The Twelfth of July Celebrations in Belfast

Date: Friday 12 July 2024, 10am to 3.30pm

Venue: Route is Carlisle Circus to Barnetts Demesne

The parade departs from Carlisle Circus at 10am.

This is the 334th anniversary to mark and commemorate King William III’s victory at the Battle of the Boyne. The Belfast celebrations attract over 100,000 spectators along the route on the outward and homeward journey.

Stages of the parade 

• At 10am, The County Grand Lodge, led by the County Colour Party and the Millar Memorial Flute Band will depart from Belfast Orange Hall, Carlisle Circus. It will go along Clifton Street, Donegall Street, Royal Avenue, Donegall Place and then to Belfast City Hall to conduct its annual act of remembrance.
• At 10.25am, a wreath-laying ceremony will take place at the Cenotaph in the grounds of City Hall and the parade will then proceed via Donegall Square West, Bedford Street, Dublin Road, Shaftesbury Square, Bradbury Place, Lisburn Road, Balmoral Avenue and Malone Road to the field at Barnetts Demesne. The six-mile route is walked in return, making it the longest parade on the Twelfth of July.
• At 2.30pm, the platform proceedings at Barnetts Demesne will begin. The chairman for the afternoon will be the County Grand Master, Right Worshipful Brother Spencer Beattie. The chaplain’s address will be given by Worshipful Brother Reverend Ron Johnstone and the guest speaker is Worshipful Brother William Mawhinney, the past county grand secretary of Belfast.
• At 3.30pm, the return parade will leave the field and proceed to the city centre.

For event updates, go to the County Grand Orange Lodge of Belfast on Facebook (link opens in new window). 

The County Grand Lodge of Belfast is made up of nine Districts and 73 bands will participate in the parade across Northern Ireland as well as award-winning marching bands from Scotland. Also taking part is the winner of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland Community Awards 2024, the Pride of the Raven Flute Band from east Belfast. They've raised almost £200,000 for cross community charities.