A coffin will be carried through the streets of the Cathedral Quarter followed by a New Orleans-style funeral band in protest at the absence of Culture Night which was last held in Belfast three years ago.
Willie Jack, the owner of a number of Belfast’s most popular bars, is set to host his own event with an evening of music, drama and art, including the Boom Strutt Brass Band.
The publican, who runs The Duke of York and other pubs in Cathedral Quarter, will hold the events in and around his own establishments.
There will be plenty of action and drama and dancing the streets over the evening, starting at 7pm on Friday, Mr Jack is promising.
The publican wanted to “fill the gap” left following the ending of the night of culture organised by the Cathedral Quarter Trust, which ceased day to day operations last year after government funding was withdrawn.
The Culture Night was already under threat after it switched to online in the first year of Covid before returning in 2021 then placed under review the following year. Funding was pulled from the organisers by the Department for Communities the following year.
Mr Jack added: “Belfast City Council has said there is a review ongoing and it might find the money for 2025.”
“We have to talk here and now and show how great this city is,” he said, adding that Belfast lags far behind Dublin in organising cultural and other events that promote the city.
Among the other bands on a mini-tour bouncing among the venues will be the Major Sinclair Memorial Pipe Band, the Causeway Shantymen, the Cushendun Rapparees and the Rare Oul Stuff.
Ursula Burns, ‘The Dangerous Harpist’ from Cloud Truck Theatre will also perform, while mural artist Ciaran Gallagher will deliver a preview of a number of works in progress.
Comedian and regular Irish News columnist Bronagh Diamond is expected to make an appearance while Belles of Belfast author Lucy McMullan will read from her work.
Belfast City Council meanwhile said in May the council agreed to give £30,000 to facilitate “an engagement programme with the wider cultural sector, key funders, partners and other interested parties in relation to Culture Night from September 2025 onwards.”
