Belfast is getting its own coffee festival and it’s a long time coming.
For the first time, the city will host a dedicated celebration of speciality coffee when Belfast Coffee Festival lands at Carlisle Memorial on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 October 2026. Set inside one of North Belfast’s most distinctive heritage buildings, the festival promises to bring together the people, ideas and flavours shaping Northern Ireland’s rapidly growing coffee scene.
Behind the event is Husky Events, the team responsible for established coffee festivals in Dublin, Brighton and Manchester. Their move into Belfast feels like a natural next step, recognising just how strong and confident the local speciality coffee culture has become in recent years.
The festival is designed as an immersive experience rather than a trade show. Visitors can expect free samples and tastings from every exhibitor, alongside live talks, panel discussions and guided coffee cuppings led by industry experts and green coffee suppliers. For those keen to go deeper, there will also be optional small group workshops covering skills like latte art, home brewing and filter coffee techniques.
One of the standout moments of the weekend will be the UK and Ireland Filter Championships. Hosted on the main stage, Belfast Coffee Festival will stage the official Irish heat of the international competition, with the top two competitors earning a place at the global finals in Manchester later that year.
Crucially, the festival puts Irish brands front and centre. Roasters, equipment makers and coffee-led businesses from across the island will showcase their work, offering a snapshot of a scene that is both highly skilled and creatively ambitious.
As Husky Events director Oli Crawley notes, Northern Ireland’s speciality coffee sector is not only thriving, but evolving quickly. Belfast Coffee Festival aims to support that growth by giving the community a platform it has never quite had before.
For Belfast’s coffee lovers, October 2026 just became one to circle in the diary.
Find out more about other Belfast festivals on our Festival Focus page
