Around 68,000 people attended a total of 14 community events held across the borough, from Holywood’s May Day to Portaferry’s Sails and Sounds Festival.
A report presented to the Place and Prosperity Committee, stated that £106,000 was awarded through the council’s Tourism Events and Festival Fund to support the events throughout 2025 to 2026.
A series of events were held across the borough including Bangor International Choral Festival, the Ards Cycling Club Town Centre Race, the Ards Peninsula Kite Festival and the International and National Championship Dog Shows hosted by Bangor and North Down Canine Club.
Out of the 14 events, three took place in Bangor, three in Portaferry, three in Newtownards, two in Holywood, two in Comber and a single event in Millisle.
The report explained that 3,137 bednights were generated from the events, with 2,671 spent in hotels and guesthouses, with the remainder in camping and caravan sites and with family and friends.
However, the papers stated the bednight figures ‘are derived from information supplied directly by event organisers’ and ‘there is no formal or independently verified evidence to substantiate these figures’.
Alderman Robert Adair welcomed the £106,000 funding that had been given to support the events, many of which ‘were run largely by volunteers’.
He also welcomed plans for the NI Science Festival to be held in the borough next year.
