Procession of floats for a carnival in city

That’s the day of the City of Lisburn’s Mayor’s Carnival Parade and Pipe Band Championships.

Over 1000 brightly clad carnival performers, street entertainers, dancers and masqueraders will add to the full entertainment experience pulling all the world continents in one place in an unrivalled display of street arts and creativity.

Up to 10,000 people are expected to descend on the city for the festivities. Spectators can sashay to samba or get their feet to the carnival beat of marching bands.

The mesmerising spectacle will snake its way through the city to Wallace Park where even more family fun awaits. Entertainment will include fairground attractions, sporting arenas and vintage car displays.

An unmissable highlight, glorious in all its Tartan technicolour is The City of Lisburn Pipe Band Championships. The best Pipe Bands and Drum Majors are expected to descend on Wallace Park to entertain hundreds of enthusiasts with their superb cacophony of traditional Scottish music and culture.

“The City of Lisburn Mayor’s Carnival Parade and Pipe Band Championships is a true melting pot of cultures,” said Mayor of Lisburn, Alderman William Leathem.

“It is exceptional, with its mix of performance, art, carnival and community fusing cultures from across the globe while celebrating our own Celtic connections and creativity on our doorstep. The whole day will have a wonderful, festival and family friendly atmosphere and I look forward to warmly welcoming hundreds of revellers to our city.”

“Lisburn is simply fascinating on Mayor’s Carnival Day,” said Councillor Thomas Beckett, Chair of Leisure Services, Lisburn City Council. “This year you can combine the hustle and bustle of Carnival or sit back and soak up the atmosphere of the City of Lisburn Pipe Band Championships in the beautiful Wallace Park. Either way there are lots of opportunities for people to join in the festivities of the day, listen to great live music or be entertained by great street theatre and spectacle.”

Lisburn has a long-standing relationship with the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association (Northern Ireland Branch).

Alderman Jim Dillon Chairman of the Council‘s Economic Development Committee, is delighted that the City of Lisburn will once again play host to the Pipe Band Championships.

“This event is a flagship of traditional Scottish Pipe Band music and culture in Northern Ireland. It just gets more exciting each year and reinforces that Lisburn on Saturday, 11 May, is the visitor destination to experience piping as well as drum major and highland dancing competitions of the highest quality.

“I am confident local retailers, accommodation providers, bars and restaurants across the City are busy preparing a stylish warm welcome.”

Spectators are advised to choose their preferred spot early and to allow for some traffic disruption. Visitors are also asked to note the amended route this year.

The parade begins at 1pm at Island Arts Centre and flows through Lisburn City Centre, via Queen’s Road, Linenhall Street, Smithfield Street, Market Place, Market Street, Bachelors Walk to Wallace Park before returning to Island Arts Centre.

Fittingly, funds raised from this year’s Mayor’s Carnival will go to the official Mayoral charity, ‘Stepping Stones.’

For further information check out islandartscentre.com. Facebook.com/ISLANDArtsCentre and Twitter.com/ISLANDartsbiz