Are you trying to keep the children entertained over the Halloween school break?

You need to read on.  At the Palace Stables Armagh we are running a Halloween Craft and Games club. Taking place on Monday 31^st October & Tuesday 1^st November from 10.00am – 4.00pm, this club is packed full of games, crafts and activities all with a Halloween theme.

Suitable for 5-12 year olds, all your child needs is a wonderful imagination to unleash their inner artist to create some amazing artwork!

Admission is just £12.50 per day, £10.00 per day for 2nd & 3rd child. Take advantage of our early bird offer and book by 21st October and get 20% discount!  Booking in advance is essential on www.armagh.co.uk/halloweencrafts

For further information please contact:  Navan Centre, 81 Killylea Road, Armagh. BT60 4LD.   Tel 028 3752 9644 or visit www.navan.com

€50,000 prize fund confirmed for Grade 2 WKD Hurdle

A €50,000 prize fund has been confirmed for the Grade 2 Hurdle on Day one of the Down Royal Festival of Racing taking place Friday 4^th and Saturday 5^th November.

The action packed Grade 2 Hurdle on the first day of this year’s Festival, which is once again sponsored by ‘WKD’, has attracted a wealth of talent over the years including the legendary AP McCoy, with last year’s race won by record-breaking jockey Bryan Cooper.

Mike Todd, General Manager at Down Royal, said:

“The Festival of Racing is just around the corner and we’re delighted to confirm a €50,000 prize fund for the Grade 2 WKD Hurdle. Attracting such a high calibre of entrants, the Grade 2 Hurdle is always an action packed race and a highlight of the Festival.

“In recent years, Down Royal has established itself not only as a premier sporting destination in Northern Ireland but also the venue of choice for corporate and social days out alike.

“Our first class facilities, coupled with some of the most exhilarating horse racing in Ireland sees thousands of both seasoned and first time racegoers from across the country flock to the Festival, which this year will take place on 4^th and 5^th November.

“Down Royal has a long standing partnership with WKD and we’re delighted to have them on board once again, particularly as the brand celebrates its 20^th anniversary and unveils a new look.”

Brendan Loughran, Head of Business Unit, SHS Group, which owns the WKD brand, said:

“Down Royal is a world-class venue, and a fantastic backdrop for a great day out. The Festival of Racing is a highlight in the racing and social calendar and we’re thrilled that WKD, Premium Sponsor of the first day of the Festival on Friday 4^th November, will be unveiling its new look to racing enthusiasts.

“WKD is an iconic brand, launched in 1996, and its innovative flavour and identity resonates with racegoers here. The new transformational pack design indicates how the WKD brand is metamorphosing as it celebrates its 20^th anniversary.

“There are four variants in the WKD range:  the original WKD Iron Brew & Blue; WKD Berry and WKD Passion Fruit, which was previously named WKD Blush. Contemporary new bottle shapes with clean, stylish lines incorporate a fresh new WKD marque bringing a sophisticated feel to the design.  Adding an element of fun, the new bottle caps come in a variety of bold, bright colours.  No fundamental changes have been made to the liquid in terms of flavour or ABV (alcohol by volume) which remains at 4%, and there are no changes to the recommended retail price.”

Racegoers will also be raising the fashion stakes for the WKD Best Dressed Lady competition on Friday 4^th November which will see the best outfit win an ‘Ultimate Night Out’ prize package.

Brendan Loughran added:

“To reflect the glamour and elegance of the female racegoer that Down Royal attracts, this year WKD is offering a superb prize for the Best Dressed Lady on Friday 4th November.

“The winner will receive an amazing ‘Ultimate Night Out’ prize which includes a Ciara Daly Makeup session for four people, transfers by limousine, dinner in Belfast City followed by VIP tickets to a top nightclub.”

Gates will open at 11am on both Friday 4^th and Saturday 5^th November. General admission can be pre-booked online starting at £12 and a range of corporate and hospitality packages are also available with more information at www.downroyal.com

The Everglades Hotel is hosting a scrumptious weekend to remember on Saturday 19^th November as they launch their first ever, ‘Foodie’ weekend package.

