Photosales
niJobfinder
niCarfinder
Home Delivery
Propertynews
Tall Ships: Everything’s shipshape for Belfast’s biggest festival ever
Thursday, 13 August 2009
Sunset scene: The Tall Ships are aglow with lights as dusk falls over the Lagan last night
More pictures
The biggest ever international attraction to come to Northern Ireland gets under way today when the majestic Tall Ships sail into Belfast.
Over 400,000 people, including tens of thousands of tourists, are expected here during the next four days for the Belfast Maritime Festival. After seven years in the planning the eyes of the world will be on Belfast when the Tall Ships arrive later this morning.
Around 40 magnificent vessels will sail up Belfast Lough as part of the largest public spectacle ever staged in the province.
The festival, which will run until Sunday, consists of a range of free activities and entertainment, including fireworks, continental markets, funfairs and concerts — all based around the docks area of the city.
The massive event is expected to generate up to £10m for the local economy.
Writing in today’s Belfast Telegraph, Lord Mayor Naomi Long said it is “Belfast’s moment to shine”.
Chair of Belfast's Tall Ships board Dr Gerard O'Hare said: “What people can look forward to is the biggest show in the country, the biggest event ever to be held in Ireland in maritime terms.”
Ship's Log
Foreign flavours
The sights, sounds and tastes of Europe will be returning to Belfast for the Tall Ships. Thousands of visitors will have plenty of opportunities to enjoy the wares of the popular continental market with three based at the Albert Quay, Queen’s Quay and Clarendon Dock. From today until Sunday traders from all over the continent will offer a variety of tasty treats, beautiful arts and crafts and unusual toys.
Stay safe on water
The Coastguard has appealed for all visitors planning to sail near the Tall Ships during the four-day festival to be safe and wear a lifejacket. The Parade of Sail on Sunday is expected to attract vast numbers of all types of craft from canoes and personal watercraft to motor cruisers, yachts and sailboards. According to the Coastguard, when the Tall Ships visited Belfast in 1991 practically every vessel that could float accompanied the Parade of Sail down Belfast Lough.
Pack your brolly
Thousands of people planning to set sail to view the Tall Ships should be prepared for wet weather, forecasters have warned. As the four-day maritime festival begins today those hoping to visit Belfast Dock should bring an umbrella or a waterproof.
John Wylie, Met Office Public weather service adviser for Northern Ireland, said while sunny spells will break out today, the weather will take a turn for the worse on Friday. “There will be a good start to the Tall Ships event with some sunshine,” he said. “Friday unfortunately looks like a miserable day, breezy with outbreaks of rain on and off for a good part of the day.” Mr Wylie added that showery weather is set to continue throughout the weekend. “Sunday looks like an improving picture, but be prepared for some rain or showers, certainly on Friday or Saturday,” he said.
Quick links
Event Map: What's on and where to find it
For more Tall Ships news go to belfasttelegraph.co.uk/tallships
Order the programme here
For more information log onto www.gotobelfast.com
How to have a hassle-free voyage
The roads being closed are Corporation Street/Garmoyle Street, Queen’s Quay, Queen’s Road, the M3 slip road to the Odyssey, Sydenham Road and Donegall Quay.
The closures will be in place on today and tomorrow from 10am to 11pm, on Saturday from 9am to 11pm, and on Sunday from 9am to 5pm.
The inner lane of Queen Elizabeth Bridge, as far back as Donegall Quay, will also be closed throughout the event, from early this morning to early Monday morning.
Translink is encouraging people to use bus and rail services. A free Tall Ships City Centre Shopper Service linking the event sites with the local shops and restaurants has been launched.
To get between all the main sites there will also be a special free event shuttle.
The free shuttle service will leave Donegall Square South every 10 minutes and will make its way to Queen's Quay at the Odyssey. There will also be a colour-coded Park and Ride service able to accommodate up to 4,000 cars.
There is a £2 parking charge per adult, with senior citizens and children under-16 travelling free.
The north and M2 will be serviced by Giants Park/Duncrue with the colour code yellow. People coming from the south, west and M1 can park at Boucher Playing Fields with the colour code green. Both sites have a capacity of 1,000 spaces each.
North Down, east Belfast and central traffic will be serviced by D3/Harbour Estate with the colour code red and a capacity of 2,000. If necessary, there is an overflow facility for the D3 site at Bombardier on Saturday and Sunday.
Disabled parking is available at the Odyssey main car park.
To pre-book a space, blue badge holders should contact the Belfast Visitor and Convention Bureau.
For more traffic information, visit www.trafficwatchni.com/tallships
What’s on today
Queens Quay
Funfair
Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Interactive Zone
Continental Market
BBC ‘Bang goes the Theory’
BBC Headroom
BBC Radio Ulster
BBC Community Bus
NIEA Expo
University of Ulster Coastal and Marine Research Exhibition
Facepainters, Caricaturist and Balloon Modellers
Laserquest for over-8s
Clarendon Dock
Continental Market
RNLI Interactive Zone
Inflatables
Climbing Wall
Sand Sculpture
Softplay area for under-5’s
Live music from the stage
Street Theatre
Model yacht displays
Storytelling
Maritime crafts
Facepainters, Caricaturist and Balloon Modellers
Wii Fun
Albert Quay
Funfair
Continental Market
- Text Size
Comments
102 Comments
Get a grip and stop complaining. You want a proper event be prepared to put your hand in your pocket. Its called entertainment.
