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