Tradfest Belgium: a six-day celebration of Irish music and culture

What is Tradfest?
Tradfest is a festival of Irish music and culture that will run in various places around Belgium between the 7 and 12 June. It's the biggest such festival that has ever been done, to our knowledge, with more than 40 events in 20 venues and about 70 different musicians, musical experts and others taking part, so it’s a big explosion of Ireland in Belgium - not just in Brussels but other places including Kraainem, Antwerp, Zaventem, Roeselare and Liège.

Last year we put our toe in the water and we did our first ever Tradfest here in Brussels. It was so successful that we were prompted to do it again - but the scale this year is much bigger. I think we’ve probably doubled what we did in terms of events, budget and so on.

What is the aim?
There are two things we are trying to do: the first is that we’re trying to provide Irish people living in Belgium a chance for them to access the music that they like so much - but also just as importantly we’re trying to introduce Irish culture to a Belgian audience and give those who are interested in Ireland a taste or a sample of Irish music and culture. So many people come to Ireland on the back of having been exposed to Irish music and that’s something that we’re keen to promote.

Are bands coming from Ireland to play?
Yes. The headline act will be Kíla (pictured) who will play Flagey on 8 June. They are an Irish band who play world music with all kinds of different influences and they're a lively, wonderful band, very well-known in Ireland and further afield. We're delighted to be able to bring them to Belgium. Contemporary trad band Perfect Friction will open for Kíla’s headline concert. The best way to get to the Kíla concert and indeed several of the other events is to register with brusselsevent@dfa.ie

What else is happening?
We have other bands coming from Ireland, including Liam Ó Maonlaí, a very well-known Irish musician and the lead singer with the Hot House Flowers, who will be playing in Kraainem on 9 June. We have a variety of experts on Irish music, we have local musicians who live in Belgium and who are very interested in Irish music and play it taking to the stage in various places, all kinds of pub music sessions, a photographic exhibition, a book launch and Irish language classes and Irish dance classes.

Another highlight for us is the fact that Philip King is coming - one of the greatest experts on Irish music. He's made many important television programmes including a very popular series called Brining it all Back Home in the 1980s, and he’s coming with Nuala O’Connor to talk about Irish music and its influence around the world.

Tradfest, around Belgium from 7-12 June. Full programe at www.embassyofireland.be