Belfast Festival of Fools returns after pandemic absence

The Festival of Fools, Ireland's largest comedy and street festival, is returning to Belfast this month after being gone for three years due to the pandemic.

The festival will run from Friday April 29 to Monday May 2 and will offer entertainment for people of all ages.

Highlights of this years festival programme include Italian aerial performers Compañia Depáso and the Unicycling tightrope skills of British Freestyle Unicyling Champion Sam Goodwin. The festival is set to host the best local and international circus and street art talent who will take over the city streets across the Bank Holiday Weekend.

For the first time, the festival will also include an Adults Only Show.

Speaking about the plans for the festival, its Chief Executive Jenna Hall said:

"Firstly, we are so pleased to be back. It's three years since the last FoF and it's been really difficult.

"In 2022 we’ve honoured the contracts of the artists we had booked for 2020 and added in some extras.

"We have also built in some FoF Firsts too, including a ticketed evening show for adults and a youth exchange opportunity for the young people involved in our community programme.

"We spent time during the closures building a new vision, mission and partnerships and are more able to talk about the value FoF brings to the city, to NI/ROI and to others.

"Our funders are responding really well to the developments. We trust our audiences will too. We are most definitely BACK!"