Over the last few years, the August Bank Holiday has gained a reputation as one of the busiest days or weekends on the Northern Irish music calendar. In previous years we’ve had to choose between multiple festivals and huge shows but this year, the East Belfast Partnership appear to have made the decision somewhat easier.
The iconic East Belfast thoroughfare Cyprus Avenue will play host to Van Morrison, the Belfast boy who grew up a few streets away and viewed the tree lined route, with its impressive rows of large houses as some kind of magical escape from the backstreets of the east.
Bank Holiday Monday, 31st August will see Van, born George Ivan Morrison, celebrate his seventieth birthday with a once in a lifetime live show on Cyprus Avenue, which is mentioned in ‘Madame George’ and was made iconic with the single ‘Cyprus Avenue’ from the 1968 album ‘Astral Weeks’.
East Side Arts Festival are hosting this high profile event, which marks not only Van’s birthday, but the re-emergence of East Belfast’s cultural identity. The development of the Connswater Community Greenway, the refurbishment of The Strand and the opening of the new East Side Visitor Center have made this side of the city a vibrant and exciting place for the arts.
Tickets for Van Morrison’s Cyprus Avenue show go on sale at 9.00am on Monday 2nd March, and can be bought on the East Side Arts website.