Excitement is building as this weekend sees Donaghadee ‘Light Up’ with a fantastic programme of events from 5-8 September.

The festivities commence with a scrumptious Taste of Donaghadee food tour on Thursday 5 September at 6pm. The tour will include visits to the new Copeland Distillery as well as Bull & Claw, Harbour and Company, Lighthouse Bar and Grill, plus Pier 36.

A ‘deelicious’ menu has been constructed by the town’s top chefs with a tantalising course at each venue satisfying even the most discerning of food connoisseurs. Limited tickets are still available at £62pp.

If you fancy setting sail on the ocean and listening to ‘stories of old’ told through popular sea shanties, you can climb aboard at 7pm on Friday (6 Sept) or at 2pm on Saturday (7 Sept) and Sunday (8 Sept). Tickets cost £12 per adult and £6 per child.

Or if you prefer to keep your feet firmly on dry land, the Historic Walking Tour of Donaghadee will entertain and inform by giving you a glimpse into the town’s fascinating past. Hear tales of Vikings, the 12th century Norman outpost and the slave ship that sailed into the harbour during the 18th century.

These one-hour tours leave from Donaghadee Community Centre on Friday (6pm), Saturday (4pm) and Sunday (3.30pm). Tickets costs £3 per person.

Saturday evening in Donaghadee will be buzzing when the Red Hot Chilli Pipers take to the stage in The Commons with a free show that’s so hot, it reportedly carries its own health warning!

From 7.30pm to 9.30pm, the Scottish bagpipes and drums will raise the cooling September temperatures a notch higher as they entertain the crowds before a fantastic fireworks finale provides the perfect send-off for festival-goers.

FREE buses will operate from The Commons to Ards and Bangor Bus stations following the event at 10pm and 10.30pm. This is an outdoor event so please dress accordingly.

Please note that The Commons car park will be closed from midday on Friday (6 Sept) until 10am on Sunday (8 Sept), with no exception.

The concert and fireworks display are free to attend but booking for food, boat and walking tours is essential. Tickets are available from www.ticketsource.co.uk/ardsandnorthdown.

Following on from the success of last year’s sold out Donaghafeed food tour #DonaghadeeLightsUp Festival weekend presents Taste of Donaghadee on Thursday 5 September at 6pm.

Eat and drink your way through the courses at The Copeland Distillery, Dee Bull & Claw, Harbour and Company and The Lighthouse Bar and Grilll before ending the evening with dessert and entertainment at Pub on the Pier | Pier36

Tickets £62 per person
Booking is essential!

Call 028 9182 6846 or book online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/ardsandnorthdown

This year’s Young Aspects programme takes place on 20 and 21 September in Bangor and features a range of creative events to fire young imaginations.

Suitable for children of all ages, the events range from story-telling, to drawing, a comic workshop, and more.

The Festival is delighted to welcome illustrator Barry Falls who is holding an illustration workshop in Bangor Carnegie Library on Friday 20 September at 3.30pm. Suitable for 7 – 12 year olds, the workshop will explore characters, story and how words and pictures can work together to brings stories to life. Barry will use his new book ‘It’s Your World Now’ and his exhibition which will be on display in the library, to inspire the children. Tickets cost £7.

North Down Museum will host Cosy Bedtime Stories on Saturday 21 September at 6pm. Get your jammies on and bring a blanket to this lovely event where you’ll hear stories from new books and some old favourites. Suitable for 4 years +. Tickets cost £3 including cookies and a drink.

Young Aspects also features Toddler Storytime, Book Inspired Yoga, a digital art workshop, poetry collage making and a Sensory Story event. All perfect for your little readers and artists!

Speaking about the programme, Aspects Festival Director Patricia Hamilton said: “Young Aspects is an excellent opportunity for kids to get creative. The events are always a hit with our young audience and we would encourage everyone to book early to avoid disappointment.”

