County Down Black Saturday

Newry City will host the largest Royal Black Institution's "Last Saturday" Demonstration on Saturday 29 August 2026.

The city is proud to host this premier cultural and heritage event, welcoming participants, bands and spectators from across Ireland and beyond. 

A Major Cultural Event

📍 5,000 parade participants

🥁 Approximately 100 marching bands

👥 5,000+ spectators

🏆 Flagship regional cultural event 

Showcasing Newry

The event will showcase Newry as a unique and inclusive cultural destination through high-quality band music, pageantry and community celebration.

It is expected to attract cultural and music visitors from

• Northern Ireland

• Republic of Ireland

• Scotland

• England

while generating positive regional media coverage throughout the August Bank Holiday weekend.

Celebrating Cultural Heritage

Locally, the event provides a significant platform for the public expression of the Protestant and Unionist cultural tradition in Newry City.

This is particularly significant as Newry has not hosted the Royal Black Institution's Last Saturday Demonstration since 2011.

The event also aligns with Newry, Mourne and Down District Council's aim of supporting diverse cultural identity through inclusive celebrations of heritage and community fellowship.

Organisation

The event is organised by Newry Royal Black District No. 4.

The Organising Committee also includes representatives from:

• County Down Royal Black Institution

• PSNI

• Translink

Procession Route

The main procession will travel from:

Newry High School (Assembly Area)

⬇️

Newry City Centre

⬇️

Demonstration Field, Shandon Park

Where a religious service, chaired by the County Down Grand Master, will take place.

The procession is expected to take over two hours to pass any single viewing point.