies include Dot Comedy with Lost On Earth – a crashed spaceship with a dazed and confused alien in search of intelligent life in Belfast. The Barren Carrousel present Shhhhhhh!, a new circus show packed with aerial stunts, acrobatics, juggling and comedy. The Magilligans, Belfast’s favourite unicycling, juggling and cheese loving brothers, are reunited after a difficult year, spent trying to think up a new joke.
The Festival opens on Friday 1 May at 7pm in Writers’ Square with “Cast Off” – the biggest street show ever to be produced by the Belfast Community Circus School with a cast of 40 young people and professional artists. Expect stunning choreography combining aerial feats with acrobatic prowess and manipulative mastery.
Community Circus Celebration
A unique Community Circus Celebration takes place on the Saturday in Writers’ Square featuring shows from 7 different youth and community groups from Belfast, Derry-Londonderry and Lisburn, highlighting the strength of the youth and community circus sector in Northern Ireland. Also joining the celebrations are a youth circus group from Cloughjordan eco village in the Republic of Ireland.
The Festival continues on Saturday 11am – 7pm; Sunday 1-7pm and Bank Holiday Monday 12-7pm with shows in Saint Anne’s Square, Writers’ Square, Cotton Court, Rosemary Street and Cornmarket. Each evening finishes with The Big Finish – a variety style show featuring highlights from the day’s acts in the relaxed surroundings of Saint Anne’s Square.
Smart Moves
The Festival is encouraging the public to make smart moves with Translink for hassle-free travel to Belfast city centre for a fun-filled day out. There are various offers, such as 1/3 off Rail and selected Goldline services, as well as a Friends and Family ticket, from translink.co.uk.
Food offers
Alongside the street theatre shows, visitors can also enjoy the Festival of Foods, which will see 17 bars, restaurants and cafes offer a wide range of deals for diners ranging from special Festival menus through to free meals for children, reinforcing the Festival of Fools reputation as the best value event in the cultural calendar.
For the ‘fool’ line-up visit foolsfestival.com