About

Quick links: Belfast Whiskey Week · Whiskey EXPO · BiaFest · Cocktail City · Belfast Fringe

Belfast does whiskey properly, and for nine days each summer the whole city proves it.

Belfast Whiskey Week returns from 24 July to 1 August 2026, a city-wide takeover that draws visitors from Ireland, the UK, the USA and further afield. This year it joins forces with BiaFest, Belfast Cocktail City and Belfast Fringe, so alongside the whiskey you've got food events, cocktail nights, live music and comedy happening right across the city all week.

The week builds to the Whiskey EXPO on Saturday 1 August at the Europa Hotel — dozens of distilleries under one roof across afternoon and evening sessions, with rare pours and the makers there in person to talk you through what's in your glass. Before that, the festival spreads out into pubs, restaurants, hotels, galleries and distilleries across Belfast and beyond.

Daytime it's daily whiskey walking tours, tastings, food pairings and Distillery Days — full-day trips to working distilleries across Northern Ireland. Evenings bring chef-led dinners, pre-dinner drams, comedy and music. Late on you'll find bar takeovers, DJs and trad sessions going well into the night. There's even a 5K pub run, if you fancy earning your dram.

BiaFest looks after the food side, with special menus, local produce and chef-led events in some of the best venues in town. Cocktail City celebrates the bars and bartenders that make Belfast a brilliant night out, headlined by the Cocktail Takeover at Common Market on Thursday 30 July. The Fringe adds music, comedy, art and a few things you won't see coming.

New to whiskey? No problem — most events are built for the curious, not just the collectors. Start with the first-timer's guide, browse every event A–Z, or find events under £30.

People travel a long way for this week, and it's easy to see why. Whiskey gets them here. The hospitality, the stories and the craic are what they remember.

Come for the whiskey. Stay for everything else.

Plan your visit: Full 2026 line-up · Whiskey Map — every venue · Getting around · Where to stay

Drink responsibly. Have the craic.