Event Information for Friday 1st December
Two Lantern Parades to meet together at the Christmas Tree.
Groups have been assigned to either the Upper or Lower Parades. (Contact workshops@beatcarnival if you are not sure.)
Assembly Points
One Lantern Parade leaves Townsend Street at 6:45
One Lantern Parade leaves Woodvale Avenue at 7:00
NB Road Closed
From 6pm, Shankill Road will be closed to traffic above Agnes Street / below Tennent Street. See map picture below for suggested routes around the closure, to get to Woodvale Park. Tennent Street wil be open.
Lanterns: Lights for your lanterns will be given out at the Assembly Point registration areas. We will have a limited number of extra lanterns at the parade start for family members who didn’t get the chance to make any.
Townsend Registration: Registration and assembly (Parade line-up) between 5:45 and 6:15pm.
Meet at 5:45pm in Townsend Street Presbyterian Church Hall (look for the big silk flag by the entrance) to register and get the lights for your lanterns. Please register as part of the group you made your lanterns with (i.e. register with the name of your group).
Woodvale Registration: Meet at 6pm at the Bowling Pavillion in Woodvale Park. Access is via Woodvale Avenue entrance (look for the big silk flag by the gate). Register and get the lights for your lanterns. Please note: the Park will be closed after the parade leaves so please do not park vehicles inside the gates. Please register as part of the group you made your lanterns with.
Lower Parade route: The Lower Parade will leave Townsend Street at 6:45pm and travel up the Shankill Road to the Mid Shankill Community Garden and the Christmas Tree.
Upper Parade route: The Upper Parade will leave from Woodvale Park at 7pm and travel down Woodvale Road and Shankill Road to the Christmas Tree at Mid Shankill Community Garden.
Music Stage: Music stage is at end of Bellevue Street, beside Christmas Tree on Shankill Road. There will be performances from 6:30pm, continuing after the parades arrive, until the finalé song and then the tree lights switch-on. See more details about the Music Stage performances in this News article > Stage Performance Times
Finalé: with the Light Up The Road Ensemble. The final festive song will be performed by as many as we can fit on stage of, BEATnDRUM, Alive Choir, Belfast Guitar Orchestra, Beat Carnival Band, all fronted by HOLLY McCOUBREY (plus you all in the sing-a-long audience!).
The Shankill Christmas Tree Lights: will be switched on at 8:15pm, by special guest Tim McGarry.
Finishing time: The parades finish at 7:30pm and the event will be finished at 8:30pm. After you disperse from the parade, we encourage you to stay and soak up the Christmas cheer; enjoy the performers and seasonal songs; and cheer as Tim McGarry pushes the button to light up the Christmas Tree!
Clothing: Make sure you wear warm clothes, hat, scarf, gloves, coat (and welly boots if it’s raining)! We especially encourage Santa hats and Christmas jumpers! We expect the weather to be cold but dry.
There will be Beat Carnival Staff on site (in bright yellow coats / waistcoats). Please contact them if you have any issues concerning the parade throughout the evening. Beat Carnival is not responsible for individuals at any point during the event so all children under 16 should have parental supervision.
