By Julie Waters
BANGOR is set to come alive to the sounds of two major music events with thousands of visitors expected to flock to the seaside city this summer.
Plans are in the pipeline for traditional Irish music lovers to enjoy a Fleadh Fringe event on August 1st ahead of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, the world’s biggest celebration of Irish music and culture being held in Belfast the following week.
Ards and North Down Council hopes to attract up to 5,000 visitors to the Fleadh Fringe event, due to be held at Holborn Square car park, with performances by Ards CCÉ and other artists from 1pm to 9pm.
Ards CCÉ will be the host Comhlatas branch for the All-Ireland Fleadh 2026 in Belfast in association with Belfast City Council; it will be the first time the event has been held in Belfast.
On the same day, Bangor’s Ward Park will welcome the return of a firm musical favourite – the 73rd Ulster Championships of the Pipe Bands, organised in association with the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association NI (RSPBANI).
The Ulster Championship is expected to be the largest contest of its kind in Northern Ireland this year, given that the 2026 All Ireland Championships will be held in the Republic of Ireland.
At the council’s Place and Prosperity Committee, due to be held tonight, officials have asked councillors to back the proposed Fleadh Fringe event and allocate a £40,000 budget, subject to the rates setting process and a procurement exercise.
Council officers also recommend the borough host the Ulster Championship Pipe Band event in the city, with a £36,700 projected budget which also covers costs such as traffic management, stewarding, park and ride and infrastructure.
According to a report presented to the committee, ‘the combination of both events offers the opportunity for the city to present a day of traditional musical excellence, which is hoped will be attractive to visitors to both the Fleadh event, the Ulster Championships of the Pipe Bands and more broadly’.
It states that over 700,000 people from across the globe are expected to attend Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, and it is expected that this visitor boost will also benefit the self-catering accommodation across the borough.
Local accommodation providers are expected to be promoted to participants and visitors through the Visit Belfast visitor services and channels.
The council papers explain the Holborn Square car park was chosen as the Fleadh Fringe venue due to its central location, its close proximity to hospitality businesses and its recent refurbishment.
They go on to say that council officials will work with Bangor Chamber of Commerce to attract visitors to ‘eat, drink and spend in our local shops’ through the ‘current successful passport scheme, window dressing or hospitality deals’.
The local authority is also to begin ‘exploratory work’ with Translink early in 2026 to ‘enable good traffic access, which may include park and ride options to the events’.
The Fleadh Fringe theme is set to be incorporated into the council’s popular Creative Peninsula Festival, which showcases the number of artists and makers living and working in the borough.
According to the report, traditional live music could be included in the Creative Peninsula’s Conway Square event, in Newtownards, on August 7. Council officers are also considering including locally made musical instruments in demonstrations at the Heritage Craft Day at North Down Museum
Niall McClean, chair of Ards CCÉ, said: “We are delighted that a fringe event is being planned for Bangor and we would encourage everyone to come to the event and also to the All-Ireland Fleadh.”
“It is a historic occasion, a week-long event of music and culture,” he added.
