A controversial open-air show set up as a ‘Fleadh Fringe’ that clashes with this year’s Ulster Pipe Band Championships seems to have quietly ditched any association with the huge all-Ireland folk festival.

The event, to be held in Bangor the day before the fleadh kicks off in Belfast, has been set up to happen just a few minutes’ walk away from the 86th annual pipe contest on the same date.

It’s been stated the clash could see band parades rerouted or restricted to make way for the open-air traditional music concert.

The move split the area’s council earlier this year, with unionists worried the logistics and expense of bringing 50 pipe bands plus thousands of supporters as well as around 5,000 Irish folk fans to the small centre of the seaside city hadn’t been properly worked out.

placeholder image — Set up to tie into the all-Ireland Fleadh as a 'fringe' event, an open-air folk gig has now been rebranded 'Bangor Beats and Rhythms' - with no mention of the Fleadh. Image: Ards and North Down Council

Officials and supportive politicians alike argued holding both would be worth it, as the ‘fringe’ tie-in would see Bangor benefit from tourists arriving early for the fleadh who want to check out related gigs before the proper event kicks off.

But the Bangor show is no longer called a Fleadh Fringe event; indeed, it doesn’t seem to have any official links to the all-Ireland festival at all.

The council is now promoting it under the name ‘Bangor Beats and Rhythms’, making no mention of the fleadh whatsoever.

It’s instead being plugged as part of ‘Bangor Vibes’, said to be a weekend of music including the pipe band championships, the open-air folk show originally created to be in the Fleadh Fringe, and a Queen tribute act performing a free show in a city park the day after the other two.

The all-Ireland Fleadh does have a ‘fringe’ section on its website – but the Bangor event doesn’t appear to be part of it.

Full listings aren’t yet available, though the site specifies official fringe gigs are “planned for north, south, east and west Belfast”.

In fact, no fleadh gigs look to be slated for Bangor at all, with the seaside city mainly mentioned on the site in lists of tourist accommodation.

Questioned by the News Letter on why the fleadh name and branding seem to have been dropped despite politicians and officials making such a big deal of its importance, Ards and North Down Council didn’t give a direct answer.

Asked who made the decision and when, as well as what impact dropping the fleadh connection in favour of new branding is expected to have on the event’s tourism draw, a spokeswoman stayed tight-lipped.

In a statement, she said the gig “forms part of the council's wider Bangor Vibes programme, which has been developed to complement the anticipated increase in visitors to the region around the fleadh and provide an additional reason to visit Bangor during that period”.

She said the publicity campaign “positions Bangor Vibes as taking place ahead of the fleadh”. In fact, that’s only true of the former fringe event and clashing pipe band championships on August 1; the Queen tribute act performs on August 2, meaning the second day of Bangor Vibes itself clashes with the opening day of the fleadh in Belfast.

“The council continues to work with partners to maximise the opportunities presented by fleadh and showcase Bangor as a destination during this significant cultural period,” the spokeswoman added.