This tasty package starts from only £85 per person and includes an overnight stay with bed and breakfast, plus tickets for a fun-filled food tour, the Made in Derry Food Tour, on Saturday 19^th November.

The Made in Derry Food Tour will give food lovers the chance to visit six local eateries and learn all about what Derry~Londonderry has to offer in terms of delicious produce and refreshing drinks, all from the chefs and crafters themselves.

Neil Devlin, General Manager of the Everglades Hotel is encouraging everyone to try out the new ‘Foodie’ weekend:

“This exciting new package is the perfect weekend for seasoned foodies or for those who would just like to try out something a little different.

“Derry~Londonderry is simply bursting with delicious restaurants and quirky places to eat and for maximum enjoyment start and end your gastronomic tour at the luxurious, Everglades Hotel where our warm atmosphere and comfy beds will end your day on a relaxing high,” added Neil.

As well as an overnight with breakfast at the Everglades Hotel, the ‘Foodie’ package tour attendees will taste over 20 different types of food and drink from mouth-watering street food to freshly prepared fish, washed down with local beers and other drinks.  Not forgetting of course, some sugary sweet treats.

For more information and to buy tickets go to www.hastingshotels.com/everglades-hotel

To celebrate the success of the first season open as a five-star rated attraction, unique First World War ship, HMS Caroline will be hosting an action-packed weekend of activities that are free for kids (0 – 16 years).

This weekend (October 22^nd and 23^rd), bring the little ones along and watch as they become an ‘objective detective’ by identifying mystery maritime objects. They can listen to traditional sea shanties with Young at Art from 11am to 3pm and chat to HMS Caroline’s puppet captain as he roams the ship, follow family trails and discover all the areas on board.

Why not join the storytelling workshop with Performing Starz on Saturday? This workshop is recommended for 3–8 year olds, and runs from 11am–12noon. Booking is essential as spaces are limited. Please call 028 9045 4484 to book.

Get crafty on Sunday and join the Young at Art team creating Sea Creature Crafts. Be sure to visit the Mess Deck café on board and car parking is free, located beside the ship.

The ship is open from 10am until 6pm, last admission 5.15pm. We recommend 1 hour 30 minutes for the self-guided tour. Activities will be running from 11am to 4.30pm both days.

This is your final chance to visit in 2016 as HMS Caroline will close for refurbishment from 23^rd Oct until Spring 2017.

For more information please visit www.hmscaroline.co.uk

Tourism NI has put together a list of 10 exciting things to do in Northern Ireland next week (October 24 – October 30).

