Titanic Celebration Ready For Launch

The City of Belfast is again preparing to commemorate and celebrate the world's most famous ocean liner, the RMS Titanic.

The ninth annual 'Titanic Made in Belfast' festival - organised by Belfast City Council - begins this Saturday, and continues until Sunday 11 April, with tickets for various events now available at the Belfast Welcome Centre.

It is centred on a variety of events at the City Hall, while special Titanic themed tours, on both land and water, will give visitors an opportunity to learn more about the Titanic story.

"The Titanic story is probably one of the most fascinating, amazing, poignant, thought provoking and absorbing tales from the last century, if not the last millennium," commented the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Naomi Long.

"For too long, Belfast's part in the Titanic story, and the role of the people of Belfast in bringing Titanic to life, has been neglected.

"Over the past few years, the city that gave birth to the ship, and many others, finally and rightfully acknowledged her part in the tale, and Belfast City Council once again is proud to celebrate the achievement, commemorate the tragedy and educate the world about our city’s role in the Titanic story," she concluded.

Belfast City Hall will host the acclaimed 'Titanic – Past and Present' exhibition, which traces its story from her inception to her portrayal in the 21st century while a display of more than 250 museum-quality artefacts and memorabilia connected to Titanic and the White Star Line, by leading auctioneers Henry Aldridge and Son will take place and a special children's activity session will be held on Easter Monday and Tuesday and Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 April, include 'Tea And Tales' storytelling sessions, badge making with face painting.

There will be a series of daily talks by leading experts in their fields, looking at many different aspects of the Titanic story, from Edwardian fashion to Lord Pirrie's Surrey estate, from Titanic's children to the marketing phenomena which has surrounded the ship for the past century and the story of 'Titanic on Film' with a series of special screenings at City Hall throughout the week.

Daily boat tours will be available from Donegall Quay, bus tours of Queen's Island and walking tours of the Belfast known by Thomas Andrews, designer of Titanic and her sister ships – and a chance to try out the award-winning interactive 'Titanic Trail', using the latest handheld GPS technology and tours of the Thompson Dry Dock and Pump House, as are personalised tours conducted by Susie Millar, the great-granddaughter of a Titanic crew member.

See: www.belfastcity.gov.uk/titanic

(GK)