Author: whatsonni

Back by popular demand! Join Armagh Observatory and Planetarium for its popular Christmas show, ‘Mystery of the Christmas Star’ this December and explore the science behind the star of Bethlehem. 

 

Available Tuesday to Friday in December, come along and experience the 2pm show and then head off for a festive afternoon tea in the Armagh City Hotel.

 

This offer is available for individual and group bookings. Simply contact the Armagh City Hotel to make your booking and join in the festive fun. 

 

Offer available 1^st – 23^rd December. Mystery of the Christmas star starts promptly at 2pm. Bookings to be made through Armagh City hotel only. 

 

 

The Salvation Army and St Vincent de Paul are teaming up again to help ensure children experience the magic of Christmas.

The joint Family Appeal has been helping parents and young people enjoy a brighter Christmas for almost half a century (43 years).

But with the costs of living increasing and one in four children living in poverty, demand for support from this year’s appeal is expected to be at a record high.

The Family Appeal has benefited from the enormous generosity of the public who have donated thousands of toys in previous years. However, the usual toy collection has been replaced by the opportunity for people to make an online donation.

Colonel Neil Webb, the Salvation Army’s divisional leader, said: “Through our work in communities across Northern Ireland, we are seeing the devastating impact of rising living costs on the families we support. The Family Appeal aims to support those hit hardest.

“We know this year has been difficult for everyone but we ask that people continue to support the Family Appeal and help us make difference this Christmas.”

Mary Waide, Regional President for St Vincent de Paul North Region, said: “This year, requests for our help are unprecedented. The stark reality is that families in local communities up and down the country are making impossible choices of whether to put food on the table, heat their homes or put presents under the tree.

“We are grateful for the support the Family Appeal receives each year and we would appreciate your help again this year very much. Protecting the dignity of the most vulnerable is paramount and this virtual appeal will help us give families the gift of choice this Christmas by empowering parents to choose and prioritise how best to make use of your generous donation this winter.”

Your donation, whether it’s £1 to buy a stocking filler or £10 to buy a winter coat, pyjamas or a present for under the tree, will be turned into vouchers for our volunteers to distribute.

Please donate today by visiting https://www.justgiving.com/page/family-appeal2022

 

An indoor market of over 20 stalls is set to transform the local enterprise park at Mallusk with some yuletide cheer on Thursday 1 December, offering visitors the chance to pick up presents and festive fare and enjoy an evening out supporting the business community in the countdown to Christmas.

Hosted and supported by Local Enterprise Agency – Mallusk Enterprise Park, as part of their 30th birthday celebrations, the Christmas Market affords an opportunity for local enterprises to showcase their businesses and wares to the public.

The Market will see over 20 local independent businesses offering products ranging from crafts and novelties to Christmas gift ideas, with an outdoor food stall serving hot pizzas and the team at the enterprise park providing festive nibbles & drinks. There will also be live music by tenant of Mallusk Enterprise Park – Audio Level DJ store and folk band The Rogues.

A free Christmas Grotto experience is being delivered to 90 local kids on the night and 3 charities are being supported – from a raffle in aid of NI Children’s Hospice to the building of a festive food mountain of donations for Newtownabbey Food Bank and a mountain of toy donations for Cash for Kids NI – visitors and traders are being asked to play their part in helping the worthy causes by bringing donations on the night or sponsoring raffle prizes.

The Market will opens it’s doors at 5pm and kick off in artistic style with the announcement of the winners and runners up to a Children’s Art Competition for primary school kids in the local area – the original artworks of favourite local businesses and social enterprises will be on show, gallery style, in the brand new Enterprise Hub at the business park.

CEO of Mallusk Enterprise Park, Emma Garrett said:

“We are very much looking forward to holding the inaugural Mallusk Christmas Market in the Enterprise Park. This event will kick off a year of celebrations to mark our landmark 30^th Birthday.  Since 1992 we have strived to promote, support and develop enterprise and wealth creation within our local community through free advice, training and mentoring to individuals and small / micro businesses.  We look forward to welcoming members of the local community into the Park to show them the facilities we have on offer whilst they shop small and local with our wide range of market traders.”

Iain Patterson, Chairman Mallusk Enterprise Park added: “The team at Mallusk Enterprise Park have been working hard behind the scenes to make this event special in every way.  The Enterprise Park is very much part of the community in Newtownabbey; helping over 100 people every year to establish their own business and assisting many more to survive and even thrive during the last few challenging years of Covid.  We have been heartened by the kind and generous donations of local businesses to the raffle and the event itself.”

The Mallusk Enterprise Christmas Market takes place on Thursday 1 December from 5pm to 8pm, is free to attend and a list of traders and the entertainment line up can be found online at: at www.mallusk.org/events. The Santa’s Grotto experience is fully booked but a waiting list is in operation and can be joined via eventbrite.

