Van Morrison to play east Belfast festival

Van Morrison will headline the East Belfast Arts Festival in September, it has been confirmed.

The famous singer will entertain a crowd of up to 8,000 at Aircraft Park during the debut five day festival which aims to showcase emerging and existing talent in the east of the city.

Support acts for the concert are yet to be announced and festival chairman Maurice Kinkaid said he is excited about the big name the festival has attracted.

"He's at the top of his game, you couldn't find a better time to listen to Van Morrison than now.

"Things are buzzing in East Belfast and this is the right time and the right place."

The festival, which runs from 5 to 9 September, will take place in a series of venues across east Belfast and will include visual art exhibitions by local artists, literary and dance events.

And Maurice told U105 they are even prepared for the unpredictable Northern Ireland weather.

"On the big outdoor festival, we're going to have a huge marquee there and everybody who turns up will beable to enjoy it inside the marquee.

"Come rain, come shine or hail, whatever, this festival is going to happen."

Van the Man will perform on Saturday 8 September, his latest in a series of 'home' gigs for the Belfast singer.

He played two intimate gigs at the Culloden hotel in January, followed by a performance to a 10,000-strong audience at Belfast's Odyssey Arena the next month.

In June, the famously private singer interacted with the crowd at a concert in the Slieve Donard hotel.

An announcement about ticket sales for the East Belfast Arts Festival 2012 is expected in the next week.