Orangefest gets £40k boost to brighten Belfast's Twelfth celebrations
Belfast’s annual July 12 celebrations, Orangefest, has picked up £40,000 in Stormont funding, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons confirmed today (24th).
The annual event, now in its 18th year, holds a food market and family-friendly street entertainment in the grounds of Belfast City Hall, and is designed to modernise the big Twelfth bash to make it more accessible, inclusive, and relevant to the contemporary city.
Said Mr Lyons: “I am pleased to confirm funding of more than £40,000 from my department for the 2025 Orangefest. This support will enable Orangefest to engage with other bodies to make this year’s Twelfth of July celebrations an even more inclusive and family friendly event.
“Orange celebrations are one of the largest, long-standing events of their kind in Belfast, attracting tens of thousands of domestic visitors and, year-on-year, increasingly many more from Great Britain, the Republic of Ireland and many other parts of the world.
“This funding will help maximise the economic, social, and cultural opportunities for Belfast city centre.”
The rejuvenation of Belfast Orangefest is led by a dedicated Board of Directors, who are working towards increasing city centre footfall, supporting tourism growth, developing a wider community engagement programme, and strengthening inter-community relations.
A project funded by the Department for Communities, ‘Belfast Orangefest, A New Beginning’, is supporting the organisation by providing critical funds for day-to-day infrastructure and operations.
First established by the County Grand Lodge of Belfast in 2007, Orangefest works to modernise the Twelfth of July celebrations, broadening their appeal and working in conjunction with local shops. Orangefest promotes continuous engagement throughout the year, taking on board concerns and seeking to develop new ways of delivering a high-quality Twelfth of July event.
Before the creation of Orangefest, the Twelfth used to see Belfast shops shut for the day as parades took over the heart of the city. Now, they remain open for business, with a festive atmosphere aimed at families boosting spirits of visitors and locals alike.
It sees colourful banners erected across the city centre and promotional material distributed to homes and businesses, with street dressing created by media company Image Zoo.
Running from 10am to 3.30pm around city hall and Royal Avenue, Orangefest attracts thousands of participants and spectators, and contributes significantly to the local economy and tourism.