Preparations are well underway for the eagerly anticipated Good Life Festival at Oxford Island this Easter.

The last festival in 2013 attracted up to 8,000 people over 2 days and hopes are high for another great weekend on the shores of Lough Neagh!

Organised by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, the free festival takes place on Friday 25th March and Saturday 26th March.  There are several different zones to explore within the festival, from ‘Good Music’ to ‘Good Laughs’ and even a Viking Village, each zone has plenty of activities to offer for the whole family.

At the centre of the festival site, ‘Good Music’ will showcase some of Northern Ireland’s finest musical talent. Hailing from Lurgan, Garage-punk-blues two-piece the Bonnevilles headline on Friday at 4pm, promoting their brilliant new album ‘Arrow Pierce My Heart’.    At the other end of the musical spectrum, internationally renowned flautist, uilleann piper and singer-songwriter Barry Kerr also plays on Friday.

On the Saturday, the eclectic line-up continues with the ‘Dangerous Harpist’ Ursula Burns, who combines beautiful harp playing with earthy humour to create a truly unique act. Tennessee Hennessees and Cup O’ Joe will both bring a Bluegrass feel to the weekend.

For all you festival foodies, Jenny Bristow will be sharing her culinary tips in the Good Grub Zone. With locally produced chocolate, gourmet street food, and home-baked treats on offer, there will be plenty to tempt your taste buds and keep you going through the day.

Kids both young and old will find plenty to enjoy in the Viking Village, with hands-on activities, longboat races, medieval music, mock battles and fearsome fur-wearing, sword-wielding Vikings everywhere!

Barren Carousel will amaze the crowd with their comedy trapeze routine, while kid’s zones and walkabout circus entertainers will keep the little ones smiling!

If you enjoy the outdoor life, Kinnego Bushcraft will take you on a tour of the woods, demonstrating which wild foods are good to eat, teepee building, kayaking and archery, all you need to survive in the wild!

Meanwhile, adventurous visitors can try their hand at a variety of crafts and age old techniques in the ‘Good Wood’ zone. Get your hands dirty with Moneypenny’s Blacksmith Workshop, try wood turning with Green Woodwork Ireland, or willow-weaving with Welig Crafts. Or why not try playing one of Andrew Cooke’s hand-made ceramic diddley-bows? If you don’t know what a diddley-bow is, come along and find out for yourself, you won’t be disappointed!

After all that, if festival-goers need a refreshing cup of coffee to perk them up, try our Love Music tent where Lurgan based company Love Coffee will be supplying exotic blends as well as acoustic vibes from a variety of local artists.

All in all, it promises to be an unforgettable weekend at Oxford Island!

You can park your cars at McCusker’s Equestrian Centre on the Kinnego Embankment, where regular shuttle buses will be available to ferry you to the festival site.

This project is part funded by the Tourism NI Regional Events Fund.

For further information log onto www.goodlifeoxfordisland.com or find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/goodlifefestivalni or Twitter www.twitter.com/goodlifeox

Ards has always celebrated the adventurer Lieutenant Colonel Paddy ‘Blair’ Mayne, and his statue remains in the newly refurbished Conway Square in the heart of Newtownards.

Therefore it seems only appropriate that to celebrate the progression of the Public Realm scheme in the town, the Square will for one day only become Ards Adventure Arena on Friday 25 March from 12 noon to 6pm, with free fun activities for all the family.

Conway Square will transform into an exciting outdoor pursuit’s arena with the centrepiece being the only High Ropes Assault Course in Ireland.  Visitors will also be able to experience many other adventure activities including a climbing wall, archery, body zorbes, space horses, bash board, adventure bikes, a jungle photo studio, the latest hits from DJ Dave, meeting jungle creatures in an extreme petting zoo, in-line hockey and golf and special themed art workshops.

Explorers can follow an adventure trail around the Town Centre to see what the retailers in Newtownards have to offer, with prizes for those who complete the trail.

Further information can be found on Ards Adventure Arena at www.visitardsandnorthdown.com.

Theatre at The Mill and The Courtyard Theatre are delighted to offer a variety of workshops to keep budding performers entertained over the Easter holidays.

This year we have exciting drama projects for children and young people from ages 5 to 18 from Monday 28 March to Saturday 2 April.

At Theatre at The Mill our celebrated team of professionals return with smash Broadway hit Oklahoma from Monday 28 March to Fri 1 April, providing students with the opportunity to learn from the best in the business, mastering the dance routines, perfecting the lines and putting on a show for family and friends in just one week.

Celebrating the vigour of America’s pioneering spirit with classic tunes and boot-stomping dances; we follow Curly and the girl of his dreams, Laurey, as they travel down love’s highway on an extremely bumpy surrey ride.

The Cat has Got The Cream at The Courtyard Theatre this Easter with The Aristocat’s  Kids, Monday 28 March to Sat 2 April. Following the success of last Easter’s Youth Theatre productions, Sean and Anna, directors at the Guildford School of Acting return with their talented team this Easter. This unique musical theatre adventure for little ones has been designed so that they too can take part in a fun and structured theatre school environment.

Find out just what a cat is to do when kidnapped and abandoned to the Parisian countryside.  Join Thomas O’Mally and his rag-tag bunch of Alley Cats as they race to the rescue. This comic filled adventure includes the Disney Favourites. The Aristocat’s , Scales and Arpeggios and Ev’rybody Wants to be a Cat Don’t You?

For further information or to book a place on any of our Easter Workshops contact the box office on 028 9034 0202 or visit www.theatreatthemill.com or www.thecourtyardtheatre.com

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council is to welcome author Ian Andrew to Larne Museum and Arts Centre for the official launch of his new novel Flight Path.

Taking place on Wednesday 30 March (7pm), Ian is returning to mark the release of this new book in his home town.

Ian Andrew is the penname of Larne man Ian Hooper, who now resides with his wife in Australia and is appropriately ‘jetting in’ for Flight Path’s launch.

“I’m delighted to be having a book launch in Larne Museum and Arts Centre – what I still think of as the Carnegie Library – as when I was a little boy I loved my weekly trips to the library.

“This passion for the institution of libraries remains. Likewise, the ability to value and preserve local history is a phenomenally important aspect for any community so to see the building used in this way is fantastic.

“I’m just incredibly grateful to the Mid and East Antrim Borough Council who have made the event possible,” he added.

Ian Andrew is the author of A Time To Every Purpose, Face Value, Flight Path and The Little Book of Silly Rhymes & Odd Verses, which includes subjects that are Larne inspired and will also be getting its debut on the evening of Wednesday 30 March.

Admission to the launch of Flight Path is free however places are limited and must be booked in advance.

Contact Larne Museum on 028 2826 2443 or email marian.kelso@midandeastrim.gov.uk to secure a place.

To celebrate Bangor’s annual Pirate Invasion, taking place this Easter Monday, March 28, local businesses have generously donated 400 prizes to be given out to lucky visitors.

In conjunction with the Bangor Chamber of Commerce, the give-away bonanza will be an added bonus to the day which will see the town transformed into a pirate wonderland.  With lots of local organisations getting behind the event, it should be a fantastic day out for all the family.

Speaking about the event, Paula Kane, Director of Development at Bangor Chamber of Commerce said: “Bangor Chamber is once again delighted to have had overwhelming support from Bangor retailers and businesses in donating prizes for the Easter Pirate Coins Giveaway. Everything from free ice-creams, teas, coffees, lunches, theatre tickets, shopping vouchers, gift vouchers and much more, there are over 400 Pirate Coins to be ‘won’ on the day. The Easter Monday parade is a fantastic annual event which brings in many visitors from across the province and we look forward to giving them a fantastic day in Bangor that all the family can enjoy.”

The major highlight of the day will be the spectacular Pirate Parade, taking place at 3pm when over 200 children and young people from local schools, youth and dance groups across Ards and North Down will make their way around the Town Centre. Look out for pirate ships, colourful bands, pirates, dancers and live music. The parade will also include many other local school and youth groups including; North Down Scouts, Bangor Central IPS, St Columbanus College, St Comgalls PS, Victoria School of Dance and the fabulous Open House Choir!

Project 24 will be turned into “Pirate 24” for the day, a fun Treasure Island full of pirate-themed crafts, activities, street theatre and music. Come and join in the fun in the pirate dress up area, get your face painted or make some crafts in the pirate craft emporium. Walk the plank with some real-life pirates or have a boogie to some Desert Island Discs. There will also be “X Marks The Spot” face-painting stations located throughout the Town Centre and North Down Museum where children can have their faces painted as pirates. There will also be free pirate masks available on the day. Come along and have your little darlings transformed into pirates! And on The Promenade, a special pirate land train will be giving free rides all day.

The McKee Clock Arena, will play host to a special Moto Trial NI motorbike competition guaranteed to thrill and entertain young and old alike! The Pirates of Bangor marina have run aground and Ireland’s best trials riders will be competing over a challenging course of giant drift wood, treasure chests and even a ship wrecked Galleon in this specially designed, arena show to see who can win the treasure!

