Fireworks to light up Ballymena as town marks its 400th birthday
- Love Ballymena
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Alderman Thomas Gordon and Roy Smyth, Chairman of Ballymena BID get ready to promote a day of colour and fun in Ballymena.
Ballymena will celebrate its 400th birthday with a day of family entertainment, storytelling, music and community events before fireworks light up the sky over the town on Tuesday 25 August.
The programme will mark 400 years since the signing of Ballymena’s Charter in 1626, with celebrations running from the morning through to a major evening gathering in the People’s Park.
Families will be at the heart of the anniversary, with free activities in Wellington Court during the day before live music, entertainment and the 9.30pm fireworks finale.
Storytelling begins the celebrations
The day gets underway at 10.30am with a special storytelling session at the Mid-Antrim Museum at The Braid for children aged four to eight.
Young readers will hear The Tale of the Castle Cat and Golden Dragon, a book commissioned as part of Ballymena 400 which tells the story of Ballymena Castle and Master Adair.
Booking is required for the storytelling session.
From 11am until 2pm, attention moves into the town centre as Wellington Court hosts a free Birthday Bonanza organised in partnership with Ballymena BID.
Circus performers, puppet shows and face painting will be joined by cupcake and party hat decorating and a range of interactive activities.
Children will also be able to take part in a birthday invitation trail, collecting stamps while discovering facts about Ballymena and its history.
The event has been partially funded by the Department for Communities.
Civic service reflects on four centuries
The focus will turn to Ballymena’s heritage in the evening, with a civic service taking place at St Patrick’s Church of Ireland at 7.30pm.
The service will provide an opportunity to reflect on the generations of people and events that have shaped the town over the past four centuries.
Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Alderman Thomas Gordon, said:
“Ballymena’s 400th anniversary is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our town’s remarkable history while looking ahead to an exciting future. It will be fantastic to see families and visitors enjoying the birthday celebrations, with such a wide range of activities for all ages.
“Let us all come together as a community and make new memories as Ballymena moves into its next century. The planned events are an inclusive way to reflect on 400 years of Ballymena’s history, heritage and community spirit.”
People’s Park party before 9.30pm fireworks
The anniversary celebrations will culminate in the People’s Park, where entertainment gets underway from 8.30pm.
Johnny Murphy School of Traditional Music and Rock Choir — Ballymena/Ballymoney and Jordanstown — will perform live, while families can enjoy face painting, glitter tattoos, arts and crafts and a gaming bus.
Walkabout characters and a magician will also entertain the crowds ahead of the night’s main spectacle.
At 9.30pm, a fireworks display will light up the sky over Ballymena, bringing the town’s landmark 400th birthday celebrations to a close.
The events form part of a wider programme running throughout 2026 to celebrate the anniversary of Ballymena’s Charter and explore the town’s history, heritage and community.
Further Ballymena 400 events taking place throughout the year can be found at:
