Day five of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Belfast keeps the momentum going as the festival moves into what is traditionally its busiest spell, from today (Thursday) through to Sunday 9 August. With All-Ireland competitions starting tomorrow, visitor numbers are expected to climb as the city leans into the closing weekend of the world's largest celebration of Irish traditional music and culture, hosted by Belfast City Council with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann and Ards CCÉ.

If you're heading out to evening gigs, free sessions or the wider hospitality scene, there are extra options to help you get home safely. Translink is running additional late-night bus and rail services from this evening (Thursday 6 August) and again on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Full route and departure details are available at translink.co.uk/fleadh.

Taxi services continue to operate with designated pick-up and drop-off points around the perimeter of the pedestrianised event zone at Corporation Street, Little Donegall Street, the junction of North Street and Royal Avenue, King Street, Adelaide Street and Chichester Street. All main operators have been briefed and will advise passengers of their collection point when booking by phone or via apps. Public hire taxis remain available from ranks outside the pedestrianised area.

For those using the official Fleadh Park and Ride sites at Eikon Exhibition Centre, Sprucefield (near the M1), Giant's Park (near the M2) and Belfast Harbour Estate (near the M3), shuttle buses run until midnight tonight and from tomorrow through Sunday until 2am. On the Gig Rig main stage at City Hall, Newcastle CCÉ opens proceedings at 11am. After a full day of live music, expect uilleann piper Conor Mallon and his band to headline at 8.50pm, followed by SíFiddlers – 13 female Donegal fiddlers – at 10.10pm. The Gig Rig is unticketed and there's no need to book.

Fresh from receiving his Ard Ollamh accolade last night for services to traditional Irish music, Reverend Gary Hastings will deliver a lecture on Traditional Music, Orange and Green at the Linen Hall Library at 12 noon (tickets £5).

Emerging talent takes centre stage on the steps of Belfast Cathedral at 2.45pm for Seisiún Mór na hÉigse, showcasing skills learned by young musicians attending Scoil Égise this week at Ulster University.

The Ulster-Scots Centre at the Corn Exchange presents a full programme from 10.30am, including Lambeg drum workshops throughout the day, alongside music, talks and children's activities across the weekend.

Also happening today: Kate Nash at The MAC, 5.30pm (tickets £26.50); Ulster Marching Bands Showcase at Titanic Slipways, 7pm (some walk-in tickets available); Late Night Art at the Irish Language Hub, The MAC, 6pm–9pm (free); Ryan McMullan at The Empire, 7pm (tickets £35); and the Comhaltas International Showcase at Ulster Hall, 8pm (tickets £15).

Family-friendly highlights include The Belfast Gingerbread Girl – Cailín Sinséir Bhéal Feirste storytelling at Whiterock Library, 10.30am (free); the New Lodge Street Party, 12 noon–2pm (free); the Stendhal Festival Takeover at 2 Royal Avenue, 6pm–11pm (tickets £10) featuring Tessio, Paddy Nash & friends, Alana Henderson, Polar Bolero and Balcony Sunrise; and Magical bedtime stories with Liz Weir at Ormeau Library, 6.30pm (free).

Elsewhere around the city: The Persian, Kurdish, Celtic Connection by Beyond Skin at The Duncairn, 7pm (tickets £8); Ríoghnach Connolly, Ellis Davies and Zoé Basha at The Commons, 7.30pm (tickets £8); Trad in the Bullhouse at Bullhouse East, 8.30pm (free); and Fuaimloai at St Peter's Cathedral, 7pm (tickets £5).

For full listings and updates, visit fleadhcheoil.ie or follow Fleadh Cheoil on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.