An afternoon of musical nostalgia will take place in Coleraine Museum at Coleraine Town Hall on Saturday 3^rd December to mark the final day of the successful dance halls exhibition.

Music will be performed by Trevor Keys, one of the few remaining showband members of the 1960s in Ireland, and local singer Jimmy Stratten.

Trevor is a former member of the Flingels and played alongside country singer Brendan Quinn and the Bluebirds. Come along between 2pm-4pm to hear the sounds of the 60s and reminisce about those dance halls days.

‘Let Me Introduce You, A History of Dance Halls in the Causeway Area’ will move to Ballymoney Museum from January 2023.

For more information call 028 2766 0230 or email cms@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk.

 

With over 1 million people expected to visit the Belfast Christmas Market this year, the Market Place Europe team (operators of the market) are already preparing for the opening on Saturday 19th November at 12noon.

The Belfast Christmas Market attracts visitors from across Europe and the UK and has become a significant contributor to the local economy, regularly attracting over one million visitors and contributing an economic impact to the city in and around £75.m, demonstrating the citywide benefit of such a large and well organised event.

Allan Hartwell, Managing Director of Market Place Europe Ltd said: “We’re delighted that once again the sights and sounds of the Belfast Christmas Market will form a focal point for the city centre during the festive season, having just been awarded the contract for a further three years we have made a renewed investment in the market to make sure it feels as special as ever.”

As well as even more local flavour, the Market still offers something a little bit different with 21 nationalities from all over the world bringing all sorts of unusual foods and gift ideas: crêpes from France, Dutch pancakes, Belgian chocolates, an exotic selection of ostrich, wild boar and crocodile burgers, giant bratwurst from the iconic Schwenkgrill, Spanish paella and sweets from Italy. Visitors can also treat themselves to the well known Hug in a Mug of Gluhwein from the prize winning Kochem vineyard located in the Mosel Valley, Germany, or end the day in one of the bars serving local and continental drinks to get even more into the Christmas spirit.

This year the food court at the Market with bench style seating makes a welcome return, as does the much-loved carousel and vintage Helter Skelter, offering stunning views right across the market.

Support for local food and craft has increased with a number of St George’s Market traders joining in the festive fun. Some local favorites will also be returning including Pappas Minerals and Tapitas, Rossi’s Ice Cream and the Toasted Marshmallow stall

Belfast Christmas Market is proud to be supporting one of the Lord Mayor’s charities, Pretty n Pink. The breast cancer charity works tirelessly to support people affected by breast cancer across Northern Ireland, providing financial support and services to patients with breast cancer and their families. They also work to advance education of breast cancer awareness and breast care, and to improve the lives of breast cancer patients and their families. Lord Mayor of Belfast Councillor Tina Black said: “I’m very proud to announce Pretty n Pink as one of my charities for the year, and I’m so pleased that it will be supported by visitors to Santa’s Grotto at the Christmas Market, at City Hall. The charity does such amazing work, and over the years has supported so many families who are going through a cancer diagnosis and treatment; so this is a great way for people to give something back and people can be assured their donations are going to a fantastic cause.”

Councillor Black added: “The market is hugely popular and its arrival always heralds the start of the festive season for the city. It’s lovely to take a stroll through the stalls, soaking up the atmosphere and taking in all those delicious smells. And every weekend in the run-up to Christmas, we’ll have lots of free festive fun for families so, young or old, if you’re coming in to visit the market, shopping, having a bite to eat or just to see the Christmas lights, there’ll be plenty to see and do.”

This year the winners of the Jolly Big Business Boost competition (previously Pitch Perfect), judged by the charismatic Gourmet Boys, are The Little Salty Seahorse, offering hand crafted pictures and trinkets made from seaglass and pebbles

There is so much on offer throughout the city this year and the Christmas Market is just one of several events launching as part of the Christmas festivities. To keep track of Christmas Market news, and the ever-important weather updates, follow the official Facebook page at Belfast Continental Christmas Market and keep an eye out for our fabulous social media activity in conjunction with our media partners Q radio who will be offering spot prizes and lots of opportunities to engage.

Belfast Christmas Market will be at the City Hall from 12noon on Saturday 19 November until 6pm on 22 December.

Opening hours are:

Monday – Wednesday 10am – 8pm

Thursday – Saturday 10am – 10pm

Sunday 12noon – 6pm

 

Britain’s most-successful dance group, Diversity, have announced their brand-new UK and Ireland tour, Supernova.

The 66-date tour takes place across 40 towns and cities throughout 2023 and 2024.

