Visitors to this year’s Sea Bangor Maritime Festival are in for a musical treat when Open House take over the event’s Shanty Shack for the weekend.

Sea Bangor which is a highlight on Ards and North Down Borough Council’s Events calendar is taking place on June 27 & 28 at the tented village in Quay Street Car Park, Bangor.

The Shanty Shack which is being programmed by Open House will include an eclectic mix of live music and comedy. Compered by comedians Nuala McKeever on the Saturday and George Firehorse on the Sunday, the programme will feature such gems as BBC2 Folk Awards Nominees “Cup O’Joe,” an adorable young siblings trio featuring banjo, guitar, double bass and sweet harmonised vocals; cabaret juggler and street performer “Grant Goldie” who dances in the face of gravity; Bluegrass firebrands, “No Oil Paintings;” folkie four-piece “Lonesome George” and hilarious comedian “Tony Law.” The Shanty Shack will be a hive of music and entertainment for the duration of the festival so pop in and check it out!

And the entertainment doesn’t end there! Down on The Eisenhower Pier, a fantastic street theatre programme will take place all weekend. Look out for The Lighthouse, a tiny, fully furnished lighthouse keeper’s cottage with a striped red and white tower.  The lighthouse keeper – a retired seadog – who rambles through a vast arsenal of comic stories and anecdotes about kippers, guillemots, oyster smacks and the never ending menace of the birds mess. Also making special appearances to entertain the crowds will be The Crooning Captain and The Juggling Sailor!

Other highlights of the festival include; “The Great Bangor Bake Off,” a gourmet food tent, “The Dockside Emporium” a wonderful space created by local artists for people to experience and try out arts and crafts, “Dr Marlin and his Wild West Illusion Show,” a children’s theatre production from Cahoots NI, Jetlev demonstrations, a tall ship, a navy vessel, aerobatic twister displays, Armed Forces activities and lots more!

Sea Bangor will be open from 10am to 6pm on Saturday 27 June and Noon to 6pm on Sunday 28. This year the festival is being kindly sponsored by Tourism NI.

So whatever floats your boat, come along to Sea Bangor for a great family day out! This is a FREE event.