With over 300 free events taking place at 150 locations across town, Culture Night offers everything from elaborate mural painting to musical performances to interactive family-friendly activities happening all around the city. Of course, I also hit up some of the most iconic and interesting bars in the city (all in the name of research of course) and was smart enough to jot down their names before I forgot them so that I could let others follow in my footsteps. Here then is your Culture Night Belfast Pub Crawl Guide for Grownups!
Before and After mural painting at the Bullitt hotel in Belfast
Pub #1 – The Dark Horse
Technically speaking, the Dark Horse isn’t called a pub, but instead describes itself as a coffee house and great spot for lunches. But of course it is fully licensed and it’s interior couldn’t be more classic pub with its rich mahogany ceilings, plenty of antique mirrors, a polished pewter bar and all kinds of decor items and artefacts collected from some of the city’s historic buildings. Come Culture Night Belfast, it’s the Dark Horse’s location right in the HalfBap area of the Cathedral Quarter that makes it the perfect place to start your pub crawl as it puts you squarely in the heart of the action.
Many of the activities take place in the Cathedral Quarter of Belfast’s downtown
What also makes the Dark Horse a must-see stop on your Culture Night Belfast Pub Crawl is that it is one of the few bars in Northern Ireland boasting a Game of Thrones wooden carved door. Made from the wood of fallen trees that came from the country’s Dark Hedges (also seen in the TV series), there are 10 of these magnificent doors installed in several pubs around Northern Ireland where the series is shot, each one with a different themed carving. They are absolutely worth seeking out even if you aren’t a GOT fan, but if you are one, I just gave you another great idea for a pub crawl! You’re welcome.
The Dark Horse boasts one of 10 Game of Thrones carved wooden doors
Pub #1 and 1/2 – the Duke of York’s Private Courtyard
Right opposite the Dark Horse (well, that makes it easy for a pub crawl, doesn’t it?) is their sister pub, the Duke of York, both of which share a private courtyard that almost qualifies as its own destination, making this stop a “pub-and-a-half” on my crawl. An umbrella canopy ushers visitors in from the narrow, pedestrian-only alley known as Commercial Court to a space that is lit with fairy lights overhead and decorated with murals featuring local residents.
An umbrella canopy welcomes you into the Dark Horse’s courtyard
Murals in the courtyard of the Dark Horse include local residents
During Culture Night, the space functions as an outdoor music venue and impromptu dance floor, with patrons of all ages dancing and singing along to favourite tunes, both of which are a mandatory in my mind for any good Irish pub crawl.
Pub #2 – The John Hewitt
Local music is as much a part of John Hewitt’s pub as the ciders and Guinness on tap, whether the pub is hosting the finest Irish Traditional music on their Saturday afternoon sessions, or contemporary artists the rest of the week. Located in the Cathedral Quarter, the John Hewitt prides itself on its great gin, but on Culture Night Belfast last September, it was the Irish cover band Finvola playing there that won me over.
Finvola performing at the John Hewitt Pub
Not sure whether it was the red-headed lead singer with her fairy-green dress, or the fact that she had her daughter and friends join her on stage, but I became a fast fan. (This was also the 3rd stop on our crawl so I was definitely getting into the spirit of Culture Night!)
Pub #3 – Kelly’s Cellars
What would a Belfast pub crawl be without including the oldest pub in the city? Kelly’s Cellars has stood on its spot in Bank Square since 1720, and in keeping with its grand tradition, the owner and staff still speak traditional Irish. With it’s whitewashed walls, low doorways and cozy firelit interior, it’s easy to imagine this as the watering hole it once was almost 300 years ago (except of course for the band playing ‘I will survive’ which I happily belted out in full voice along with them.)
Kelly’s Cellars is Belfast’s oldest pub – and most charming. *Photo from website
I’m not sure whether they lived up to their promise of serving “the best pint of Guinness in Belfast”, but Kelly’s Cellars was without a doubt the most charming pub we hit on Culture Night. (And according to their Facebook page, Ed Sheeran likes to pay the odd visit, too!)
Pub #4 – Sunflower Public House
The last place we hit for my Culture Night Belfast pub crawl likes to refer to itself as a ‘simple corner pub’, and stands on a site where there has been a public house for over 100 years. But what made the Sunflower Public House stand out for me was that it is one of the few pubs in the city that still keeps a security cage on its front door, a holdover from 1980s Belfast when violence ruled much of the city. Thankfully there is no longer any need for these ‘caged’ entrances to control who enters the bar, and the new owners who opened the place in 2012 can focus instead on providing good beer and good music, which they do 7 days a week. But I think that it’s pretty cool that the Sunflower actually fought to preserve their cage as a part of the city’s social history.
The caged entrance to the Sunflower Public House *Photo courtesy of SPH Facebook page
The real surprise inside this simple corner pub is the expansive beer garden/courtyard at the back. Since its opening in 2014, it has clearly become a huge hit with locals where even in winter if the craft brews and ciders don’t keep you warm, the wood fired pizza just might. As our last stop of the night, the Sunflower was the perfect way to top off a great night of Irish drink, song and dance.
Culture Night Belfast: THE Street Party of the Year
The streets come alive during Culture Night Belfast
Belfast has plenty of great reasons to visit at any time of the year, (their beautiful Titanic Museum for one), but Culture Night Belfast is one night you shouldn’t miss. People and music spill out into the downtown streets and squares, you never know what art awaits you around the next corner, and the entire city comes to life celebrating all things Belfast. This is one pub crawl that is as much about fun, friends and culture as it is about Guinness, so go find your new ‘local’ and pretty soon you’ll soon feel like one yourself.
TIP: This year marks the 10th anniversary for Culture Night Belfast which takes place on Friday, September 21, 2018. For more information on specific actives and events, check their website a little closer to the date or just plan to be in Belfast and join in on the fun.
Special thanks to Tourism Ireland who hosted my Culture Night Belfast visit.
What a great expression of local culture — right up my alley, and theirs too apparently! I really love how you get a sense of the people and the history of Belfast just from your pictures. Thanks for the perfect Pub Crawl (always nice to have a good GoT reference in there as well) but I think I really need to come for the Culture Night Belfast. Sounds like a great event!
They do Culture Nights elsewhere as well, Lori but I think given Belfast’s past, it’s particularly good to see this city come out and celebrate its future this way. (glad to hear you’re a GoT fan as well!) đ
You had me at Pub Crawl and Ireland! This sounds like a fun and fascinating trip around some of Northern Irelandâs best pubs. Iâve always found Irish pubs to be the best way to truly get a feel for her people. Thanks for sharing!
I agree, Lisa – there’s no better way to feel like a local than to explore a couple of them! And Ireland has so many that are historic it’s hard to cover them all.
I haven’t seen anything of Belfast apart from the airport. But it looks as if it’s a great place for traditional Irish pubs (of which I have tried quite a few!)
I found Belfast really interesting, Karen, not just with their history of ‘the Troubles’ and how they are moving past that, but also because they have an amazing Titanic museum and the city itself is undergoing a renaissance. I really enjoyed my time there.
Great suggestions for an enjoyable pub crawl through Belfast! But drinking Guinness, I doubt I’d be able to make it past the first.
I’m with you, Carole, being more of a wine drinker. But they have plenty of that, too, and it’s good!
Thx for this wonderful post about the pubs of Belfast. I’ve not yet been to Ireland, but would love to plan a visit.
I would highly recommend it Doreen. The Irish people are wonderful and the scenery is absolutely stunning (and there’s a Game of Thrones connection so that’s always a good thing!)