AVA Festival returns to the Titanic Slipways for its biggest year yet
Belfast’s slipways have once again become the centre of electronic music and visual culture as AVA Festival returns on 29 and 30 May for its biggest edition to date.
This year’s festival expands across five purpose built stages, transforming the historic waterfront site into a large scale open air festival space with immersive production, visual installations and a strong focus on homegrown talent.
At the heart of the site is The Slipways main stage, complete with a huge LED screen overlooking the crowd. Elsewhere, The Dock Stage returns alongside The Yard, while The Pumphouse becomes a covered indoor space designed for powerful visuals and daytime atmosphere.
New for 2026 is Anywhere House, a stage dedicated entirely to local artists, further reinforcing AVA’s continued commitment to Belfast’s electronic scene. Around 70% of this year’s overall lineup is made up of local acts, with The Yard Stage also heavily focused on Belfast based talent and collectives.
Over the past decade, AVA has grown from a local club focused event into one of Europe’s most recognised electronic music festivals, while still retaining deep roots in the city where it began. Its mix of music, art, conversation and community continues to shape Belfast’s reputation as a creative destination.
Beyond the Slipways, the festival extends across the city with official after parties taking place each night at Common Market, featuring two stages and late night programming. The wider AVA programme also includes talks and discussions hosted at The MAC on 28 May, bringing artists, industry voices and cultural figures together ahead of the main festival weekend.
Set against the backdrop of Belfast Harbour, AVA 2026 looks set to be its most ambitious transformation of the Titanic Slipways yet.