Be prepared to be thrilled as these talented bikers showcase their amazing skills and perform some breath-taking stunts and manoeuvres! Starting at 12pm, this spectacular show is not to be missed!

So come on down to Bangor this Easter Monday with your family and friends for lots of pirate fun at this FREE event! The fun starts at 12 noon.

For further information check out: www.visitardsandnorthdown.com

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council today announced the annual Armed Forces Day is set for Antrim on Saturday 18 June.

This Family Fun Day event will commence with a parade of Regulars, Reserves, Cadets and Veterans through Antrim town and Antrim Castle Gardens to Antrim Stadium, followed by a Drumhead Service.  In the stadium a full line up of family fun events awaits, from assault courses in the military recruitment village to arena acts to wow the crowd, street traders, military bands and a capability demonstration showing the current work of the Tri-Services plus much more.

At today’s launch Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Thomas Hogg, commented “The Council is delighted to host this year’s Armed Forces Northern Ireland Regional event in Antrim and it is fitting given the town’s garrison history and central location. Our facilities at both the Antrim Forum and Antrim Castle Gardens are second to none and lend themselves to hosting a major event such as this.  I would urge everyone to tell all contacts and friends to put Saturday 18 June into their diary.”

Brigadier Commander Andrew Roe commented “All members of the Armed Forces in Northern Ireland as well as veterans and youth involved in the Cadet forces are hugely appreciative to Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council for hosting what is going to be an incredibly enjoyable day for ourselves and families from far and wide.  Our links with Antrim go deep and the organisational support for this event on the 18th of June has been immensely professional.  Although it’s Armed Forces Day, it is really a family day when every one of all ages will enjoy a great day out.

You are invited to join in this annual event which is a celebration of the Armed Forces. This event attracts thousands of visitors from across Northern Ireland and beyond, we are looking forward to welcoming day trippers and tourists to our Borough.  The Council would also like to take the opportunity to encourage local people to support the event by lining the parade route on Saturday 18 June and supporting our local traders.

For further information on Armed Forces Day please visit our website www.antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk/afd

If there is such a thing as a “biking season” then it’s fair to say that motorcyclists in the greater Ballymena area kick it off each year with the Annual Ballymena Easter Egg Run.

Typically held on the Sunday before Easter this year’s event takes place on 20^th March 2016 leaving at 1.30pm sharp from Pennybridge Industrial estate.

This is the 23^rd anniversary of the Egg Run and organisers are hopeful for some fresh spring weather despite the event falling slightly earlier than in previous years. In a procession of motorcycles numbering into the hundreds marshals oversee a scenic tour past Slemish and through the Glens down into Carnlough where there will be a short stop. After a ride along the coast road, the run will return to Ballymena Showgrounds where refreshments will be provided for participants. Cost is a minimum of £5 per bike plus an Easter egg if possible. The Easter eggs will all be donated to local children’s charities and all other proceeds go to Marie Curie Cancer Care

Over the past 23 years the Egg Run has raised thousands of pounds for charity and many of its participants having been turning up since the first run in the early 90s. Ballymena Rider Training Chief Instructor David McGuckin acknowledges the support from bikers attending the event in the past. “I’m always amazed at the support we get. Many bikers have the Egg Run marked on their calendars as the first proper run out of the biking season, blowing off those winter cobwebs for a fantastic cause. There is always a great atmosphere and each year people make new friends and associates based on the great comradery on the day. It is also learner friendly, something we get asked often, and moves at a sensible pace. I would even encourage those who are not motorcyclists to come along and see the event.”

Marie Curie Cancer Care is a Charity that supports patients with terminal cancer and other illnesses and all funds raised will help the charity to continue to do the invaluable work that it does in Northern Ireland

It is important to mention that the event is made possible with the support of local businesses providing a variety of raffle prizes for participants. Without the support of the council (Braid Arts Centre) and these local businesses the run just simply wouldn’t exist. They very much help to make it happen

Organisers wish to extend the invite to everyone on two wheels to come along and take part. Whether you have a scooter, sports bike, custom or classic everyone can have a fantastic day out whilst helping to raise some money for charity and those without motorcycles are always welcome to come and view the wonderful array of machines as they set off

Further Information can be found on Facebook & Twitter (The Annual NI Easter Egg Run) or by contacting co-organisers Gary Olphert – 07710 733292 or Walter Millar – 07507 639699. Organised by Ballymena Rider Training & David McGuckin – 028 2564 3497

Northern Ireland boasts a unique collection of irresistible places to stay including quirky B&Bs, luxurious spa hotels and hidden gem properties for an ideal short break and Discover NI has selected the best offers of the week for you to choose from.

