Jacqueline shares her pick of what’s on this weekend across NI!

Down

Calling all campers – the RSPB’s Big Wild Sleepout is back for 2017 and you’re invited!   The nature charity’s most popular family event of the year will take place on Saturday 22nd July at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum in Cultra, County Down.  The museum is the perfect place for families to try camping for the first time. Toilet facilities, 24-hour security and designated safe spaces to cook and camp mean you can get on with just having fun!  Big Wild Sleepout tickets are priced at £20 for adults and £17 for children. Kids under four go completely free.

Armagh

Enjoy a Guided Tour of Armagh this Summer! For those who want to explore everything the City has to offer, a guided walking tour is a must.  You’ll walk through Armagh’s rich history as you hear stories and anecdotes about the area, learn about the city’s renowned Georgian architecture and stroll along the distinct cobble streets as you unearth some of the city’s hidden gems along the way.  Tour times:   Each Wednesday to Saturday 11am – 12:00 noon and 1:00pm – 2.00pm until the 2nd September.

Fermanagh

” Stop it Nurse” is an hilarious Ulster comedy by Sam Cree. Set in a Belfast hospital during the 60s the Ward Sister rules the roost! We follow the fortunes and misfortunes of the patients in the male surgical ward. With all the ingredients for a typical evening of pure Cree manic magic, Stop it Nurse runs at the Ardhowen Theatre for three nights only from 20th to 22nd July.

Tyrone

Steeped in history, heritage, folklore, fauna and culture, the shores of Lough Neagh – the largest freshwater lake in the United Kingdom – provide the backdrop for a unique set of one Lough Neagh Tours’ day tours which have  launched just in time for summer.  The Lough Neagh Western Forts Tour, Co Tyrone takes in the forts and castles on the western shore of the lough.  The Western Forts Tour starts at the impressive and imposing Ardboe Cross before a stop at Hill of The O’Neill, Dungannon and on to the spiritual site of Tullyhogue Fort on the outskirts of Cookstown.  Mountjoy Castle is the final stop where visitors can imagine the grandeur of the castle on the hill in the early 1600s with its battles and power struggles between the O’Neills and the O’Donnells. See loughneaghtours.com for all tours available.

Derry/Londonderry

The Super Milk Wild Air Run, St Columb’s Park, 22nd July,  is a dynamic fun run featuring 10 giant inflatable obstacles as part of a 5k course. It includes Europe’s largest inflatable slide which is 60M long!  The event can be undertaken by all fitness levels. The 10 obstacles combine agility, creativity and a vast amount of fun. The event is for both adults and children, seven years and up, and is a very enjoyable day for anyone from 7 to 70.

Antrim

Take a walk in the country at The Antrim Show this Saturday 22nd July.  From cookery demonstrations by Paula McIntyre in the Festival of Food marquee, to livestock, sheep shearing and horse jumping competitions there’s plenty to keep all of the family amused. There’s also a dog agility display, a children’s pet show, a petting zoo, Young Farmers Games and a jiving competition to be found among craft stalls, family entertainment and Home Industries and Horticulture exhibits.

Belfast

Do not miss the legendary, multi-award-winning and ground-breaking rock musical RENT as it celebrates its incredible 20th anniversary from 19th to 22nd July at the Belvoir Players Studio.   This exhilarating landmark musical tells the thrilling story of a group of impoverished young artists struggling to survive in New York City’s East Village in the thriving days of Bohemian excess.  Inspired by Puccini’s classic opera La bohème, RENT features unforgettable music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson including the much-loved songs Seasons of Love, Take Me or Leave Me and La Vie Bohème. Winner of four Tony® Awards, six Drama Desk Awards and the hugely prestigious Pulitzer Prize for Drama, it ran on Broadway for an astonishing 12 years.

­For more details on these events and to add your events free go to 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.