Winter Circus performers (from left) Angelique Reckless Ross, Henrik Gard and Ali Stanger
The first lineup of performers has been announced ahead of the award winning Tumble Circus’ Winter Circus extravaganza which will open in Writer’s Square, Belfast this Friday.
Angelique Reckless Ross, Ali Stanger and Henrik Gard are the first three performers set to star in the 27 all human performances taking place across three weeks with everything from death defying aerialists and mind bending jugglers.
Angelique is a tight wire walker, trapeze artist and two-time Australian axe-throwing champion, Ali is an aerialist, acrobat and clown and Henrik is an acrobatic performer, whose focus is on weaving acrobatic movement with abstract everyday narratives.
Running from December 17 through to January 3, the infamous Jossers Big Top returns for its second year after last year’s show halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic and fans can expect this year’s “to return louder and prouder than ever before”.
Tina Segner of Tumble Circus said: “We are delighted to be back and we’ve got an amazing show lined up this year in our fully heated Tumble Circus big top tent.”
Tickets are limited this year so it’s advised to book early to experience world-class acrobats, aerialists, jugglers and the unique humour that has made Tumble Circus an international award-winning modern circus company.
“The Winter Circus shows will be spectacular with an inspiring modern soundtrack” said Ken Fanning of Tumble Circus, adding: “visitors to the big top can expect modern, high skilled acts, including acrobats, aerialists and jugglers in this one hour of hammer smashing Belfast inspired circus.
Winter Circus is supported by the National Lottery through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Belfast City Council, Tourism Northern Ireland and Destination CQ BID.
Cineworld Belfast opens its doors today – Friday 10th December- The 13-screen cinema is in Belfast’s Odyssey and is the first Cineworld in Northern Ireland
10th December 2021 – Cineworld, the Nation’s leading cinema chain, is delighted that Cineworld Belfast will today open its doors to the public for the first time. The new cinema, located at the Odyssey will feature 13 state-of-the-art screens including an IMAX® Laser auditorium, a multi-sensory 4DX extreme cinema experience, and ScreenX – which is a 270-degree wrap-around screen. This will be the first and only 4DX and ScreenX auditoriums to be open in Northern Ireland.
The cinema will also offer an in-cinema Café serving Lavazza coffee. The cinema will also serve Rollover hot dogs, Candyking Pick & Mix and ICEE frozen drinks for customers to enjoy. The cinema will open in time for the highly anticipated films West Side Story, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and The Matrix Resurrections – tickets are on sale now at www.cineworld.com
Shauna Royle, Cineworld Belfast’s General Manager, commented:“We are delighted to finally open our doors to movie fans! We have a great variety of screening formats, offering the most immersive cinema experience in Belfast. We look forward to sharing our love of film with Belfast soon”.
To celebrate the opening of the new cinema, Cineworld held an opening gala, where guests were treated to food, drinks, and a chance to try out all of the new experiences available at Cineworld Belfast including 4DX, ScreenX, and IMAX.
Only available at Cineworld, 4DX offers customers the opportunity to experience the latest movies with high-tech motion seats, engineered to work in perfect synchronicity with the action on screen. Movie fans will be surrounded by special effects such as wind, fog, lightning, snow, bubbles, water, and scents. Available in both 2D and 3D formats, 4DX is one of the biggest innovations in cinematic technology. The new 4DX auditorium will house 172 specially designed seats.
The IMAX auditorium will feature the ground-breaking experience, IMAX® with Laser, which delivers stunning images and powerful, immersive audio to transport audiences into blockbuster films like never before. The experience is set apart by its next generation 4K laser projection system which features a new optical engine and a suite of proprietary IMAX technologies that deliver increased resolution, sharper and brighter images, deeper contrast as well as the most distinct, exotic colors ever available on-screen. The new experience also features IMAX’s 12-channel sound technology with new side and overhead channels that deliver greater dynamic range and precision for the ultimate in audio immersion.
Giovanni Dolci, Chief Sales Officer, IMAX Corporation, comments: “Cineworld has been a longstanding partner of IMAX and shares our passion for delivering the best premium entertainment experiences. Through our new IMAX theatre, we look forward to delivering audiences at the new Cineworld Belfast, the most immersive blockbuster moviegoing experience in the world.”
