Firmly cemented in the local music calendar, Sound Of Belfast returns to the city for 2026. Across 11 days you will have the opportunity to attend live shows, album launches, exhibitions, anniversary performances, new collaborations and industry events.
Produced by the Oh Yeah Music Centre, the festival will celebrate the people, stories and sounds that make Belfast a UNESCO City of Music.
New for 2026 is the Budvar Music Trail, taking live music into venues across Belfast and encouraging audiences to discover artists and spaces along the way, with Piaras O’Lorcain, Rarewitch, Conor Mallon, Blackmoon Disco and Leo Miyagee among those performing.
There will be celebrations of both old and new albums. With the launch of Bap Kennedy: Dreams of a Boy, written by his wife Brenda Kennedy and marking 10 years since his passing while, Duke Special celebrates 20 years of Songs From The Deep Forest. New music also takes centre stage, with album launches from Alana Henderson and Ryan Vail as well as the Old Town celebrating the human art form not AI music.
It would be remiss of us not to mention the NI Music Prize which returns to the Ulster Hall for an evening celebrating the achievements of everyone in the industry over the past twelve months.
Between 5 and 15 November, there really is something for everyone in this incredible festival. The full programme can be found over on the Sound of Belfast website.
