Lyons confirms funding for Belfast Orangefest
Date published:
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has confirmed funding to support the cultural organisation Orangefest.
Belfast Orangefest, first established by the County Grand Lodge of Belfast in 2007, is an organisation designed to modernise the Twelfth of July celebrations to make them more accessible, inclusive, and relevant to contemporary Belfast. 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 for 2025 and beyond.
Minister Lyons said:
"I am pleased to confirm funding of more than Pound 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. "Belfast Orangefest...A New Beginning," the project funded by the Department for Communities, is supporting the organisation by providing critical funds for day-to-day infrastructure and operations.