• The Addams Family, Grand Opera House, Belfast, October 25 – 29. Dah dah dah dum, click, click… The perfect Halloween treat for all the family! The Belfast Operatic Company returns to the Grand Opera House with The Addams Family, bringing your favourite kooky, creepy family to life in this new musical comedy. Come meet the family, giggle at the ghouls and boogie with the bogeymen for an unforgettable night.
• Roe Valley Folk Festival, Various locations, Limavady, Derry~Londonderry, October 28 – 20. The Roe Valley Folk Festival is renowned for its mix of folk music, dance and traditional sessions. This year’s line-up has reflected the many changes in the folk music scene from the present and is always a hotbed mix of old and the new.
• Apple Cart Festival, Orchard Acre Farm, Co. Fermanagh, October 26. Join Teresa as she guides you through her kitchen garden and orchards; explaining how to care for soft fruit plants, fruit trees as well as learn harvesting skills. You will then return to the kitchen to cook up delicious fruit puddings and pies with a cup of tea.
• Hallow’een Pool Disco, Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre, Ballymoney, Co. Antrim, October 28. Enjoy a ‘Spooky Splash’ at the Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre as it welcomes the return of the hugely popular Hallowe’en pool disco. Friday ‘Fright’ night has a live outdoor concert, fancy dress competition, fire dancers and fireworks, before ending with the Spooky Splash Pool Party.
• Speciality Food and Craft Hallowe’en Festival, The Diamond, Coleraine, October 29. Come along and start your Hallowe’en celebrations at the first Causeway Speciality Food & Craft Hallowe’en Market. This outdoor market hosts 40 stalls positioned around Coleraine Town Hall in the pedestrian precinct area of the town. The delicious foods on offer along with varied, locally made crafts make it a unique shopping experience.
• Ulster Bank Belfast International Arts Festival, Various locations, Belfast, until October 30. The Ulster Bank Belfast International Arts Festival is back with a world class programme of theatre, performance art, moving image, visual art, dance and music from folk, to contemporary and classical with opportunities for audiences to directly engage and participate in the creative arts.
• Little Spooks, Navan Centre & Fort, Co. Armagh, October 28 – 31.  The Navan Centre invites you to enjoy some spook-tacular family fun this Hallowe’en. Are you brave enough to pass through the Bone Taker’s garden and see their Palace of Bones? Watch out for the Wicked Witch and don’t be tricked into joining Rapunzel in her tower. Test your Halloween knowledge and follow our Spooky Riddle Trail if you dare. Suitable for under 11 years of age.
• Hallowe’en Tour, Ulster American Folk Park, Co. Tyrone, October 28. Ghost stories, ghouls and witches await you at the Ulster American Folk Park as the staff bring the museum to life as you are guided around the exhibit buildings by torch light.  Booking essential.  Tickets cost £11/£6. Suitable for ages 9+.
• Shakespeare Lives Through Kenneth Branagh, Linenhall Library, Belfast, until October 28. Featuring rarely seen artefacts from the Kenneth Branagh Archive at QUB, this unmissable exhibition celebrates the work of Kenneth Branagh in bringing Shakespeare to life on stage and screen and making the work of the Bard accessible to a global audience. 
• Peninsula Food Showcase: Ghostly Grey Abbey, Grey Abbey, Co. Down, October 29. ‘Ghostly Greyabbey’ will be located within the atmospheric Grey Abbey ruins and grounds in village of Greyabbey, a village renowned for its antiques stores, quaint cafes and historic links. The evening will be filled with food, drink, tours and many more fun activities based on a Hallowe’en theme. Starts at 5pm.

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. 

Following refurbishment of the Causeway Coast Dog Rescue’s Charity shop, located in the Diamond Centre Coleraine, there will be a promotional opportunity for a late night opening on Thursday 27^TH November.

From 4.30pm to 8.30pm with 20% off everything in the shop. Everyone welcome and it’s a great opportunity to meet people and to get to know those in the Charity.  Drop in to say hello, and grab yourself a bargain!!  @CCDogRescue  #causewaycoastdogrescue  www.causewaycoastdogrescue.org

The CCDR Charity shop is located in the Diamond Centre Coleraine, Opening Hours – 10.30am to 4pm Tuesday to Saturday.

The Causeway Coast Dog Rescue rescues and rehomes dogs on the north coast and throughout the country. Supporting those to rehome their own dog, rescuing cruelty cases and ensuring each dog finds its forever home.

This Halloween the Navan Centre & Fort, Armagh has something with extra spook for you to enjoy but be warned it promises to be spine chilling!

Are you brave enough for some spine-chilling fun and frights this Halloween? Pick your steps through the Bone Taker’s garden and see their Palace of Bones, take care you don’t want to be left behind! Beware of the Wicked Witch, her aim is for you to join Rapunzel in her tower…You have been warned! Now this is where it really starts to get scary, a visit to the Spirit House will really have you wondering about what is out and about on Halloween night! Don’t forget to come in fancy dress – prizes in every show!

Available on Saturday 29^th & Monday 31^st October with shows at 6.00pm, 7.00pm, 8.00pm & 9.00pm.  Admission is just £7.00 per seat and as places are limited, pre-booking on www.armagh.co.uk/extraspook

For information please contact: Navan Centre, 81 Killylea Road, Armagh.  BT60 4LD.  Tel 028 3752 9644 or www.navan.com

We are delighted to offer you a fantastic opportunity to join us at Theatre at The Mill Saturday 29 & Sunday 30 October for Tavaziva: Weekend Dance Workshop.

Experience the rare opportunity to work with renowned Choreographer and Director Bawren Tavaziva to create a brand new dance piece based on Tavaziva’s critically acclaimed Africarmen.  Zimbabwe born Tavaziva’s highly inventive choreography is a synthesis of ballet, contemporary and African dance and is energetic, intricate, physically challenging but extremely enjoyable.