Cineworld Belfast will also feature the multi-projection cinema technology, ScreenX, using extra footage to expand the traditional cinema screen out onto the side auditorium walls, creating a 270-degree viewing experience that will surround you in your seat. The innovative technology uses an array of projectors with proprietary ScreenX software, blending multiple images into one seamless picture. ScreenX walls are installed with a fabric to ensure brightness and colour closely match the content on the main screen and extend the length of the auditorium. Strategically placed audio systems and speakers ensure that sound does not compromise the immersive viewing experience.
Cinema fans can take advantage of a range of offers at Cineworld Belfast including discounted Movies for Juniors screenings for just £2.50 on Saturdays, Sundays, and school holidays, as well as the Cineworld family ticket and Student NUS discount. The cinema will also be available for private venue hire.
Cineworld Unlimited Card holders can enjoy access to an unlimited number of films per month for only £15.99 – that’s less than the price of two new-release peak time tickets. The Unlimited Card also provides amazing cardholder benefits like discounts on cinema snacks, access to advance screenings of new movies, and no online booking fees. All Cineworld Unlimited members will also get access to a free tastecard as part of their membership which lets card holders tuck into 2-for-1 meals or 50% off food at thousands of restaurants and save 50% off attractions and at least 10% off takeaways.
When visiting the new Cineworld, Belfast, guests can park their cars in the car park at the front of the cinema in the Odyssey Car park. When visiting Cineworld, guests are able to have their parking ticket validated at concessions to receive four hours of free parking.
For more updates on Cineworld Belfast visit the Cineworld Belfast Facebook page and for information on Cineworld Cinemas, please visit: www.cineworld.com
Deep in the heart of Cathedral Quarter the big top is about to be hoisted aloft and a dazzling array of circus skills, comedy and theatre are in the final throes of preparations for Tumble Circus Christmas show.
As performers put the final touches to the extravaganza in Belfast’s Writers’ Square co-founder of the troupe, Ken Fanning delved into the history of Tumble Circus and what audiences can expect.
Running from December 17 to January 3 the all-human performances combines acrobats, aerial artists, jugglers in an hour-long fun-filled show.
“Someone described it as the Irish Circus Soleil hit by a bus,” explained Ken, adding: “It’s not like normal circus. But it is. It’s like Belfast-inspired circus. It is circus made in Belfast for Belfast people. It’s a bit of craic. Noisy with lots of skills, comedy, beautiful bits, and a bit of poetry.”
For anyone unsure if the circus is right for them Ken said one comment sticks in his mind.
“A father coming out of the show with his kids came up to me and said ‘I didn’t want to come but my wife made me buy tickets and take the kids. Thought I was going to hate it but it’s the best thing I’ve been at since Metallica’.”
Ken’s journey to become a skilled circus performer began on Spain’s back streets.
“I was kidnapped by a bunch of English circus performers in Spain and kept in an orange orchard near Valencia,” he joked.
“When I was 19, I was travelling around Spain and happened to go down a side street and watched two guys juggling doing a show.
“They offered me and my friend somewhere to stay for the night and they were living in an orange orchard. There were a bunch of circus performers living in vans in this orchard and we just stayed and started learning circus tricks.”
Running low on money, Ken returned to Ireland and began busking in Dublin, where he met and worked with others doing circus. There he met Tumble Circus co-founder Tina Segner.
“I was in Grafton Street and noticed that Tina had three juggling clubs,” he explained.
“I had my clubs so I stopped her and asked her if she’d like to juggle. We went round the corner and we started passing juggling clubs to each other. That’s how we met. Within five minutes of meeting we were doing circus.”
From that initial meeting they travelled to Australia to join a circus before attending an adult circus school in Bristol. But their decision to set up in Belfast after working in Dublin was due to property prices.
“We were living in a garage in South Circular Road in Dublin with a mattress on the floor,” he said.
“We came to Belfast for a show and realised we could actually rent a house with a garden for the price of the garage in Dublin. And, there was a whole circus community that was active and really fun, so we stayed.”
