The 'marching Season'
The 'marching season' generally refers to the months April to August in Northern Ireland and includes marches by groups such as the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Apprentice Boys of Derry, and the Royal Black Institution as well as the Orange Order. The Orange Order however, is by far the most prolific marching group. Typically each Orange Lodge will hold its own march at some point before the 12th of July, accompanied by at least one marching band. On the 12th of July each district will hold a larger parade consisting of all the lodges in that district, sometimes with the addition of lodges from outside Northern Ireland. This is particularly the case with the Belfast district, whose parade commonly features several Scottish lodges and often some from other countries. In most districts the location of the parade will vary from year to year, rotating around suitable towns. Belfast is an exception, keeping more or less the same route for many decades. The only major parade after the Twelfth is on the last Sunday in October, when lodges celebrate Reformation Day by parading to church.
Some walks commemorate historic events; most notably, the 12th of July marches remember the Battle of the Boyne. A number of marches all over Northern Ireland on and around the 1st of July originally commemorated the participation of the 36th (Ulster) Division in the Battle of the Somme. However since the beginning of the Troubles most of these parades have evolved into the 'mini Twelfth', and have little obvious connection with World War I. However there are still a few explicitly commemorative parades. Reformation Day parades are held in honour of Martin Luther nailing his 95 theses to the church door in Wittenberg, thus starting the Reformation which brought about the Protestant churches.
Read more about this topic: Orange Walk