Tonight, Friday 12 September, the cobbles of Belfast’s iconic Commercial Court will come alive with music, mischief, and the unmistakable sight of a giant elephant being wheeled through the street.
Belfast venues The Duke of York, The Friend at Hand and The Harp Bar, are gearing up to roll out their second alternative Culture Night, dubbed ‘Nil from the Hill’.
A week before the long-awaited return of the city’s official Culture Night, the self-funded alternative evening will bring animation to the streets outside the iconic Belfast venues around Commercial Court, with a series of pop-up happenings and events.
As part of the events, a larger-than-life spectacle will pay tribute to Sheila the elephant – a famous figure that has earned its place in Belfast folklore. The baby elephant was famously taken in by a kind-hearted zookeeper for protection during the Belfast Blitz. Stories of Shiela’s unlikely relocation to a back garden on the Whitewell Road have been warmly remembered over the years, and now a towering tribute promises to bring gasps and grins to a new generation when it makes its appearance tonight.
Created by local carnival and film prop designers who wish to be known as ‘The Elephant Men’, the massive moving masterpiece features a moving trunk and tail, operated manually from inside.
Adding to the carnival atmosphere, the Causeway Shantymen return for another outing, promising raucous, soul-rousing song, while the thunderous World Beaters will bring the drama, with their unique blend of high-impact drumming, dynamic choreography and street theatre, and the Boom Struck Funeral Band will lead a procession through Commercial Court carrying a coffin emblazoned with ‘Nil from the Hill.’
Publican Willie Jack said: “Belfast is famed as being a place of stories, songs and surprises. Our ‘Nil from the Hill’ alternative Culture Night line-up of free pop-up entertainment and happenings lean into these themes again this year.
“We’re known for our sense of humour in these parts, and I love the fact that passersby may doubletake and think, ‘did I really just see an elephant marching past the Duke of York?’
“We hope these events will help to bring joy and a smile to people’s faces, bringing some much-needed animation to our city streets as the darker nights start to draw in.”
The free pop-up performances begin around 5.30pm on Friday 12 September on Commercial Court, outside The Duke of York, The Dark Horse and The Harp Bar.
