Hillsborough International Oyster festival is famous among the locals as well as tourists. The festival has been organized in Hillsborough village for atleast 20 years. This event is organized each year for a few days either between August and September or only during the month of September. The oyster festival is a competition in which the participants eat oysters in the least amount of time. One who eats the most number of oysters within the least amount of time is declared as a winner.
Sea Bangor Festival is organized annually in County Down. It is a maritime festival organized in June. The festival includes live music, local food stalls are set up and entertainment activities for kids. There is street theatre where artists perform plays. There are ships available for sailing and much more. Also, a tall ship is anchored near The Eisenhower Pier. This ship is a massive crowd puller.
Hilden Beer festival is another interesting festival to witness. This festival is organized every year in Lisburn in August for 3 days. This beer festival has been organized in Lisburn for the past 30 years. As the city of Lisburn falls on the border between County Antrim and County down, it is celebrated with equal enthusiasm in both the counties. There is beer and cider available for tasting to the visitors which comes from many of the local as well as neighbouring counties. There are food stalls set up. Then there are also artists that play live music at the beer festival. Hilden Beer festival is considered to be the longest running festival organized in Northern Ireland.
Seafood is a specialty of Northern Ireland. Kilkeel annual fish festival is one of the most awaited festival. It is organized for 4 days in August. Apart from some spectacular seafood cuisine tasting, the festival also includes live music, seafood cooking demonstration sessions, entertainment activities for kids and family, oyster eating competition, fishing competition, etc. The fish festival celebrates the fishing tradition of Kilkeel town in County Down and in a way promotes local fishing industry.
Comber Potato festival is celebrated in small town of Comber. It is celebrated either in June or July at the Comber Square. The festival is held to celebrate the local produce, potato. There are activities arranged for children that focus around potato. Artisans set up their stalls displaying items made from potatoes. Food stalls put for tasting dishes that are prepared using potato as the core ingredient. This festival promotes locally harvested and grown potatoes. There are workshops, live music and cookery demonstrations for entertainment.
Portaferry Sails and Sounds festival is a popular summer festival organized in June in County Down. The festival is held for 3 days and live music is played by famous artists. The area of Portaferry has always been known for its sailing and music. Sailing regatta is organized during the festival. The spirit of traditional Irish dancing and music is celebrated during this festival. Other activities one will find here include art and craft exhibition, street theatre, sailing yachts, farmers market where farmers come to sell their fresh produce and competitions of different types.
Fiddler’s Green International festival is organized for 8 days. It has been organized for the past 30 years and its popularity continues to increase. The festival in its few days of celebration include variety of things like folk music, arts exhibition, entertainment in the form of open air stage, vocational workshops like singing, playing instruments and much more. The Morne Mountains form the background for this beautiful festival that gets organized in Rostrevor village, County Down.
Ulster Fleadh is celebrated in the town of Bangor in County Down. It is held in June for 10 days at different locations. The festival in a way promotes Irish traditional music, dance and songs. These are forms are displayed through different events like workshop, concert sessions among other events. Ulster Fleadh is a forum via which people can exhibit their talent. Popular music bands play at Ulster Fleadh. One year this festival was also held in County Tyrone.