There’s something for everybody at this year’s Sea Bangor Festival; whether you’re into cooking, art, good food, live music or you fancy sailing the high seas, we’ve got it covered with lots happening in the tented village on Quay Street, Bangor on June 4 & 5.

Hosted by Ards and North Down Borough Council, the much-loved maritime festival is always a hit with young and old alike.

The event will heat up this year, when the festival will hold it’s very first “Big Green Egg BBQ Comp” where contestants will pitch their talents against each other on top of the range Egg Barbeques kindly provided by The Stove Yard. The competition will be fierce and entertainment value high! Members of the public are invited to take part in the competition to showcase the best local food from the best local BBQ chefs. Contestants can prepare their best chicken dish, pork dish or beef dish which can be as wide ranging and diverse as pork ribs, chicken wings, beef burgers, chicken tikka skewers, pork chops or steak. The aim of the game is to have fun, cook some amazing food and win great prizes!

If you fancy showcasing your BBQ talents live at Sea Bangor and being crowned Bangor’s BBQ Champ, please get in touch. The top prize is a stylish Big Green Egg Barbeque. Closing date for entries is May 29. For further information and to obtain an application form, please go to www.thestoveyard.com

In keeping with the carnivorous theme, look out for “Bangor’s Best Banger” competition and sausage making challenges, just a taste of the action-packed Sea Bangor Kitchen programme which will feature local chefs, butchers and catering students showcasing their skills and competing in cookery challenges over both days of the festival.

The festival will play its part in Northern Ireland’s Year of Food and Drink with celebrity chef Paula McIntyre who will hold dairy-based cookery demonstrations to mark June the “Month of Dairy.” For more information on a series of Year of Food and Drink events in Ards and North Down see www.visitardsandnorthdown.com/food.

Speaking about the event, Paul Mercer from SERC said: “The students and staff of South Eastern Regional College are excited to be involved with the ‘Bangor BBQ.’ It’s a great opportunity for students to participate in project based learning and local residents to showcase their cooking talents and learn from the range of local guest chefs and butchers.”

Gastronomic and culinary treats galore are in store for visitors to the event with local restaurants and food producers selling their wares in the Sea Bangor Cafe each day. Run by SERC, this year’s food tent will feature local food providers serving locally produced, mouth-watering food.

Over in the kid’s tent “Tiddlers,” Cahoots NI will be performing a special illusion show “The Great Carmo” and The Dockside Emporium promises to be a world of entertainment and wonder with demonstrations and crafts from lots of local artists.  With maritime-themed street theatre, a tall ship, a fantastic live music programme, an aerial demonstration by the Twister Aerobatic Team, Jet Lev demonstrations and so much more, Sea Bangor is definitely not to be missed!

Sea Bangor will be open from 10am to 6pm on Saturday 4 June and 12 noon to 6pm on Sunday 5.

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

For further information see www.visitardsandnorthdown.com