We welcome dancers of all abilities to the workshop. This is the perfect opportunity to develop your dance and performance skills, in a physically challenging yet exciting workshop, guaranteed to build any dancers confidence! Participants will also be invited to perform at the opening performance of Africarmen Thursday 2 March 2017 at Theatre at The Mill.
To book your place on this exciting dance workshop, please visit our website www.theatreatthemill.com or speak to a member of our team on 028 9034 0202.

Charlie and The Chocolate Factory has been specially adapted in to a family friendly pantomime featuring all your favourite characters, including Charlie, played by Toby Ferguson – a native of Rathfriland, Willy Wonka, played by Stewart Penn and introduces Willy’s long lost wife, Willomena Wonka, a traditional pantomime dame, played by Pat McElhinney.  So expect chaos, music and lots of laughs as the story of Charlie unfolds.

E2A is an inclusive theatre group with 40-50% of on stage actors having a physical or learning disability, but all coming together to share their love of performing, resulting in an inspiring and innovative performance.  As PR Officer, Laura McKillion explains, “E2A is truly a remarkable concept in local theatre, and having able bodied actors performing alongside peers with a disability is an amazing experience for the cast as well as the audiences.  Real life is about people of all backgrounds, abilities and experience co-existing, yet most theatre groups look for the very best dancers and singers, whereas E2A is about providing a shared experience for everyone.”

For the first time we are bringing the show to Portadown Town Hall on 30 November and 1 December with show starting at 7.30pm.  Tickets are a very reasonable £10 per adults and £7 for concessions.  “We believe in making theatre accessible for all, regardless of income, and always try to make ticket prices affordable and great value for money” says Laura McKillion.  We are also delighted to have local band Aces & Eights NI involved in providing musical accompaniment, although usually a Black Sabbath tribute act, the band jumped at the chance to get involved.

Shows in Banbridge, E2A Community Arts Centre are on Friday 9 and Saturday 10 December at 7.30pm with a matinee of Saturday at 2.00pm.  Tickets in Banbridge are £8 for adults and £5 for concessions.

Launched in 2011, E2A’s previous shows have included Blood Brothers, Grease, Snow White, Beauty and The Beast, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and many more popular pantomimes and musicals.  The group is also provides an important social experience for those who maybe dont get to other clubs or societies and recently launched Banbridge Community Radio, giving people of all ages and experience the chance to broadcast worldwide on the internet.  For bookings and more information, see FACEBOOK, www.e2abanbridge.com or email info@e2abanbridge.com.

Get booking soon, tickets always sell out, groups are welcome to attend also so make this your ‘golden’ opportunity to have a great night out.

It’s all aboard for this year’s Big Draw, as budding artists of all ages are encouraged to try their hand at drawing at the Steam Engine Rail Gallery of Ulster Folk and Transport Museum on Saturday, 22^nd October, 2-4pm.

Arts education charity, The Big Draw, is the organiser of the world’s biggest drawing festival which takes place annually in October and has a reach that spans national institutions and individual initiatives on every continent.

This year’s theme ‘The STEAM Powered Big Draw Festival 2016’ is prompted by the current debate on the essential role of Arts within formal education alongside, and within, Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. The theme invites organisers to look at the how Arts sits alongside STEM subjects so that STEM becomes STEAM!

Getting everyone to draw is at the heart of the festival, however, and the Arts Service of Ards and North Down Borough Council is working in partnership with Ulster Folk and Transport Museum to encourage everyone of every age and drawing experience to get drawing in a two-hour arts workshop at the Museum and, in keeping with this year’s theme, focusing on the atmospheric steam engine there!

Amy McKelvey, Community Arts Officer with the Council, said: “We are really excited to be part of the STEAM powered big draw and to offer drawing and art workshops in this wonderful location, with a very fitting subject as the focus of the drawing workshop. We hope as many people as possible will get along on the day to put the Art in STEAM.”

To take part in these arts activities come along to the Steam Engine Rail Gallery of the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum on the 22^nd October at 2pm-4pm. They are suitable for all ages, however, children must be accompanied by an adult. Participation in the arts activities is free, but please note that normal museum admission rates apply. No booking is necessary. More info on ardsarts.com