Larne will be awash with colour and carnival fun next month as the Summer Festival rolls into town.

Mid and East Antrim Borough Mayor, Councillor Billy Ashe, who is pictured here attending the recent launch event with some colourful carnival characters, has urged everyone to come along.

“The festival opens on Saturday 4 June when Larne Main Street will be the location for the spectacular carnival parade featuring schools, groups and clubs from throughout the Larne area.

“They will be dressing up and taking part in the parade along with a group of local young people who have been learning to stilt walk for the event.

“Come down to Larne Town Centre from 2pm to 4pm to enjoy live music at Broadway Bandstand along with face painting and walkabouts or just to take in the carnival atmosphere and watch the parade pass by at around 3.15 pm,” Cllr Ashe added that the parade will be leaving Larne YMCA at 3pm.

On Saturday 11 June, (11am-3pm) the party atmosphere continues with a colourful craft and food market at Larne Market Yard.
Activities will include Salsa dance workshops, arts and crafts, walkabouts and street theatre, a photo booth, carnival games not to mention live music from the Mardi Gras Jazz Band and the Bourbon Swing Band. All ages are being accommodated too with Fairy Twinkle on hand to tell some stories.

A special bus will run regularly every half hour throughout the event to take visitors into the Town Centre – perhaps for some ‘retail therapy’.

Then, on Wednesday 15 June, local schools and members of the public will be able to experience the thrill of cycling in a velodrome as the UK Street Velodrome Series rides into Larne Leisure Centre. School sessions will run from 10am-4pm and public sessions from 5pm-8pm.

For those who fancy themselves a ‘super hero’ there’s the chance to get into character for a special town centre bike ride on Sunday 19 June.

“Suit up in your superhero gear, decorate your bicycle too and zoom into Larne – Batman or Superman-style,” said Cllr Ashe adding there will be plenty of additional entertainment at Broadway.

“There will be music, entertainers and refreshments to keep all our superheroes and maybe the odd villain going as they cycle the route,” he added.

Participants may even want to create their own superhero character and dress up to take part in the best dressed superhero competition.

Super-cyclists are to assemble at Broadway from 6.15pm for a 6.30pm start. Children under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult and all participants must wear a cycle helmet. Anyone not wearing a helmet will not be permitted to take part.

Parking on Main Street will be limited during the event for a period of one hour and members of the public are encouraged to use the Town Centre car parks available, located close to the Main Street.

The Larne Summer Festival is just one of a large number of events taking place in Mid and East Antrim Borough. To keep up to date with what is happening in Ballymena, Carrickfergus and of course Larne visit www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk/events