ALL OUTDOOR SHOWS ARE FREE
BELFAST CITY CENTRE
AMAZING FEATS ON
THE CITY STREETS
Festival of Fools returned to the streets of Belfast from the 2nd-4th May 2026
Over 14,000 people, young and old alike came to the festival to marvel at amazing feats and fill the streets and squares of Belfast with wonder, delight and laughter.
Over 3 days, we had over 50 shows from incredible
local, national and international acts!
"Festival of Fools is the heart of Belfast - such a gem of a festival, a celebration of human feats of strength, grace and a much needed dollop of laughter and fun. I absolutely love it. Thank you."
Audience member, 2026
"Excellent acts, great volunteers, brilliant sense of inclusivity and togetherness. Thank you!"
Audience member, 2026
"Excellent event to bring the community together in the city centre"
Audience member, 2026
Check out the highlights video below!
Where to find Festival of Fools
The festival takes place across Belfast City Centre over 3 days:
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On Saturday 2 May you can enjoy shows at Cornmarket, 2 Royal Avenue and for the first time ever we will be at Belfast Grand Central Station.
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On Sunday 3 May you can enjoy shows at 2 Royal Avenue, Writers' Square, St. Anne's Square, and Riddel's Warehouse.
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On Monday 4 May you can enjoy shows at Writers' Square, St. Anne's Square, York Lane/University of Ulster and Riddel's Warehouse.
For more information on all our venues, please take a look at our access section
You can find them on the map here
Message from our Principal Funder
The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is delighted to see the Festival of Fools return this May with its impressive, live, professional circus acts, helping to ensure that more people from all backgrounds can enjoy arts experiences. Our encounters with circus, theatre and storytelling can have a deep and lasting influence on our creative imaginations and the way we view the world around us.
National Lottery funding is a game changer in helping this festival spread joy across Belfast and as principal funder, the Arts Council is thankful to The National Lottery players for the investment we are able to make in this Festival and also in the important work that Circusful does throughout the year, engaging people in arts activities as well as offering a platform to young and emerging circus artists. I hope everyone enjoys this year’s Festival of Fools and come away feeling entertained and inspired.
Gilly Campbell, Director of Arts Development, Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
Festival of Fools is the largest festival of free-to-access circus and outdoor performance in Northern Ireland. Artists from around the world feature alongside the best of locally based talent.
All daytime shows are free to attend. Evening show tickets can be booked via foolsfestival.com.
If it rains (it won’t, of course), keep your eye on our socials and we’ll update you on where you can see shows inside.