The Tall Ships helps to send the signal to the world that Belfast has changed and is moving forward. Perhaps the ridiculous early closing times in Belfast will now be looked at!!
Posted by Amadán | 21.08.09, 22:41 GMT
Seriously and without any sarcasm, I have never in my travels seen a city less cultured than Belfast.
City of Intolerance is a title which Belfast would win hands down. Reading the Belfast Telegraph on a regular basis, most of the time I am pretty speechless by what goes on. I had to check my calendar to see if it was April Fool's day. Actually, you couldn't make this stuff up if you tried!!!!
Posted by ex-pat, Canada | 21.08.09, 21:05 GMT
The local media made this event out to be bigger than the olympics and the world cup put together, Belfast city of culture, stop it BT my ribs hurt.
Posted by rn | 21.08.09, 18:01 GMT
look around and what do you see? flags flags and more flags, tribalism at its worst, until this practice ceases we should get nothing!!!
Posted by sean from co down Ireland | 21.08.09, 17:48 GMT
I don't want to seem like a naysayer, but a visit from a few ships once every 18 years does not make Belfast a city of culture. How can it be? One theatre, no fully operational museums, a derelict shipyard about to become an upmarket industrial and housing estate.
Posted by Michael Love | 21.08.09, 16:39 GMT
Belfast........city of culture?? Nelson Mc Causland......Minister for culture. Sometimes I think I must be living in a parallel universe
Posted by mark | 21.08.09, 14:20 GMT
Desy - seriously mate, you need to get out more.
Posted by mistercee | 21.08.09, 13:55 GMT
Ha! city of intolerance to other cultures would suit belfast more
Posted by michael fallon | 21.08.09, 13:12 GMT
As Tall Ship events go - this was poor and relied on tacky markets and fun fairs together with hype from the media to turn it into an attraction. Maybe that's what the people of NI want but I cant help feeling they deserve better. There were very few proper tall ships in Belfast, contrast it to the classy spectacular event run in the city of Waterford in 2005 when the ships were the event. Quayside entertainment was quirky and different, local existing businesses catered for all needs without any need fore continental markets. The park and ride carparks and transport operated incredibly smoothly with none of the problems Belfast encountered. There were in excess of 90 ships (exactly how many did Belfast end up with?) and they are returning to Waterford in 2011. Maybe those who are trying to attract them back to Belfast should take a trip down to see a true cultural event!
Posted by Alistair | 21.08.09, 13:11 GMT
a city of culture generally has a more than a few galleries and museums open to the public rather than all shut for refurbishment, along with a thriving arts scene. belfast just isn't there yet. it will get there in future but it's a long way off i'm afraid.
Posted by rachel | 21.08.09, 13:01 GMT
Back to the subject at hand... why would Belfast be selected as leading NI's bid to be UK Capital of Culture? Derry's Walls are 400 years old that day, 23 acres sites like Ebrington are subject to arts led regenerated and there is a disproportionate level of arts activity in the City.
Belfast has tried and failed before, time to try something new surely?
Posted by Border Hopper | 21.08.09, 11:13 GMT
How about examining the reasons behind Belfast's previous failed bid for the City of Culture before launching another application with no financial backing?
Posted by Bemused | 21.08.09, 10:54 GMT
If BCC is serious about city of culture they have to stop mucking about with arts funding, we get less per capita than any other part of the UK.
Posted by Jambo | 21.08.09, 10:36 GMT
City of Culture? Ha ha. I can't stop laughing. That's a cracker. It's the way the Tele tells them.
Posted by billy boy | 21.08.09, 09:56 GMT
The tall ships were amazing, the rest of the over priced rubbish wasn't. In 1991 when they came here there wasn't any need for all the uneeded extras.
Posted by rn | 20.08.09, 09:18 GMT
I just read that the tall ships may come back in 2015 i hope they do and although i dont want to wish my life away i really hope they do come back and we can all enjoy another great time and just imagine what Belfast will be like then as we have showed what we can do if we work together. look what this city is like now even compared to 1991 when the first came and think what its going to be like in 2015 with the signature progect finished and all the other thigs that is happening in our great city and i agree why not bring the commenwealth games or something like that here come on Belfast we can do it.
Posted by Desy | 20.08.09, 00:55 GMT
For Godsake, can't anyone say they don't like something without being torn to pieces for "moaning"? Awwww, did someone hate the festival you loved? Big deal, build a bridge and get over it. Not everything in this world goes nice and perfect for everyone. Everyone hates some things. They have the right to complain about it just like you have the right to say you loved it. No-one forces you to read the comments or even reply saying that they are "moaning". By the way, I do realise I am "moaning" as most of you would say, so don't bother pointing that out.
Posted by Sandra Sandrason | 19.08.09, 16:57 GMT
Re Stewie Griffen
Bemused has a right to his opinion & thoughts just as much as anyone else. You obviously enjoyed dressing up that day as a pirate. ps Are you in the show Family Guy?
Posted by Studly Lovebucket | 19.08.09, 12:26 GMT
go down to belfast docks there is plenty of ships down there.... every day too
Posted by chery | 18.08.09, 23:31 GMT
Tues 8pm...am still standing on Bangor coastal path...tall ships were supposed to pass about 2 pm Sunday....saw one and then nothing since....have they left port ?
I'm sure it will be a fantastic spectacle when they sail past in a flotilla.....
Posted by Tyred Wayting | 18.08.09, 20:41 GMT
102 Comments