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BELFAST CITY CENTRE

AMAZING FEATS ON
THE CITY STREETS

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SAVE THE DATE!

Festival of Fools returns from
the 3rd-5th May 2025.
Keep an eye out for updates and news on our 20th edition of the festival. 
It's going to be incredible so don't miss out! 

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Festival of Fools 2024 was amazing!
The streets of Belfast were once again filled with fun, laughter and fantastic performances.
Here are the highlights from this years festival...

Don't worry if you didn't get a chance to buy any of Festival of Fools 2024 Merch!
There is still time to head over to Circusful's website and check it out.
We have limited stock so don't miss out!
 

FOF 2024 — EVENING PROGRAMME

 CONTRA 

Laura Murphy

18+

BELONGING

Cikada Circus

12+

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Fierce, witty and uncompromising — Contra interrogates personal, social and historical views of the female body.


★★★★ 


 “…a blistering show blending stand up, confessional and circus performance… kicking against the culture of female oppression.”

Belonging is an abstract acrobatic performance piece that explores what it is to belong. Whether that be to one another, to a place, to the natural world, or to not belong at all. A unique immersive version, developed especially for FoF24.

Meet Our
Performers 2024

EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

THE WORST CAFÉ

Big Telly Productions

CIRCUSFUL
CORNER

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Big Telly Productions presents

A menu of theatrical bites to amuse your bouche — music, mystery, magic and mayhem. From Shakespeare to sci-fi, the stories come well-done and rare. The waiters have a lot on their plate and may meltdown any minute… This may be the Worst Café for food but it’s the best for craic.

Sat, Sun, Mon — 12:00 – 16:30

Schedules announced on the day

All at 2 Royal Avenue

 

Suitable for all ages

PERFORMANCE

WORKSHOPS

INSTALLATION

Join us as we take over our favourite city centre venue with performances by highly skilled and talented young people and emerging artists.

Try out some circus skills for yourself — free workshops available throughout the day.

THE BELFAST THAT TIME FORGOT 
(in 3D) 

Leo Boyd & Laura Nelson

Come and see Belfast recast as a day-glo B-movie disaster zone. Fun for all the family!

Festival of Fools is the largest festival of free-to-access circus and outdoor performance on the island of 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.

What's On where?

MONDAY 6 MAY
 

ST ANNE'S SQUARE

Tony and Ray: 13:00 – 13:15

SWARM: 13:15 – 14:00

Tony and Ray: 14:00 – 14:15

Otros Aires: 14:30 – 15:00

Otros Aires: 16:00 – 16:30

Tony and Ray: 16:45 – 17:00

SWARM: 17:00 – 17:45

WRITERS' SQUARE

Parkour: 13:00 – 13:15

Doris and Mabel: 13:15 – 14:00

Playground: 14:15 – 15:00

Parkour: 15:30 – 15:45

Doris and Mabel: 15:45 – 16.30

Classic Connee: 17:00 –17:30

 

2 ROYAL AVENUE

Circusful Corner (inside): 12:00 – 16:30

Classic Connee: 14:15 – 14:45
Fresh Fools (inside): 15:00 – 16:00

Stories in the City: 16:15 – 17:00

 

 

End the day at our Big Finish Show at St Anne's Square — 18:00

SATURDAY 4 MAY
 

CORNMARKET

Sharp Dressed Men: 12:00 – 12:45

Campaign for Custard Pies: 12:15 – 16:00

Beach Barrage: 13:15 – 13:45

Happy Hoop: 14:15 – 14:45

Ready. Aim. Fire!: 15:30 – 16:00

ROSEMARY STREET

Happy Hoop: 12:00 – 12:30

Stories in the City: 14:00 – 14:45

Beach Barrage: 15:30 – 16:00

 

 

2 ROYAL AVENUE

Circusful Corner (inside): 12:00 – 16:30

Parkour: 12:45 – 13:00

Ready. Aim. Fire!: 13:15 – 13:45

Parkour: 14:30 – 14:45

Sharp Dressed Men: 15:00 – 15:45

 

 

End the day at our Big Finish Show outside 2 Royal Avenue — 17:00

SUNDAY 5 MAY
 

ST ANNE'S SQUARE

Tony and Ray: 13:00 – 13:15

Ready. Aim. Fire!: 13:15 – 13:45

Fresh Fools: 14:15 – 14:45

Tony and Ray: 15:00 – 15:15

Stories in the City: 15:15 – 16:00

Happy Hoop: 16:30 – 17:00

Captain C–Man: 17:15 – 17:45

WRITERS' SQUARE

Captain C–Man: 14:00 – 14:30

Otros Aires: 15:00 – 15:30

Playground: 16:00 – 16:45

Otros Aires: 17:15 – 17:45

 

 

2 ROYAL AVENUE

Circusful Corner (inside): 12:00 – 16:30

Campaign for Custard Pies: 13:00 – 17:00

Tony and Ray: 12:15 – 12:30

Fresh Fools: 12:30 – 13:00

Tony and Ray: 14:00 – 14:15

Happy Hoop: 14:15 – 14:45

Ready. Aim. Fire!: 17:00 – 17:30

 

 

End the day at our Big Finish Show at St Anne's Square — 18:00

Performance Locations

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DONATE

A long standing tradition at Festival of Fools is for audiences to donate cash into hats at the end of each show.

100% of every single cash donation goes directly into making the Festival possible.  

No cash? No problem! Click the button below to donate via SumUp! Thank you. 

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