B
elfast City Council, 9 June 2008: Belfasts new Lord Mayor, Councillor Naomi Long, will be inviting the people of the city to literally Look Up at the stars later this month.
The Belfast City Carnival will help celebrate the International Year of Astronomy, when one of the highlights of the citys cultural calendar takes to the streets on Saturday 27 June.
The carnival officially introduces the new Lord Mayor to the people of Belfast. Giant floats, big stilt-costumes and hundreds of performers will parade through the city centre, as participants and onlookers alike explore the stars and the universe.
Over the past few years, the Belfast City Carnival has changed and evolved, and has become a cornerstone of our cultural calendar, commented Councillor Long, who was elected Lord Mayor last week.
At a time when central government is cutting back on its support for such events, Belfast City Council remains totally committed to supporting cultural activity in all four corners of the city. Last year, we invested 1.6 million in culture and arts groups, from grassroots level up, not counting the substantial investment we are making, on an ongoing basis, in the continued development of the citys cultural infrastructure.
Events such as the Belfast City Carnival are not only good for the people of the city, they are vital in helping our tourism industry in its continued growth, as they provide attractions which visitors want to see. This years carnival will be bigger and better than ever before, and I urge everyone to come out and enjoy the thrill and spectacle of what promises to be a wonderful day for all the family, added the Lord Mayor.
BEAT, Belfasts carnival company, is working with artists and community groups from all across the city to bring the streets alive with colour and sound on Carnival day.
David Boyd, of BEAT, promised that the Carnival would be bigger, better, brighter and noisier than any procession seen in Belfast before a wondrous feast of colour and sound.
This year, to mark 2009 as International Year of Astronomy, we have taken the space theme to Look Up and explore the stars. We also are looking to the future, as we will continue the theme into next year, looking harder at the local space that we all share and the variety of life and energy found here.
Carnival provides a fun, interactive way for communities to learn about other worlds, people and places, while channelling their creativity to entertain others. The appeal of the summer carnival has grown year upon year and now in partnership with a range of other organisations weve sought to provide a full afternoon of entertainment that stimulates the senses.
This years carnival procession will follow a new route through the heart of Belfast.
Custom House Square will be the launch pad for the parade, with a special carnival performance, starting at 1.30pm, setting the tone for the space themed journey through the streets of the city.
The parade itself will leave Custom House Square at 1.45pm, and move along High Street and Bridge Street into lower Donegall Street, from where it will go along Royal Avenue and Donegall Place to the front of the City Hall.
It then will do head around the back of the City Hall into Howard Street, Upper Queen Street and Wellington Place, before finishing in the City Hall grounds at around 3pm.
The grounds will be transformed into the BT1 Zone for the day, with music and entertainment getting the party going from 12 noon. For those who wish to explore their creative talent, a live graffiti stage will be erected in the grounds of City Hall, along with Wheelworks ArtCart. Spectators can also sample flavours of different places, at food stalls provided by Arts Ekta.
At 4.30pm, the Carnival Supergroup will be showcasing new rhythms and sounds on the City Hall music stage, where the best of local musical entertainment will be provided by Love Music Hate Racism and Homely Planet Radio Station.
The Belfast City Carnival is organised by Belfast City Council, with artistic direction being provided by BEAT. The Belfast City Carnival is funded by Belfast City Council, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Arts Lottery, the Department for Social Development and the European Regional Development Fund under the Peace III Programme.
Further details can be obtained from the Belfast Welcome Centre on (028) 9024 6609 or by visiting www.belfastcity.gov.uk/events
Direct link to the press release from Belfast City Council