District’s Guide to AVA Festival 2025
Belfast’s most electrifying weekender returns this month, with new stages and a fresh lineup that cuts right to the heart of the scene.
AVA Festival lands back on the Titanic Slipways this May 30-31, and it’s levelling up once again – new stages, new energy, and a community-first focus that runs deeper than those basslines. Heverlee will be there pouring pints all weekend long as the festival’s headline beer sponsor.
The big shake-up this year? Resident Advisor is curating a brand new stage. ‘The Dock’ is an industrial amphitheatre built on the site of Belfast’s historic shipyard, bringing a full-on audiovisiual experience with a custom rig for the epic line up over the weekend.
Friday Spotlight
Spray Presents Spriitzz
Among The Dock’s most exciting acts is Spray Presents Spriitzz Live, one of the most anticipated sets of the weekend. Known for crafting insane blends of freaky prog, warped trance, and nostalgic breaks, the Berlin-based DJ and producer Spray is a proud Irish man. Under their Spriitzz alias, things get even wilder with synths squelch, BPM fusions, and glitches. Think: your favourite early 00s dance CD remixed by an alien DJ.
EMBY
Joining the charge on Friday is EMBY, an artist who’s become a huge voice for Belfast’s new wave. Born in Enfield and raised in Belfast from 13, EMBY broke out with AVA back in 2021, when he delivered the festival’s first ever live MC performance. Since then, he has been carving a lane that blends UK underground energy, with raw, reflective lyricism. His sets are really unpredictable. But they’re also hard-hitting, emotional, and completely rooted in the crowd’s energy. His role this year is hosting The Dock stage, where he will be on MC duties across both days.
Saturday Spotlight
CHALK
Saturday turns up the volume with even more homegrown heavy-hitters. First up is Belfast’s own CHALK. They are a post-punk/electronic trio formed in 2019. Their music sits somewhere between a sweaty basement gig and a warehouse rave. Self-described as “trauma techno,” their sound fuses an industrial sound, mimicking the Belfast landscape. Their experimental side comes to fruition through their word fury, serrated guitars, and driving rhythm sections. Born out of Belfast’s intensity, they’re ready to take on the world.
Holly Lester
Also bringing the heat on Saturday is Holly Lester. She has been quietly leading the charge for Northern Irish dance culture for years. From early residencies in Liverpool to standout sets at The Warehouse Project, Shine, and AVA itself, Holly blends analogue house textures, dreamy trance layers, and crisp breakbeats and will make you want to dance. Her 2018 Boiler Room set at AVA put her on the international map, but it’s her community work through Free The Night and her labels Duality Trax and Terrazzo that help cement her legacy. Expect a set that moves feet as well as minds.
Beyond The Music
Beyond the music, AVA 2025 introduces a fresh arts programme with workshops, installations, and guided city tours aimed at celebrating Belfast’s creative soul. It’s clear AVA is expanding its vision, turning the Slipways into a mult-sensory playground for culture.
Grab a Pint
From the first drop of the weekend to the final beat, Heverlee will be there pouring refreshing pints of their premium pilsner lager. So whether you’re deep in a set or catching your breath between acts, you can always stop by for a pint of Heverlee, proud sponsors of the weekend.
As Brand Manager Eimear Casey puts it:
“Heverlee is incredibly proud to be the headline beer sponsor of AVA Festival once again this year — an event that embodies creativity, energy, and cultural vibrancy. Supporting AVA allows us to celebrate Northern Ireland’s dynamic music scene and connect with the community.”
Get the full lineup at avafestival.com.
More from Heverlee at heverlee.com or @heverleebeer on Instagram.
