91Èȱ¬

The Woodvale Festival in Belfast returns this weekend with its first ever outdoor boxing event.

It will also be the first boxing event at Woodvale Park in 80 years, with competitors from Scotland taking on local fighters.

The festival runs from 7 July to 11 July.

Other events include a music night, Club Nation, headlined by acts including Basshunter, Micky Modelle and Ultrabeat.

An 80s v 90s night on 9 July will see Maniac 2000 DJ Mark McCabe take the stage, while parades, a bonfire and fireworks are planned for the final event of the festival on 11 July.

Free tickets are being provided to homes around Woodvale Park.

Alfie McCrory, one of the organisers, said those behind the festival wanted to "build it up for everyone".

"It is also used as a diversionary event to keep young people away from the interfaces," he said.

The open-air boxing is part of the festival "trying to do new things", Mr McCrory added.

"The festival is important to the community. Ppeople from here had to travel to go to events like this. Now we are bringing big names to the area."

Local DJ Micky Modelle told 91Èȱ¬ News NI he has been involved from the "very start".

"I thought it was just a really good thing. It's absolutely amazing for the area," he said.

"It's open to everyone. It doesn't matter where you're from and what religion you are, what colour you are, nothing like that."

"All of that is left at the door. We're just here to have a good time."

He said that he helps organise the clubland night.

"We've done clubland here for from day one and it's always been sort of like the flagship night.

"We have international artists, people like Basshunter this year. But in the past we've had Sash, DJ Sammy, Cascada - we've had everybody."

He added: "I love playing here because obviously I'm the only person from Northern Ireland who plays on the clubland shows and it's my hometown.

"I just love to see people coming and supporting it."