• Winter Warmer, Ramada Encore, Belfast. From £44.50pps. The stylish 3-star Ramada Encore overlooks St. Anne’s Square, home to many of the city’s most popular bars and restaurants, and is right on the doorstep of Belfast City Centre. This fantastic offer includes overnight accommodation with full cooked Irish breakfast, plus a VIP hamper and £20 food/drink voucher to spend in SQ Bar and Grill. Available until 31 march.  To book call (028) 9026 1800.

• Midweek 2 Nights break plus 1 Evening Meal, Slieve Donard Resort and Spa, Newcastle, Co. Down. From £119pps. The magnificent Slieve Donard is situated in the heart of County Down at the foot of the Mourne Mountains. As well as two nights’ stay in a luxurious 4-star bedroom and full Irish breakfast each morning, this offer also includes an evening meal in the newly refurbished Percy French restaurant. Available until 17 April. To book call (028) 4372 1066. Quote spring offers when booking.

• One Night Bed and Breakfast, Roe Park Resort, Limavady, Co. Londonderry. From £34.50pps. The 4-star Roe Park is one of Northern Ireland’s premier golf and spa resorts, blending the charm of a country house estate with the modern conveniences expected of a 4-star luxury hotel. This special offer includes a night’s bed and breakfast as well as complimentary use of Fairways Health Club including heated indoor swimming pool, steam room, jacuzzi, sauna and gym. Available until 17 April. To book call (028) 7772 2222. Quote spring offers when booking.

For further information log on to www.discovernorthernireland.com/offers.

*All offers are subject to availability.

Down

Follow the end of the rainbow to Solitude Park on Saturday 19th  March 2016 as Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council host a plentiful pot of free fun for everyone with the annual St. Patrick’s Family Fun Day. The craic gets underway at 2pm and runs until 4pm and features a host of music, activities and entertainment guaranteed to get you in the mood for a sensational St. Patrick’s party.

Armagh

Billed as the largest-ever St Patrick’s Festival of events to be held in the UK and Ireland, Armagh is in high gear with a jam-packed programme showcasing the best of culture, music, song and dance. Featuring family fun days, uplifting choral recitals and orchestral events, the Armagh and Downpatrick St. Patrick’s Festival features an enormous programme of activity for every age and interest. See armagh.co.uk for full programme.

Fermanagh

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Enniskillen with a free family day at the Lakeland Forum with special guests Ardglass Vikings and activities including face painting, bouncy castles, zorbs and singalongs with Elsa from Frozen plus lots of on-water entertainment from 1.30-3.30pm.  St. Patrick arrives at the Broadmeadow 2.30-2.45pm. Live Entertainment in town centre from 2.30pm. St. Patrick leads the parade from the Forum through the island town followed by this year’s Grand Marshals, Devenish Partnership Forum. 3.30pm onwards. As part of the NI Year of Food & Drink 2016 Fermanagh & Omagh District Council will host a Food Fayre in the Bridge Centre 11.00am – 4.00pm.

Tyrone

St Patrick’s Day in Ranfurly House, 17 March, admission free! 1pm – 4pm Music with Leah Jordan in La Scala Coffee House. 2pm – 5pm Face painting and Balloon modelling, 2.30pm – 5pm Arts and Crafts with Louise Campbell (Drop in activity).  Enjoy some live traditional music with John O’Neill on accordion and friends. Also providing music on the day are the young and talented musicians/singers Niamh and Ciara McCrystal, Beth Murray and Clara O’Hanlon.

Derry

The St Patrick’s Day Spring Carnival 2016 really is the stuff of legend! This year’s theme is ‘The Land Of The Little People’ covering a whole weekend of festivities. Derry City and Strabane District Council has sprinkled the fairy dust with four days of family-friendly events lined up from Thursday, March 17th until Sunday, March 20th.Highlights include the St Patrick’s Day Spring Carnival parades, Ubuntu Festival of World Traditions, LegenDerry Food Festival, Little Folk Fest, Pixies Paradise and much, much more to keep everyone entertained over the course of the holiday weekend.

Antrim

St Patrick’s Day Traditional Ballycastle & District Horse Ploughing Championship, Thursday 17^th March.  Come along and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day enjoying the atmosphere, craic and skill of the many ploughmen taking part in this unique event. This popular, traditional ploughing match has been taking place in the Ballycastle area for over 100 years and attracts ploughmen from all over Ireland. A great day out for all the family. This event depends on weather conditions.