To view the full programme and to book tickets, visit aspectsfestival.com

Spinning Yarns Festival returns to the award-winning Antrim Castle Gardens on Saturday 31 August & Sunday 1 September celebrating the wonderful world of all things wool & linen. This two day event has something for all ages to enjoy.

Weave your way through our marketplace, offering an array of country craft, textile traders and food stalls including The Sewing Drawer, Fabric Affair, Down on the Farm, Flossy Treats, Baked in Belfast and Parlour Yarns.

Chef, Paula McIntyre MBE will be rustling up some tasty treats during her cookery demonstrations from ‘field to fork ‘whilst Angeline Murphy, fashion designer, will show you how to create a dress from a duvet in her sustainable sewing and reuse of textiles talks.

New to this year’s line-up, we are delighted to have Louise Kelly, doll maker and soft toy designer who is based in County Londonderry join us for Spinning Yarns. Louise will be holding classes throughout the event on the art of doll making, you can often see her on ‘The Sewing Quarter’ craft TV channel.

Our local Craft Group, Hookery, will be hosting a drop-in knitting and crochet space where you can learn new skills. Find out how crafting can improve both your mental and physical well-being with Joanne Lee and her team of mindful crafters.

The endearing Alpacas, a mobile farm, glitter tattoos, face painting, balloon modelling, arts & crafts will keep the little ones amused whilst the grown-ups can kick back and enjoy the live music from Connor Taggart. 

So if you needle little inspiration or simply a “darn” good day out join us at Spinning Yarns where we have it all sewn up!

For more information and details visit www.spinningyarnsfestival.com  

SSE Arena Belfast: 8^th to 10^th November

Tickets go on sale: Thursday 29^th August at 8am

• Marvel fans assemble for this action packed, live arena stunt show
• Following a successful first tour, Marvel Universe LIVE! returns to Belfast with an all new storyline and never before seen characters in one epic battle of good versus evil

Super hero action, thrills and drama will soar, smash and burst into arenas across the UK next autumn as Marvel Universe LIVE! returns with a brand new show. Visiting nine UK cities in this all new production, produced by Feld Entertainment, Marvel fans will see Spider-Man, The Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy join forces with Doctor Strange, master of the mystic arts, in a race against time to recover the Wand of Watoomb before it falls into Loki’s hands.

For those looking to get their hands on the best seats in the house, tickets go on sale 29^th August.

Ticketmaster: In person: From 100 Ticketmaster Outlets Nationwide
By Telephone (24 Hour): 0844 847 2455

Book On-Line: www.ticketmaster.ie

The audience will witness cutting-edge special effects, pyrotechnics, and impressive 3D video projection mapping in this completely new thrilling adventure. With aerial stunts, martial arts and daring motorcycle skills, fans of all ages will be immersed in the Marvel universe in a show unlike anything they’ve ever seen before!

Called on by Doctor Strange, the Guardians of the Galaxy join Marvel Universe LIVE! on a momentous crusade against the scheming Nebula who teams up with the conniving and loathsome villains Loki and Green Goblin. The incredible superhuman forces of Iron Man, Thor, Black Panther, Hulk and Black Widow will unite in clashes that pit student against mentor, sister against sister and brother against brother.

“Our tremendously talented creative team and a nearly super human cast, have created a show that brings Marvel to life,” said Juliette Feld, producer of Marvel Universe LIVE! “The show creates an experience that immerses families in non-stop action, creating movie-style thrills and jaw-dropping stunts that showcase the powers of your favourite Super Heroes right before your eyes.” 

The show will be flying into arenas in Nottingham, London, Sheffield, Glasgow, Liverpool, Belfast, Dublin, Newcastle, Manchester and Birmingham from September until December 2019. 

SSE Arena Belfast: 8^th to 10^th November

3Arena Dublin: 15^th to 17^th November

It’s set to be a spectacular Bank Holiday weekend at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens, County Down, with a series of exciting events and activities that will keep all the family entertained!

