Press Release
3rd March 2025.
Belfast Children’s Festival partners with CQ BID to bring ‘Family Festival Day Out’ to Cathedral Quarter
Belfast Children’s Festival, (6-15 March) curated by Young at Art, has teamed up with Belfast Business Improvement District, CQ BID, to bring its Festival Family Day Out to locations across Cathedral Quarter on 15th March this year. The Cathedral Quarter—home to over 700 BID-member businesses and organizations—will transform into a vibrant hub of activity, featuring pop-up performances, storytelling, music, and events in key venues such as the MAC, Belfast Cathedral, and Oh Yeah Music Centre. This initiative is set to attract thousands of families, providing a valuable economic boost to local businesses, including those in retail, hospitality, and entertainment.
Speaking about the partnership with CQ BID, Young at Art Director, EibhIín de Barra said:
“CQ BID has been a long-standing supporter of Belfast Children’s Festival, and we are thrilled to partner again in 2025. Our Festival Family Day Out brings thousands of families into the Cathedral Quarter, where they not only enjoy free festival workshops, events and performances but also shop, dine, and experience local businesses. With over 32,000 attendees last year, including an estimated 18,000 attending 2024’s Festival Family Day Out, the Belfast Children’s Festival is the largest children’s arts festival by footfall in the UK and Ireland, offering businesses a unique opportunity to connect with the family market.”
L-R Gilly Campbell, Arts Council for Northern Ireland, Damien Corr, CQ BID, Lord Mayor of Belfast, Cllr. Micky Murray, Eibhlin de Barra, Young at Art, Janice Kernohan-Reid, Replay Theatre Co.
Damien Corr, Manager at CQ BID, highlighted how the festival aligns with the area’s 2022–2026 Business Plan:
“Our goal is to increase footfall, particularly by attracting families, while creating opportunities for CQ businesses to engage with festival audiences. By activating public spaces, we enhance the area’s appeal for shopping, dining, and entertainment, while championing Belfast’s rich arts, culture, and heritage.
“Recent research by CQ BID, Belfast One BID and Linen Quarter BID found that city centre visitors spend an average of £150 per person, reinforcing the potential of arts and cultural events to drive economic impact. CQ BID is actively encouraging its members to engage with the promoters to maximize business engagement and consumer spending.”
Over 100 events and performances will take place during the festival, which features productions from Belgium, Nigeria, Spain, Denmark, England and Ireland, local artists, firm festival favourites like Baby Rave and several UK and Ireland premiers.
Belfast Children’s Festival is supported by The Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Belfast City Council. Businesses and community groups interested in subsidised tickets, sponsorships, or promotional partnerships can contact Young at Art at [email protected].
View the full festival programme at: www.youngatart.co.uk.
ENDS//
For media inquiries and interview requests, contact:
Julie Sherlock +447834776519
Email: [email protected]/[email protected]