Ken believes that circus has a universal appeal with people doing skills or falling over on their faces.
“People love it,” he explained.
“It’s always interesting to go places where people don’t usually see that entertainment. They don’t know how to behave and they’re just wowed by it. Especially the Youtube generation. They’re numbed by the stuff they see. When it’s in their faces and live it’s a whole different experience and that’s great to give people. People feel like they’ve seen everything, but when you put it in front of them and they actually see stuff in front of them, they become alive and they experience the fun and joy of it all – the sensation of ‘they’re going to die’.
“They have a real experience. It’s great to watch people. It’s like they wake up.”
With the heated Big Top going up in Writers’ Square Tumble Circus will be performing every day, except Christmas Day throughout the run with 11 of the days presenting two shows, with nine performers.
For Ken the growth of audiences and the number of performers is a justification of what Tumble Circus is all about.
“It has moved away from just being a form of entertainment for kids in a field outside of town,” he said. “That’s still some of the perception in Ireland. But in France and other countries circus has been an art form for some time and is taken seriously.
“They have big productions that take eight months to stage. In Ireland it’s different although I think it has changed somewhat. I think there’s an emerging art form to become mainstream across the island.”
Established in the mid-90s Tumble Circus has an impressive set of credentials having headlined Glastonbury Festival’s Circus Big Top, played at Edinburgh Fringe, Perth Fringe World and Adelaide Fringe Festival. They have been seen in Norway, Iceland, Canada, Australia and many other countries. We have toured our big top shows all over Ireland.
Previous Winter Circus show in Belfast has become a yearly fixture and sell out. Their circus films are watched by thousands worldwide.
The genesis of the Winter Circus came about at a time when most performers were getting good work over the festive season.
“We were busy touring internationally and Christmas was always a busy time where we got booked for gigs and got paid well” said Ken.
“One year we just thought we had to try this at least once and just put it on.”
There’s a whole circus culture alive here and we wanted to celebrate that by putting on performances and giving performers the opportunity to perform here in front of Belfast audiences and do our unique kind of Belfast circus for people and hope it makes money. “It worked the first year and we did it ourselves. That’s the kernel of it but we just wanted to perform in Belfast. It meant we could stop touring as much and be able to do circus in Belfast and make an income from it.”
And amidst the merry mayhem the soundtrack is very much themed around Northern Ireland.
“Music is very important,” Ken said. “I’m always trying to pick up music that goes with the acts with some local music to try and get some Belfast tunes in or bands from Ireland. The likes of The Undertones and songs that kind of alternative scenes. You get a good soundtrack that people like to listen to with the performances with tunes that people recognise.”
For Ken, whilst settled in Belfast, he feels he now has responsibility and freedom, despite having had a rocky time as a youngster that forced him to leave Ireland.
“I feel very privileged that I get to do circus and I make a living out of it,” he said.
“I feel a sense of responsibility about doing that which means I work at it. I find opportunities for the company and the people who work for us. I feel that responsibility which makes me less free in some ways but I feel creatively free. I can say the things I want to and the things I want to do.
Winter Circus is supported by the National Lottery through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Belfast City Council, Tourism Northern Ireland and Destination CQ BID.
From left to right: Kathryn Campbell, Claire McAndrew, Aisling O’Connor, Janet Campbell, Lynda Fox, Lucille Conway
County Armagh professional Makeup Artist Aisling O’Connor hosted an afternoon to remember at the Seagoe Hotel in Portadown to celebrate the launch of her new Dream Beauty Studio.
The all-female event, ‘Look Good, Feel Fabulous’, took place on November 14 and showcased empowering motivational speakers, a Fashion show featuring local boutiques, a live makeup demo, a cocktail reception and afternoon tea.
During lockdown, Aisling hosted a “Makeup and Mindset” Zoom makeup tutorial alongside guest speaker Claire O’Hanlon which focused on strengthening the mindset – something Aisling based her own event on.
Launching her own business in 2018, with a website and new branding launched 2020 before the pandemic began.
Aisling spent the majority of lockdown developing her brand and then launched her custom beauty space, Dream Beauty Studio in September 2021.