Make a day of it and discover what Hillsborough Castle and Gardens has to offer, with activities from Saturday 24 August – Monday 26 August including:

• Georgian Ice Cream Workshop – cool off and have a go at making your very own Georgian ice cream. Watch a live demonstration on how to make gelato, then all children can get creative and make their own ice cream sundaes! Aspiring little chefs can take home an ‘ice cream sundae making’ certificate too!

• Get crafty with Kite Making –retrace the footsteps of one of America’s founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin who visited the Castle in the 1770s.Inspired by his famous kite experiment, make your own kite to fly in the stunning gardens on Saturday and Sunday. 

• Enjoy the sounds of Downshire Bass Band – there will be entertainment from Northern Ireland’s leading brass band, Downshire Brass Band on Saturday and Sunday. The band will be performing in the South Terrace among any array of colourful flora.

• Go on a fascinating nature trail – children can go hunting for bugs and other wildlife with maps and adventure kits provided. Pick up a pair of ‘bugnoculars’ and explore the magnificent grounds with 100 acres of ornamental grounds, peaceful woodland and meandering waterways.

• Join one of the new interactive Family Tours – join a tour of the sumptuous State Rooms and discover the weird and wonderful things some of our guests have left behind!

Booking is recommended for all activities with limited spaces available. For more information and to book tickets visit hrp.org.uk/hillsboroughcastle

Hillsborough Castle and Gardens has been completely transformed by independent charity Historic Royal Palaces after five years and a £24 million investment – supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and other generous donors. Greeting visitors upon arrival is a new visitor centre complete with café and shop.

Open Arts, one of Northern Ireland’s most dynamic arts and disability organisations will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of its dance group Luminous Soul by hosting the inclusive dance festival MeetShareDance in Belfast from 5 – 7 September 2019.

Luminous Soul is the only contemporary dance development programme for disabled people in Northern Ireland and features members who have a range of disabilities: physical, sensory, learning disabilities and mental health illness.

Now in its eighth year, MeetShareDance is an international workshop dance festival which is based around the ideas of inclusivity and exchange.  It aims to raise the profile of integrated dance in artistic and everyday life. The festival has previously taken place in Porto, Madrid, Helsinki, Berlin, Lubjana and Dublin – this will be its first visit to Northern Ireland.  

Eileen Branagh, Chief Executive of Open Arts said:

“MeetShareDance embodies the ethos of what Luminous Soul as a disability dance group has been doing for the past 10 years.  We bring people of all abilities together to learn to dance, make new connections and share their talents with each other and the public. 

Over a decade of dance, Luminous Soul members have worked with and been trained by some of the most well known inclusive choreographers in the UK and Ireland and some have even gone on to have their own successful careers in professional dance.  We’re really looking forward to celebrating the group’s achievements with dancers from all over Europe at MeetShareDance in Belfast in September.” 

During the festival forty amateur and professional dancers from eight countries – Spain, Portugal, Germany, Ireland, Greece, Luxembourg, UK, Slovenia – will take part in three days of inclusive dance workshops at the Crescent Arts Centre. Participants in MeetShareDance will then showcase their skills to the public with a performance of a newly devised collaborative piece in Cornmarket at 1pm on Saturday 7 September. 

Gilly Campbell, Head of Community Arts and Education, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, commented:

“The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is committed to providing opportunities for everyone to access and engage with the arts.  Congratulations to Open Arts on celebrating ten years of providing high-quality dance development opportunities, for people with disabilities, through the Luminous Soul programme and we look forward to the Meet Share Dance Festival coming to Belfast to mark the occasion this September.”

For further information on Luminous Soul and the MeetShareDance 2019 festival, visit www.openartsni.org 

Open Arts is principally funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and receives Core Multi-Annual Funding from Belfast City Council’s Tourism Culture & Arts Unit.