Accessibility will be front and centre when Belfast hosts the Fleadh in August, with Belfast City Council and partner organisations committing to an inclusive experience for all. The world's largest annual celebration of Irish traditional music, song and dance, expected to draw more than 800,000 people over a week, will feature additional accessible toilets and Changing Places facilities, sign interpretation and captioning at selected events, seated rest areas, quiet spaces, kerb ramps, a free shuttle bus, and dedicated accessible parking.

Chair of Belfast City Council's Disability Working Group, Councillor Ruth Brooks, said: "We're on the world stage this summer thanks to the Fleadh and making sure that everyone can access the fantastic experiences Belfast has to offer is top of our priority list. Our preparations include providing an Accessibility Hub at CastleCourt in partnership with Open Arts, Blue Badge parking provision, a free, fully accessible city centre loop shuttle bus and dedicated accessible viewing space at the Gig Rig at City Hall. Back in February, in partnership with Tourism Northern Ireland, Visit Belfast and Titanic Belfast, we provided a free 'Embrace the Inclusive Spirit' practical workshop for Belfast tourism and hospitality businesses on making their services and venues as inclusive as possible, including learning from first-hand experiences of disabled travellers.

"We've provided free training and videos on communicating confidently with people who have hearing loss or who are D/deaf, including sign language users, those who are blind or partially sighted, those who are Autistic, have learning disabilities, are wheelchair and mobility scooter users, and those who have a non-visible disability.

"In partnership with Visit Belfast and Tourism NI, we've provided vouchers up to £500 to businesses to support improved visitor experiences through everything from staff training and sensory packs to developing more accessible websites and updating signage. And now it's great to be working in partnership with organisations like Open Arts and Volunteer Now to provide a wraparound, accessible service during the Fleadh."

A drop-in Accessibility Hub will operate at CastleCourt Shopping Centre, 63 Royal Avenue, in unit 59 on the first floor. Open from Sunday 2 August to Sunday 9 August, 11am–7pm daily, it will be run by arts and disability organisation Open Arts, supported by volunteers from Volunteer Now. CastleCourt also offers accessible toilets, lifts, escalators and a Changing Place. Eileen Branagh, Chief Executive Officer, Open Arts, explains: "We're looking forward to providing a central, welcoming, calm and quiet space for anyone who needs to pop in for a break from all the excitement of the Fleadh, and especially our Disabled, neurodivergent and D/deaf visitors. We'll be offering sensory supports, such as ear defenders and fidget tools. Assistance dogs are also welcome in the Hub, and we'll have water bowls available for them.

"As well as being an information point, providing clear, accessible guidance on Fleadh events, venues and services, the Hub will offer advice on accessibility and wayfinding queries and signposting to relevant support.

"Open Arts will provide communicative and interpretive aids like visual resources, clear signage, sensory supports and printed accessible information where possible. We've also worked alongside disabled people to create a range of Access Guides, which are available on the Fleadh website.

"Trained volunteers from Volunteer Now will be on hand at the Hub throughout the Fleadh, briefed by Open Arts on inclusive approaches and how best to support visitors. The Hub is our way of making sure the Fleadh is open and accessible to everyone."

Wheelchairs and mobility scooters can be hired from ShopMobility, located behind CastleCourt in Smithfield Market.

Accessible shuttle buses will run at Fleadh Park & Ride sites – Eikon Exhibition Centre (near the M1), Giant's Park (near the M2) and Belfast Harbour (near the M3) – as well as between campsites at Falls and Ormeau Parks and Titanic Quarter and the city centre. Each Park & Ride site will have a designated Blue badge parking area close to the shuttle pick-up.

Blue badge holders will also be able to use parking at Dunbar Street (outside Common Market in Cathedral Quarter) and Smithfield (to the rear of CastleCourt) car parks during the event.

Information on Changing Places facilities in Belfast – including Belfast Zoo, CastleCourt, City Hall, Crescent Arts Centre, Lanyon Place Train Station, Ulster Museum and Victoria Square – can be found at www.changing-places.org/find. There will be extra temporary portable toilets in City Hall grounds, Fountain Lane, Hill Street and Verner Street (beside St George's Market), with a minimum of two accessible Portaloos at each location. A parent and child changing space will be available in City Hall grounds and on Hill Street, and a mobile Accessoloo changing place toilet will be situated at the rear of 2 Royal Avenue in the city centre.

A limited number of free tickets are now available via the Fleadh Cheoil website for the accessible viewing area at the opening and closing ceremonies on the Gig Rig stage in the grounds of Belfast City Hall. The dedicated accessible viewing space at the Gig Rig will be unticketed and free to access for the remainder of the week.

Further accessibility information on Belfast venues, including hotels, attractions, shops, restaurants and bars, is available on the AccessAble website.