Aisling said: “The main concept underpinning my business is that of ‘The Lipstick Effect’, the psychological phenomenon where putting on your makeup is proven to increase self confidence, and boost self esteem.
“I just love what I do and love empowering women to feel better about themselves.”
The mum-of-three is a strong advocate of encouraging women to use makeup as a powerful tool to enhance self-confidence which was the inspiration behind her in-person event.
“My main goal was to get a room full of women and have them leave that afternoon feeling uplifted, encouraged and above all, realising that it’s ok, and in fact of extreme importance, to put themselves first every once in a while.” she said.
The sellout event featured an impressive lineup of inspiring speakers including Life Coach Michelle McAuley, personal stylist Samara of Evolve By Samara and fashion blogger Caroline Currie of ‘Principal of Fashion’ who hosted the uplifting masterclass.
Besides giving confidence, on the day £1000 was raised through raffle prizes for Little Forget Me Nots Trust, a local charity dedicated to helping families cope with child loss.
“I advocate strongly supporting local and female owned businesses. I believe in empowering others, which is what sets Dream Beauty apart. It’s more than just makeup, it’s all about leaving you feeling like you on a really good day.”
Currently, Dream Beauty studio offers a variety of beauty and cosmetic treatments including makeup, brows, nails, lashes, sugaring, tanning and massages and the studio is also big enough to offer group workshops and lessons.
The Cure have just announced details for their upcoming 2022 European Tour with 44 shows across 22 countries – including shows in Dublin’s 3Arena on 1 December and The SSE Arena, Belfast on 2 December 2022. The Cure have also announced a new 67′ album and new 135′ show.
The Cure will be joined by special guests The Twilight Sad on their 2022 European Tour.
The Cure make their highly anticipated return to Ireland following their sold out headline concert at Malahide Castle in June 2019 where they performed all their hits and fan favourites including ‘Pictures Of You’, ‘Lovesong’, ‘Inbetween Days, ‘Just Like Heaven’, ‘A Forest’, ‘Lullaby’, ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ and more.
Formed in Crawley, Sussex, England. Played its first show in 1978. Has performed around 1500 concerts to date. Has released 13 studio albums. Several concert films. A few live albums. Some soundtrack songs. More than 40 singles. A couple of box sets. A couple of books. A greatest Hits thing. A handful of covers. And various other stuff. 2019 Rock ‘N’ Roll hall of famer has had 13 members in 42 years. 2021 features 5 of them: ROBERT SMITH (VOICE & GUITARS) / SIMON GALLUP (BASS) / JASON COOPER (DRUMS) / ROGER O’DONNELL (KEYBOARDS) / REEVES GABRELS (GUITARS).
Enjoy good food alongside an unforgettable experience with Slow Food Causeway’s events happening in December.
Taste Causeway is an accredited Slow Food destination, one of only a handful of destinations in Ireland to be awarded the accolade by the global Slow Food Movement.
Originally founded in Italy during the 1980s to combine the regional traditions with the slow pace of life. Since then, the Slow Food movement has evolved worldwide and hopes to preserve the ‘unique culinary heritage’ of NI.
Slow Food Causeway celebrates the unique food and drink culture of the Causeway Coast.
Here is a quick overview of the Slow Food Causeway events happening in December:
1. Gifts from the Kitchen by Broughgammon Farm
Sunday 5th December, 11am
There’s nothing quite like a homemade, edible gift to celebrate the festive season so Broughgammon Farm have gathered together some of their most beloved recipes for delicious and luxurious edible treats. In this class we will be making an array of delectable items, perfect for gifting or just to enjoy yourself! You’ll leave with plenty of ideas, recipes as well as treats that you will be making throughout the morning.
Thursday 9th December, 7pm – 10:30pm An evening of luxury dining where sustainability meets great Slow Food taste on Thursday 9th December at Mussenden Temple. Mussenden Temple opened its doors for the first time on Friday 5th November, offering exclusive dining experiences.
