With 12 days of events The EastSide Arts Festival, 19-31st August, supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, includes readings, jazz, heritage tours, drama, comedy, music, visual arts, songwriters, children’s workshops, community events. Here’s 12 fantastic reasons why you should check it out or visit www.eastsidearts.net for more!
Date: Wednesday 19th and Thursday 20th August
Event: David C Clements
Location and time: Strand Arts Centre, 8pm
Tickets: £10
Info:
Two nights featuring two sides of David C Clements and his music. Both nights will feature a selection of songs from his forthcoming debut album and Thursday 20th will see David joined by a full band.
Date: Thursday 20th August
Event: Storytelling with Young At Art
Locationand time: Short Strand Community Centre, 11am to 1pm
Tickets: FREE, but booking required
Info:
Listen to a professional storyteller who will thrill kids with an exciting tale. Kids can chill out on huge bean bags with their big folks and read a book.
Date: Friday 21st August
Event: A Time to Speak
Location and time: Strand Arts Centre, 7pm
Tickets: £8
Info:
Joan McCready sensitively performs the story of the remarkable Helen Lewis. A dancer in Prague, Helen was interned in the Terezin Ghetto and deported to Auschwitz. After the war she settled in Belfast and became active with the Lyric Theatre.
Date: Saturday 22nd August
Event: SOAK
Location and time: Strand Arts Centre, 8pm
Tickets: £15
Info:
SOAK is one of Northern Ireland’s fastest rising music stars. Performing in her hometown of Derry since the age of 14 her album has been attracting rave reviews – STOP PRESS: for this performance, SOAK will be joined by special guest Hannah Mc Phillimy and Alice McCullough.
Date: Saturday 22nd August
Event: EastSide out loud – readings by Jan Carson & Andrew Eaton
Location and time: Belmont Tower, 6.30pm
Tickets: £7
Info:
These two East Belfast based writers offer readings from their new works.
Date: Sunday 23rd August
Event: The Holy Holy Bus
Location and time: Stormont Hotel, 8pm
Tickets: £10
Info:
In association with Feile An Phobail EastSide Arts Festival welcomes this fantastic performance which features four women on a bus tour which leaves west Belfast for a tour of holy sites of Ireland.
Date: Monday 24th August
Event: Boundary Brewing Tour
Location and time: Boundary Brewing CO-OP, Portview Trade Centre, 3pm
Tickets: £10
Info:
Boundary is Belfast’s first cooperative brewery. Come for a tour, learn about the brewing process and hear their story.
Date: Tuesday 25th August
Event: Glenn Patterson – Here’s Me Here
Location and time : Strand Arts Centre, 8pm
Tickets: £10
Info:
Join the Festival Book Club… Belfast Author Glenn Patterson reads from his new book ‘Here’s Me Here’, a collection of his writing for print and broadcast. Introducing and interviewing Glenn on the night is BBC NI’s Marie Louise Muir. Purchase a ticket for the show and get a copy of the book free.
Date: Tuesday 25th August
Event: Altan with Kathleen Turner
Location and time: Stormont Hotel, 8pm
Tickets: £17
Info:
After 35 years together – the longest running line-up of founding members in Irish music – the members of Altan will bring their unique music to the festival and will be joining the band for this rare Belfast date will be rising star Kathleen Turner.
Date: Wednesday 26th August
Event: A sharing of Traditions – Willie Drennan, Colum Sands, John Trotter, Martin Donohue & Friends
Location and time: Park Avenue Hotel, 8pm
Tickets: £12
Info:
Irish, Ulster-Scots and Scots Gaelic have their subtle differences for sure. What they have in common is a love for stirring music, lore and laugher. Be prepared to be entertained and enlightened by this eclectic mix of performers.
Date: Thursday 27th August
Event: Sequamur – WW1 Drama in Scots Gaelic
Location and time: Belvoir Players Theatre, 8pm (also Fri 28th)
Tickets: £10
Info:
Following a 5-star review at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this play reflects the life of Headmaster William Gibson whose inspirational leadership led many young many from the Western isles of Scotland to war in 1914.
Date: Saturday 29th August
Event: Orangefield Park Celebrations
Location and time: Orangefield Park, 1pm to 5pm
Tickets: FREE
Info:
A day filled with family fun – music, street t