Carnivals as Major Events for Destinations: A case study of BEAT Initiative, Belfast

Carnivals have evolved to become a critical element of festival opportunity within destinations. Some destinations are promoted on the back of major carnivals; the most famous being Mardi Gras, New Orleans, other include Rio de Janerio, Brazil; the winter carnival in Quebec City, Canada. Most people associate carnivals with New Orleans and Rio de Janeri; but the opportunity to run a carnival as part of a destinations wider opportunity to showcase its festival mix has allowed most destinations to promote its festivals opportunity to a market place beyond the local and regional sphere. This paper examines the role of carnivals in Belfast over the years as a result of the actions of one company, the BEAT initiative.