Things to do on a budget this autumn in Belfast

The Northern Ireland capital of Belfast is a fascinating city to explore at all times of year, with autumn being no exception.

A rich and storied history still burns brightly in Belfast, seen in many of the city’s fabled landmarks and heritage buildings. But this is also a place with a keen eye on the present, with plenty of contemporary culture and entertainment to enjoy. Once autumn arrives, the weather tends to hover somewhere between pleasant and bracing, but this only adds to the character and charm. Here are some of the most affordable things to see and do in Belfast over the coming weeks and months.

Autumn Fair

Belfast’s Botanic Gardens are a delight to explore throughout the changing seasons, but perhaps never more so than in Autumn. For a full weekend every September, the gardens play host to a popular Autumn Fair featuring showcasing prize-winning autumnal blooms, floral art displays and seasonal vegetables. Other highlights include food and craft stalls selling local produce and arty treats, food demos, dancing, autumn-themed arts and crafts, carnival rides, watercolour workshops. This year, as part of European Heritage Open Days weekend, there will also be historical guided tours of the garden and its glasshouses. Entry to the fair is free.

College Park Avenue, Botanic Avenue / Mon-Sun 7.30am-8.30pm

Belfast International Arts Festival

One of the most eagerly awaited events on Northern Ireland’s cultural calendar, Belfast International Arts Festival returns this October, with arts-themed shows taking place at over 30 venues across the city. Featuring a packed programme of theatre, visual art, music, literature, film and plenty more, the three-week festival attracts performers and visitors from around the world who come to engage and participate in the creative arts. Tickets are sold individually for each show and start at around £15.

Venues across Belfast / 16 October – 6 November 2024

Cave Hill Country Park 

Belfast is easy on the eye from any vantage point, but for a truly unique perspective on the city head to Cave Hill Country Park. Ideal for a breezy autumnal walk along one of its many well-signposted trails, the park, named for the five caves located on the side of the cliffs, offers panoramic views across Belfast from the hillside, along with an adventure playground, archaeological sites and a visitor centre. Also within the park’s grounds is Belfast Castle, a Victorian castle dating back to 1870.

Antrim Road / Open all hours

St George’s Market

There’s no better way of getting to know a place than by taking in the sights, sounds and aromas of a local market. One of Belfast’s oldest attractions, St George’s Market buzzes with activity on Fridays to Sundays each week, with locals and visitors flocking to the covered Victorian market building to peruse and purchase a huge array of fresh produce and speciality foods from around the world, as well as handmade crafts, flowers, plants, local photography, pottery, glass, metal work and more. On Sundays, the market has a special emphasis on local arts and crafts, and there’s also live music from local bands.

12 East Bridge Street / Fri 8am-2pm Sat 9am-3pm Sun 10am-4pm Closed Mon-Thurs

‘Threads of Empowerment: Conflict Textiles’ International. Journey’ exhibition

Located in the Botanic Gardens, the Ulster Museum plays host to several temporary exhibitions throughout the year. Among those set to run through august is this exhibition that explores the different experiences of conflict, oppression and human rights violations across the world through textiles. Created as part of the Belfast International Arts Festival (see above), it draws on items from the museum’s extensive Conflict Textiles collection to create a visual record and a form of artistic expression based on personal, and often poignant testimonies. Admission to the museum and its exhibitions is free.

Ulster Museum, Botanic Gardens / Through 27 April 2025

W5 Interactive Discovery

It’s fair to say that if visiting Belfast in autumn, you should be prepared for the weather letting you down. In such an event, an indoor attraction may well save the day, and one of the city’s finest is this award-winning science and discovery centre. With admission just £7 for both adults and kids, this is a great place to escape the elements and immerse yourselves in all things scientific. Exhibits and interactive areas span everything from climate change and nature to film and TV production, optical illusions, built engineering, medical science and plenty more. As an added bonus, ticket remain valid all day, so you can stay until the rain stops.

The Odyssey, 2 Queens Quay / Thurs 10am-4pm Fri 10am-5pm Sat-Sun 10am-6pm Closed Mon-Weds

‘The Shake: Khaled Barakeh’ exhibition

Another of Belfast’s most well-established cultural venues is the free-to-visit Metropolitan Arts Centre. Running through to mid-October is this ambitious project by Khaled Barakeh, a Syrian conceptual artist based in Berlin. The project was inspired by a famous public sculpture in the City of Derry-Londonderry that was designed to symbolise the letting go of the past and reconciliation between both sides of the political divide during the period of conflict in Northern Ireland known as The Troubles. In The Shake, Barakeh reimagines this historical piece, cast in bronze, frozen in an unfinished reconciliation, almost meeting but never genuinely joining.

The Metropolitan Arts Centre, 10 Exchange Street West / Through 20 October 2024

by Paul joseph