Tickets will go on sale at 10am on Friday 18^th November via ticketmaster.ie and www.waterfront.co.uk

Britain’s most-successful dance group, Diversity, have announced their brand-new UK and Ireland tour, Supernova. The 66-date tour takes place across 40 towns and cities throughout 2023 and 2024. Tickets will go on sale at 10am on Friday 18^th November* via gigsandtours.com and ticketmaster.co.uk. Tickets for Belfast and Dublin will be available via ticketmaster.ie.

Supernova follows Diversity’s sold-out Connected tour earlier this year, which combined playful, comedic routines with powerful statements on human connectivity. Big, relentless, and energetic, the tour dazzled fans across the UK.

Diversity took the nation by storm when they won the third series of Britain’s Got Talent in 2009 and have since sold out multiple UK and Irish tours, with countless television and live performances. Alongside preparing for their brand-new tour, and in keeping with their progressive, innovative nature, Diversity are currently preparing to launch Diversity Studios, which will offer in person and live streamed dance classes.

Last month, Ashley Banjo was awarded an MBE for his services to dance. Alongside choreographing and performing with Diversity, Ashley has been committed to educating people on dance, becoming a judge on Dancing on Ice, and offering his expertise as a host and creative in the BAFTA nominated The Real Full Monty and International Emmy Award, Broadcast Award, and Royal Television Society Award winning The Real Full Monty: Ladies Night. Ashley also had the honour of becoming a co-presenter at the Pride of Britain Awards last year, working alongside Carol Vorderman.

Jordan Banjo has also hosted a variety of TV shows, including two series of BBC 1’s Primetime and BAFTA-nominated show The Greatest Dancer. Jordan along with Perri Kiely are also part of breakfast radio royalty, presenting Kiss Breakfast every weekday.

Diversity’s illustrious career shows how they continue to innovate, grow, and achieve. Collectively Diversity recently won Virgin Media’s Must-See Moment of 2020 at the British Academy Television Awards for their incredible Britain’s Got Talent routine, watch here.

Diversity have also confirmed that they will be supporting anti-poverty charity the Trussell Trust**, which provides emergency food and support to people locked in poverty while campaigning for change to end the need for food banks in the UK. Right now, millions of people across the country are facing a cost of living crisis as food and energy prices soar and families are feeling the biggest squeeze on incomes in a generation. Attendees on the tour are being invited to bring along food donations to the shows, where there will be collection points across the venue each night. There will also be collection buckets for any cash donations. All donations will be distributed to people in crisis across the 1,300 food bank centres in the Trussell Trust network. For more information on the items that are requested: https://www.trusselltrust.org/get-involved/ways-to-give/donate-food/.

Armagh Observatory and Planetarium has announced that a number of entertaining and educational events for adults and families will take place on site from 25th to 27th November 2022.

‘Thus She Shall Go to the Stars – Jessie Kennedy with the Celestial Strings,’ which will take place on 25th November. Suitable for adults only, this 70-minute live music performance by Jessie Kennedy and the Celestial Strings will take place in Armagh Observatory and Planetarium’s Dome Theatre. The concert will also include short talks on Women in Astronomy by Armagh Observatory and Planetarium’s Dr. Erin Higgins and on pioneering Irish astronomer and scientist Agnes Clerke (1842-1907) by historian and West Cork History Festival founder Victoria Kingston.

The concert is inspired by the life and work of Agnes Clerke. It will combine specially composed pieces with music, including Bach and Beethoven, as well as traditional Irish melodies. All of the musicians set to perform live and work in West Cork. Jessie Kennedy (violin, vocals) is a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and writer who is particularly inspired by historical figures and has had a long-standing collaboration with the West Cork History Festival. The Celestial Strings performers are Tess Leak (cello, autoharp and vocals), Diana Llewellyn (cello) and Susan McManamon (piano and vocals).

The Georgian Day Observatory Tours, which will take place on 26th and 27th November are suitable for adults and children aged ten and over. The tour will explore the Armagh Observatory, a stunning Georgian building, which was part of Archbishop Robinson’s grand vision for a university in Armagh and has a continuous history of astronomical research from its beginnings in 1790 to the present day.

Covering the period from 1790 and until the end of the Victorian era, the tour will allow visitors to embark on a historic journey through the Observatory’s Georgian beginnings and learn about its contribution both to Armagh and to the UK.

A guide will introduce visitors to the telescopes and other instruments that put Armagh Observatory on the global map for astronomy and will regale them with stories about its first Directors. Visitors will also have the opportunity to see the beautiful 10-inch Grubb telescope, which was installed in 1885, and was pivotal to the creation of a fundamental astronomical catalogue that is still used by scientists today.

The tour includes general admission to the Planetarium exhibition.

To book tickets for these events, visit: https://armaghobservatoryplanetarium.ticketsolve.com