The banks of the River Lagan, Belfast City Hall and the Cathedral Quarter of Belfast will be vibrant areas on the weekend of 10th September, when the European Heritage Open Days will take place in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. Celebrating the Heritage Communities theme, Belfast will foreground the work of various community groups that have helped creating, conserving and enhancing the city’s cultural heritage.

Heritage and History of The River Lagan

Among the most exciting community events on the River Lagan, the famous Belfast Barge will host guided tours to showcase history and industrial heritage of the river, while the Titanic Quarter will organise two exploratory tours. Titanic Taster Wee Tram Tour and Titanic Taster Photography Tour will both present the history of the world’s largest Titanic-themed attraction in a distinct way. By allowing visitors to experience a ride in carriages inspired by tramcars formerly running through the shipyard and by offering tips on becoming a great Titanic-inspired photographer, these two events will provide a memorable perspective on this historic area.  

Theatre, Music and Entertainment

In addition to the maritime themes, visitors will also be able to enjoy several drama and music performances across the town. An amateur drama company Ever After Productions will perform three short plays in Linenhall Library, while the Lisburn harmony Ladies Choir, a cross community choir with a unique energy, will entertain visitors of different music tastes.

For the lovers of vintage motorcycles, Belfast City Hall will organise an exhibition of various motorcycle models dating from pre-WW1 era and 1960s. The models on the display will be provided by Northern Ireland Section of the Vintage Motor Cycle Club, a community of passionate and active bikers.

Multi-Cultural Experiences

Further around the town, cultural heritage explorers will get a chance to meet Belfast’s Indian Community at the magnificent building of the Indian Community Centre. The event will include a tour through the marvellous Carlisle Memorial Church, which has been used as the Indian Community Centre since 1979. This will be a remarkable experience for everyone interested in cultural explorations and captivating architectural gems of Belfast.  

With these community events, the European Heritage Open Days programme in Belfast will pay a homage to the work of the city's various communities that gave a new meaning to historic objects arround the town. This way, the European Heritage Open Days programme in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, will help drive attention to the invaluable role of heritage communities in promoting and cherishing shared European values.

More information about the events could be found on the Discover Northern Ireland page.  

Photo credits: Wikipedia and Indian Community Centre