Welcome to Bangor International Choral Festival

23-25 April 2026 will see 33rd Bangor International Choral Festival take place!  We would be delighted to welcome your choir and although we can’t guarantee trophies, we can definitely guarantee a warm Irish Welcome – you might arrive as visitors but you will leave as friends!

FESTIVAL 2026 IS WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU!

What Are We?

BANGOR INTERNATIONAL CHORAL FESTIVAL 2026

Who Can Enter?

CHOIRS OF ALL AGES, ABILITIES AND BACKGROUNDS, FROM SCHOOL CHOIRS TO ADULT CHOIRS

WHEN?

23-25 April 2026

WHERE?

BANGOR NORTHERN IRELAND

HOW TO ENTER?

ENTRY FORM AND SYLLABUS READY TO DOWNLOAD NOW!
Download Entry Form
Download Syllabus

Festival 25

Find Out More

Venue

Find Out More

Committee

Find Out More

Roberta Dunlop Wins Civic Award

Our good friend and Founder of Bangor International Choral Festival, Roberta Dunlop, was recognised for her work with the Festival for over 30 years and was awarded the Special Civic Award by the Mayor of Ards and North Down Borough Council.

FESTIVAL TESTIMONIALS

“Bangor International Choral Festival 2025 was a tremendous success and enjoyed by everyone lucky enough to have been present. There aren’t enough words to properly thank you, your Committee and the other ladies who volunteered for all the necessary behind-the- scenes planning, preparation and delivery of such a very busy schedule for an International Choral Festival. Between you, you really did a remarkably professional job in organising everyone and everything, including catering for 100s of hungry competitors”. 

Lady Sylvia Hermon

“I just wanted to make sure that you all had a vote of thanks on behalf of Synergy, please. 
After coming to the festival two years ago, the quartet recommended that the Choir came over for 2025, not just to compete, but to feel the warmth that you provide as part of this event.
As Chair of our group of merry men, I was focussed on showing Synergy just what happens in Bangor. Of course you didn’t disappoint.  The organisation was fantastic, but it is that is all-embracing welcome that is so intoxicating. Hence, our experiences have been ones that will stay with us for a very long time. Of course, we don’t know what the future will hold, but as we reflect on our 2025 experience, we very much look forward to circumstances allowing us to attend again. “

Synergy Chorus, Abergavenny

It was a pleasure to attend the Bangor International Choral Festival. I would like to say well done to the Organising Committee and best wishes for 2026! 

Mayor of Ards and North Down Borough Council, Councillor Alistair Cathcart

“ Grazie a voi per l’accoglienza. Speriamo di rivederci presto.
Translation: Thank you for the welcome. We hope to see you again soon.”

Edo Mazzoni e il coro Gerberto città di Bobbio (Coro Gerberto, Bobbio, Italy)

“ On behalf of the Shorething octet may I say a sincere thank you to you and your hard working team for such a wonderful festival. As one we all enjoyed every second of the event and have returned to Wales with smiles on our faces. I really hope we might come back and see you again before too long!”.

Shorething Octet, Abergavenny

“I look forward to continuing to support this event in the future.”

Councillor Eddie Thompson, Ards and North Down Borough Council.

“It was an absolute pleasure to be at the Festival. I have a great love of choral music and the children moved me to tears – literally! Huge congratulations and thanks to you and all the team for keeping this great festival on the arts calendar.”

Councillor Gillian McCollum, Ards and North Down Borough Council.

“Just a quick note to thank you for inviting me to adjudicate yesterday and for all the wonderful hospitality; so many delicious treats! I thought it was a terrific day and it was a pleasure to be a part of it. Congratulations on making it all come together – I know how much hard work such events are, but it all paid off; long may it continue!”

Matthew Owens, Adjudicator (Saturday)

“Thank you to all of you at the festival for a lovely morning.  I know there is so much work that goes into the planning and running of the event, and we all really appreciate it.   Our pupils love attending and we are already looking forward to coming back next year!”

Chrissie Corbett, Clifton Special School, Bangor (Saturday)

“Thank you so much for sending on these photographs, they are so lovely.  We really enjoyed our time at the festival and would love to return next year! ”

Wendy Ballard, Sullivan Upper Prep School

“Thank you so much for these photos. We had a fantastic time at the Festival this year and were delighted with the feedback from Richard. Thank you for all your hard work in making this such an enjoyable experience for our pupils.”

Megan Vincent, Grange Park Primary School, Bangor

“ I just wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed being at your festival again this year.
It was a very enjoyable weekend.  We heard some very polished performances and some outstanding singing. I know that all the chorus members enjoyed it too.

It takes an awful lot of work and effort to put on an event such as this and the team do a tremendous job, and must be commended for it.  We send our congratulations for a job very well done.”

Synergy Howlers, Abergavenny, Wales

“ Just a quick note to say how much we enjoyed taking part in the festival, and to express our thanks to all the team members for the hard work that goes into the organisation of the event. The adjudicator is right – there is a very friendly and welcoming atmosphere at the festival.”

Edwin Gray, MD, Miskelly Chorale, Comber

“We were so pleased that we were able to come over and take part in such a lovely festival and sing for the lovely people of Northern Ireland. It has been a dream of ours for a long time and now a lovely memory. Thank you all for the wonderful support and hospitality and also inviting us to sing on the Friday evening show. I’m so pleased the shoppers enjoyed our little performance – we had a ball (and so did the Mayor!). It was a pleasure and privilege to meet you all and share our love of music with like-minded people and I’m sure we will return in the future.”

Peter Jones, MD, Tyneside A Capella

“Really enjoyed Gala Evening at Bangor International Choral Festival! Great choirs, great Adjudicators and it ran like clockwork! Thanks to all of the Festival Committee for the long hours of hard work and planning”

Lady Sylvia Hermon, MP

“We are absolutely thrilled with the trophies we have won.   We had a wonderful day and are already planning to be back in 2017.  Thank you to everyone involved!”

Claire Hamilton, MD, Our Lady & St Patrick’s Grammar School

“We just want to say a great big thanks from every one of us at Lisburn Harmony Ladies Choir. We were just enthralled by the buzz there was about the festival and of course winning the Ladies class and the Rose Bowl was a huge achievement for us and with Harmony Too winning the Sacred class it’s safe to say we are on cloud nine!”

Lisburn Harmony, Lisburn, Northern Ireland

“Thank you also for welcoming us so warmly to the festival last week.  It’s not everywhere that you are welcomed with open arms, so we are grateful for your warmth and encouragement towards us. The adjudication from Greg was accurate and perceptive and I was glad to hear the things we can improve on”.

Claire Buchanan, MD, Bangor Grammar Chamber Choir – winners of Marine Court Shield for best overall Festival performance.

“I just wanted to say a big thank you to you and all members of the team for the hard work you all put into the festival. We thoroughly enjoyed our day on Saturday – it was a huge encouragement for the girls. I thought the adjudicators this year were really positive and encouraging to all the choirs, while at the same time giving us many useful points to reflect upon. I also think that it’s a really nice gesture to provide supper for us all at the end – I have to say that we were ready for it!”

Edwin Gray, Miskelly Chorale, Killinchy, Co Down.