Folk Museum Making Festival returns to honour Northern Ireland's heritage skills

Ulster Folk Museum has announced the return of its annual Making Festival for a second year. Taking place on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 August, to coincide with August Craft Month, the festival is dedicated to celebrating traditional crafts and revitalising Northern Ireland's most treasured heritage skills. 

Hosted in partnership with the Construction Industry Training Board NI (CITB NI), the inaugural festival attracted over 2,000 visitors in 2023. Building on this success, this year’s two-day event will offer a wide range of traditional crafts including thatching, blacksmithing, wool weaving, leatherworking, and goldsmithing. Visitors will have the chance to observe skilled artisans in action and engage in these time-honoured practices kept alive by the museum as part of its core visitor offering, as well as enjoying traditional music sessions and film screenings at the Ulster Folk Museum’s historic Picture House.

Susan Starrett, General Manager at the Ulster Folk Museum said, 

“Ulster Folk Museum was established in 1964 to safeguard and celebrate the unique way of life that defined the people of Ulster - and Making Festival wholeheartedly embodies this tradition. 

“The event is more than just a celebration but an opportunity to showcase and honour the rich skills and talents of Northern Ireland’s people as well as providing insights into our past, inspire creativity in the present, and ensure their continuation for future generations. We look forward to welcoming visitors to join us for a second year of what will be a memorable celebration of our cultural heritage.”

CITB NI plays a pivotal role in ensuring the preservation of traditional skills across Northern Ireland, advocating for their importance within the construction sector and supporting initiatives that uphold our built heritage as Chief Executive, Barry Neilson OBE explains. He said, 

“Heritage skills are not just a small part, but a crucial foundation of our construction sector and we’re delighted to partner once again with the Ulster Folk Museum to pioneer a fresh approach to celebrating these invaluable crafts. This partnership reinforces the current work we are doing to raise awareness of built heritage, the skills required and the preservation and development of traditional crafts and skills. 

"The Making Festival is more than just a commemoration, it's a call to action and a vibrant platform designed to reignite passion and interest in our shared heritage. By showcasing the artistry and dedication of our makers we aim to inspire people to embrace these traditions and step forward as the next generation of master craftspeople. ”

Plans are currently underway to ‘reawaken’ the Ulster Folk Museum and unlock its potential as a dynamic heritage and environment resource. These include the repurposing of currently inactive and underutilised spaces to create dynamic learning facilities which will enable greater participation in activities such as heritage craft skills and environmental volunteering. The proposed scheme also includes two new, carefully located buildings. A ‘Culture Hub’ will create a greater sense of welcome and orientation for visitors, whilst an ‘Industry Zone’ will tell the story of industrialisation and unlock the potential of a unique collection of items currently inaccessible to the public. 

Kathryn Thomson, Chief Executive of National Museums NI said, 

“We remain dedicated to preserving and celebrating Northern Ireland's unique heritage skills and traditions. Museums today play a pivotal role in enriching education, enhancing wellbeing, and strengthening community bonds. The Making Festival exemplifies our commitment at the Ulster Folk Museum to continually innovate and inspire new connections with Northern Ireland's diverse cultural heritage."

The Making Festival takes place at the Ulster Folk Museum on the 17 and 18 August.