Christmas 2026 in Belfast
Markets, lights, pantos, concerts and family days out, with dates and times all in one place. It's updated as events are announced.
The road to Christmas
What's on
Pick a date or a type of event. Confirmed means the organiser has published it. Expected means it runs every year but this year's details aren't confirmed yet, so check before you travel.
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Calendar
Tap a day to see everything on that date.
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Map
Most of the festive action is a short walk from City Hall.
Plan your visit
Glider G1 and G2 and most Metro routes stop at or near City Hall. Grand Central Station is a 10-minute walk. Services change over Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day, so check Translink before you head home.
Translink journey planner →City-centre car parks fill up fast on market weekends. Park & Ride sites on the edge of the city, or arriving before 11am, makes life much easier.
Park & Ride sites →The market is quietest on weekday mornings. Friday and Saturday evenings are the busiest. Late-night Thursdays are great for shopping and the market together.
See the calendar →The City Hall grounds are flat, but the market paths get crowded. Venues like the Grand Opera House and the Waterfront run relaxed and captioned performances, so check each venue's listing.
Visit Belfast →It opens on Saturday 14 November 2026, the same day as the lights switch-on, and runs until Tuesday 22 December. Opening hours are Monday to Wednesday 10am–8pm, Thursday to Saturday 10am–10pm, and Sunday 12–6pm.
Saturday 14 November 2026, 6.30pm to 7.30pm, at Belfast City Hall. Belfast City Council has said it may be ticketed, so check the council's event page for ticket releases.
Yes, entry is free. You only pay for what you eat, drink and buy from the stalls.
The Grand Opera House pantomime runs from 28 November 2026 to 10 January 2027, with May McFettridge. For other family shows, the Waterfront has Sleeping Beauty, the MAC has Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and the Lyric has Little Women.
Since 1976 the Dean of St Anne's Cathedral has sat out on the cathedral steps in the days before Christmas, collecting for hundreds of local charities. It usually runs from mid-December until Christmas Eve.