Carlisle Memorial Celebrates 150 Years with Free Community Carnival

One of North Belfast's most striking architectural treasures is celebrating a monumental milestone this weekend. Carlisle Memorial is marking its 150th anniversary on Saturday, September 26, with a vibrant carnival afternoon filled with music, creativity, and local heritage.

Running from 12:00pm to 2:00pm, the Carlisle Carnival is completely free to attend and offers plenty of fun for all ages. Visitors can join in with a live samba band, craft their own percussion instruments, take part in hands-on workshops inspired by the landmark's storied past, and delve into Beat Carnival's extensive costume collection to create an authentic carnival outfit.

The celebrations represent the culmination of the inaugural internship cohort of Creative Belfast, an initiative delivered by Belfast Buildings Trust that provides paid opportunities for young adults aged 18 to 25 to gain practical experience in event production and the creative industries. The interns have taken charge of the festival from the outset—choosing the event name, designing promotional materials, and managing logistics, staffing, and on-the-day operations.

Shane Quinn of Belfast Buildings Trust commended the team's efforts, noting that the carnival provides a fantastic way to honor the building's 150-year legacy while placing youth creativity at the core of its ongoing story. He expressed how rewarding it has been to see young people take ownership and bring their concepts to life, adding that organizers are eager to see the historic hall filled with colour, sound, and local residents.

Beat Carnival's Rebecca Boyd shared similar excitement, emphasizing that carnival traditions revolve around participation, artistic expression, and uniting the community. She noted that working alongside the Creative Belfast interns to transform their vision into a dynamic event has been an inspiring process, extending an open invitation for everyone across North Belfast to join in the festivities.

Completed in 1876 to designs by celebrated architect W.H. Lynn, Carlisle Memorial was originally commissioned by James and Anne Carlisle in loving memory of their children and grandchild. Following its closure as a Methodist church in 1980, the building suffered decades of severe deterioration. In 2010, international attention arrived when it was named among the world's 100 most endangered heritage sites on the World Monuments Fund Watch.

Belfast Buildings Trust acquired the property on a 999-year lease in 2011, embarking on a careful, phased regeneration process that saved the structure and reopened its doors to the public. Backed by support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Trust continues to push forward with physical restoration works alongside an active calendar of cultural, educational, and community programming. Everyone is warmly invited to come along this Saturday and be part of the building's next chapter.