Belfast

St. Patrick’s Day Carnival Parade and Concert, March 17th. Belfast city centre will come alive this St. Patrick’s Day with a carnival parade for all the family to enjoy. The city centre will be awash with colour and splendour as the parade leaves Belfast City Hall at 12 noon, making its way to Custom House Square, where a free outdoor concert will take place hosted by Cool FM Presenters and featuring performances from Ben Haenow and Brian McFadden.
Add your events free at www.whatsonni.com. Follow us on twitter @whatsonNI and on facebook at fb.com/www.whatsonni.com for news, competitions and what’s on near you.

Tourism NI has put together a list of 10 exciting things to do in Northern Ireland next week (March 21 – 27).

• Castle Ward Easter Fair, Castle Ward, Downpatrick, Co. Down, March 27-28. Enjoy a family fun packed Easter weekend at the stunning Castle Ward. Solve the clues in the Cadbury’s Easter Egg Hunt to win a delicious prize, join in the mad scramble as the annual mega hunt takes place on the front lawn, visit Phil’s Farm, take part in the chicken run race and enjoy a range of local craft and food stalls.

• The Good Life Festival at Oxford Island, Oxford Island, Co. Armagh, March 25-26. The Good Life Festival is an event at Oxford Island, an area of outstanding natural beauty on the shores of Lough Neagh. It is a fun-filled and creative day out for all the family with ideas and inspiration for getting the best out of life. From up-cycling and restyling to knitting and quilting there will be a wonderful range of handmade products to buy and new creative skills to try out, with a range of comedy, theatre, dance and children’s activities on offer.

• Morning, Afternoon & Evening, Lyric Theatre, Belfast, March 24-26. Following a critically acclaimed run at the Edinburgh Festival, Morning, Afternoon & Evening comes to the Lyric for three special performances. Set in Northern Ireland and amongst the Northern Irish diaspora in Europe, the lives of three very different characters (all played by Andy Hinds) unexpectedly, and fatefully, reconnect. Show begins at 8pm.

• Easter Celebrations at Ulster American Folk Park, Ulster American Folk Park, Omagh, Co. Tyrone, March 26-28. Stallholders, shopkeepers, travelling journeymen and entertainers are set to keep you amused this Easter as you stroll down Ulster Street witnessing the sights, smells and sounds of a busy market day. Try your hand at traditional crafts, meet the Easter chicks and enjoy story-telling sessions as you travel back in time to April 1916.

• Eggciting Easter Entertainment, Roe Valley Arts & Cultural Centre, Limavady, Co. Londonderry, March 26. A great way to spend a couple of enjoyable hours with the kids this Easter, Babcock & Bobbins will entertain and amuse all the family with their hilarious antics. The show features Giraffe Unicycles, Stilt Walking, Rola Bola and Fire Breathing. Come along and join in the fun! Show begins at 1pm.

• Old MacDonald’s Farm, Navan Centre and Fort, Armagh, Co. Armagh, March 26-29. Join in with a wacky interpretation of the ever-popular nursery rhyme. Start with some face-painting or mask making so you can be part of the Farm – there’s a real choice of animals to be! Join the gang on an adventure to get to Grandpa’s Farm, but will you get there before the animals take over? Pre-booking for this interactive family sing-along is essential.

• Watertop Farm’s Monster Easter Egg Roll, Watertop Farm, Ballycastle, Co. Antrim, March 27-28. Watertop is a family run farm in the Glens of Antrim, with its annual Monster Easter Egg Roll taking place at 2:30pm on Easter Sunday and Monday. There is lots of fun to be had and lots of prizes to be won, as well as a variety of activities taking place around the farm continuing into Easter week.

• Easter Activities & Bunny Cruise, Share Discovery Village, Lisnaskea, Co. Fermanagh, March 27. Come along to Share for a fun filled family day out this Easter, where you can enjoy a range of activities including a Bunny Cruise, face painting, balloon modelling, crafts, games, challenges and much more. Begins at 10.30am.

• Curiously Comber, Town Centre, Comber, Co. Down, March 24. Visit an undiscovered, curious town with many hidden gems as Comber is transformed into Alice’s Wonderland for the day! Featuring a Mad Hatter’s tea party, tours of the town with the white rabbit, street theatre, live music, a petting zoo and more! From 11am – 4pm.

• Féile An Earraigh, various locations, Belfast, March 21-28. Féile an Earraigh is back with a very special programme of events in this special 2016 centenary year. Live music, theatre and a series of talks around the legacy of 1916 are amongst the highlights in the packed Spring Festival Programme. Tickets available at Belfast Welcome Centre, ticketmaster.ie and the Devenish Complex, Finaghy.

Please note some of the events require pre-booking. For more details on these and other events click on www.discovernorthernireland.com/events, visit your local tourist information centre or log onto www.facebook.com/discovernorthernireland.