Lead-up In the weeks leading up to the Twelfth, Orange Order and other
Ulster loyalist marching bands hold numerous parades in
Northern Ireland. The most common of these are lodge parades, in which one Orange lodge marches with one band. Others, such as the "mini-Twelfth" at the start of July, involve several lodges. From June to August, Protestant, unionist areas of Northern Ireland are bedecked with flags and bunting, which are usually flown from
lampposts and houses. Most commonly the Union Jack and
Ulster Banner.
Kerbstones are sometimes painted red, white and blue; and
murals made. Steel or wooden arches, covered with flags and Orange symbolism, are raised over certain streets. These 'Orange arches' are inspired by
triumphal arches. Additionally, the flags of loyalist paramilitary groups, such as the
Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and
Ulster Defence Association (UDA), are flown in some areas. The raising of these flags near Catholic/
Irish nationalist neighbourhoods, or in "neutral" areas, sometimes leads to tension and violence. It is seen as deliberately provocative and intimidating. Since 2007, the County Grand Orange Lodge of Belfast and the
Belfast City Council organize Orangefest. Launched as a public relations and
tourism initiative, Orangefest aims to reposition the traditional parade as a family-friendly, inclusive cultural festival. Orangefest features events centered around
Belfast City Hall, including international food markets,
street performances, and
live music. It is held on the week leading up to the Twelfth. Orangefest is also regional, as in 2025,
Dundonald Purple Vine held Orangefest in
Moat Park, and had a range of events for each day. This included selling merchandise, continental food stalls, live music, an award's night and children's fun activities.
Eleventh Night On the night before the Twelfth, called "
Eleventh Night", huge towering
bonfires are lit in many working-class Protestant neighbourhoods in Northern Ireland. They are built mostly of wooden
pallets and
lumber by local young men and boys in the weeks before the Twelfth. Their lighting is often accompanied by street parties and loyalist marching band. Eleventh Night events have been condemned for sectarianism, as well as the damage and pollution caused by the fires. Each year,
Irish tricolours are burnt on many bonfires, and in some cases
effigies, posters of Irish nationalist figures, and Catholic symbols are also burnt. During the Troubles,
loyalist paramilitaries used bonfire events to hold "shows of strength", in which masked gunmen fired volleys into the air. However, not all bonfires are controversial, and there have been attempts to de-politicize the events and make them more family- and environmentally-friendly. Some bonfires are also criticised as being unsafely constructed or environmentally hazardous due to the use of tyres in their construction.
Main events The Twelfth is mainly celebrated with large parades involving Orangemen and supporting bands. Most of the parades are in
Ulster, almost exclusively being held in Northern Ireland and
County Donegal, although Orange lodges elsewhere often hold parades as well. The parade usually begins at an Orange Hall, proceeds through the town or city and out to a large park or field where the marchers, their friends and family, and the general public gather to eat, drink, and listen to speeches by clergymen, politicians, and senior members of the Order. A church service will also be held and sometimes band prizes will be awarded. In the past, the Twelfth has been a major venue for discussion of political issues. Within Northern Ireland, each District Lodge usually organises its own parade. In rural districts, the parade will rotate around various towns, sometimes favouring those in which there is less likely to be trouble, but in other years choosing those in which it is felt the 'right to march' needs to be defended. There is a long tradition of Protestant and loyalist marching bands found in most towns in Northern Ireland, who are hired by the Orangemen to march in the parades. An instrument largely unique to these marches is the
Lambeg drum. Popular songs include "
The Sash" and "
Derry's Walls". More controversial songs, such as "
Billy Boys" are sometimes played as well. The vast majority of marchers are men, but there are some all-women bands, and a few mixed bands. Some all-male bands have female flag or banner carriers. There are also some Women's Orange Lodges, which take part in the parades. Orangewomen have paraded on the Twelfth in some rural areas since at least the mid-20th century, but were banned from the Belfast parades until the 1990s. Orangemen on parade typically wear a dark suit, an orange
sash, white gloves and a
bowler hat. At the field, some lodges and bands don humorous outfits or accessories and make the return journey in them. The mood is typically relaxed and easygoing with the atmosphere on the return route becoming even more festive and animated. The Northern Irish and County Donegal parades are given extensive local TV and press coverage, while the
BBC Northern Ireland programme
The Twelfth is the longest-running outside broadcast programme in Northern Ireland. One of the largest Orange demonstrations held anywhere each year is the annual parade held at
Rossnowlagh, a tiny village near
Ballyshannon in the south of County Donegal in the west of Ulster. County Donegal being one of the Ulster counties in the Republic of Ireland, the Rossnowlagh demonstration is the only major Orange event in the Republic. A number of much smaller Orange events take place each year in East Donegal as well. ==Controversies==