The Belfast Children’s Festival is back for Take 22!

What can Tetris tell us about how we connect with one another and how we belong? Do you want to know why a man’s best friend is a stick? What happens when a Hermit decides to leave the house?

Can four birds stick together when all they have in common is Jabberbabble? Have you heard the truth about Captain Hook? Have you ever wondered what the world is like for the partially-sighted?

All these questions will be answered from Friday 6 to Wednesday 11 March, through more than 100 events which will take place in 13 locations across the city at the 22nd Belfast Children’s Festival.  This year’s festival, which is one of the largest children’s arts festivals on the island of Ireland and the UK, will explore the concepts of home, place and belonging.

Eibhlín de Barra, Director Young at Art, unveiled the packed programme at today’s festival launch in the MAC, Belfast, which will serve as the hub for the 2020 Festival.

‘The 2020 Festival programme is a wonderful mix of theatre, dance, comedy, music, visual arts and literature for families. From the thought-provoking Inside the Speaker to the hilarious Hermit and from Replay Theatre’s Untold Truth of Captain Hook to the brilliantly off the wall Jabberbabble, audiences will be spoilt for choice. On top of it all we are again pioneering a weekend of family-friendly fun and activities in the heart of the Cathedral Quarter.

‘In 2019, we welcomed over 15,000 local and international visitors to Belfast and we hope that visitors to the 2020 Belfast Children’s Festival will be excited by the programme as we are.’

This year’s festival will have a particularly strong focus on work from the Netherlands, with the performances of Tetris, Hermit and Jabberbabble. In addition, Young at Art are delighted to be presenting the locally-produced ‘Inside the Speaker’ and ‘Stick by Me’, from Scotland.  Festival tickets are on sale at www.youngatart.co.uk. The maximum ticket price is £10, and adults pay the same price as children. Many Belfast Children’s Festival events are free.
 
Belfast Children’s Festival is supported by Tourism NI to drive visitor numbers, increase spend in the local economy and raise the profile of Northern Ireland as the home of great events. Last year, Belfast Children’s Festival welcomed families from the island of Ireland, the UK and Europe.

Young at Art continues to build on a promising partnership with Destination CQ Bid and is encouraging families from across Belfast and beyond to explore the Cathedral Quarter and find out what it has to offer for all the family. On Sunday 8 March the Cathedral Quarter family fun day will be bursting with exciting activities, including Baby Rave in the MAC, free children’s art workshops, an Acoustic Picnic in Oh Yeah Music Centre, augmented reality workshops with Art Cart and more, all supported by Destination CQ BID.