National Trust, in partnership with Mussenden Sea Salt, are back for a second time offering another opportunity this year to dine at one of Northern Ireland’s iconic landmarks. The menu for the evening has been crafted by Paula McIntyre MBE, the President of Slow Food NI and her menu will feature a showcase of local food and drink producers from the Taste Causeway Network.
The award winning Causeway Coast Foodie Tours are embracing the winter season by hosting you on a very special ‘The Spirit of the Bann’ river whiskey tasting experience along the picturesque river.
‘The Spirit of the Bann’ along with White River Charters are hosting a cosy afternoon full of winter inspired whiskey flavours accompanied by an array of tasty award-winning local Slow Food produce. Where better to celebrate our unique Slow Food food and drink heritage than via a journey on the River Bann alongside the beautiful site of Mountsandel, Coleraine.
4. North Supper Club by Ursa Minor at Glenshesk Barn
Saturday 18th December, 7pm to late
We’re all long overdue for a special, unique night out; get festive with us at our casual and relaxed evening with friends and enjoy a delicious feast, celebrating the best local produce with Ciara from Ursa Minor. Enjoy three courses of beautiful seasonal food served under twinkling lights and candlelight in an unbelievably special location five minutes from Ballycastle. After dinner we’re very excited to bring you some of the finest voices on the island right now; the stunning vocal harmonies of Lemoncello; superb Dublin poet & playwright Stephen James Smith & the enthralling experimental folk artist Joshua Burnside.
Join in on the festive cheer at The Arcadia with Slow Food Causeway director Paula McIntyre MBE where you will be taken on a festive culinary adventure.
Let your taste buds be blessed at Paula McIntyre’s Slow Food Christmas where she will showcase the finest of Taste Causeway’s European influenced produce such as Guiseppe Guisti Balsamic, Slow Food Presidia Red Cow parmesan cheese and charcuterie from Corndale Farm. Guests who attend the Slow Food Christmas at The Arcadia will get to recreate Paula McIntyre MBE’s delicious recipes from the six-course Italian inspired menu.
The Causeway Coast and Glens is Northern Ireland’s first accredited Slow Food destination, Taste Causeway, the collaborative network of local food and drink businesses was awarded the accolade by the global Slow Food Movement following a rigorous assessment process.
To launch and celebrate this prestigious award Taste Causeway is running a six month programme of events, dining experiences, tours and special menus.
Taste Causeway is delivering Slow Food Causeway with funding from Tourism NI in partnership with Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.
what’s your story over a smart phone on blur background , business concept
Causeway Coast & Glens Heritage Trust, in partnership with Ulster University, are delivering two free marketing and social media training sessions to local creatives, storytellers, and artisans next week as part of the EU funded Northword project.
Led by trainer and founder of Excalibur Press, Tina Calder the virtual training begins on Monday December 6 with the Supercharge Your Marketing By Creating Your Brand Story and will be followed by Everything You Need To Know About Social Media For Marketing Your Business on Thursday December 9 where Tina will guide attendees through all of the key infrastructures that make up their brand such as brand story, brand mission and brand social media content style.
Tiérna Mullan, the CCGHTProject Officer said: “The pandemic has highlighted the importance of digital platforms in supporting the creative industry, and the Northword project aims to further harness this potential.
“The wealth of creative talent in the Causeway Coast and Glens and Mid & East Antrim Borough Council areas is phenomenal and through the two online training sessions we can support the creative industries in remote areas and enhance their online presence.”
Trainer Tina Calder has acquired a wealth of knowledge in 25 years working in local media having worked with a large number of thought leaders and business owners. Tina specialises in helping businesses transform and level up their marketing and communications efforts.
“I’m delighted to be working with Causeway Coast & Glens Heritage Trust on this fantastic project to be able to support business in the creative sector in areas of their marketing such as brand storytelling and social media marketing” said Tina, adding: “Programmes like this that offer free training are absolutely vital in supporting our vibrant and exciting small businesses within the creative sector.”
CCGHT is a registered charity devoted to protecting and enhancing the unique heritage of the Causeway Coast and Glens area, and in collaboration with Ulster University, they are the lead facilitators of the Northword project in Northern Ireland.
Northword is a transnational project that seeks to use traditional storytelling to support creative industries in northern countriesin remote areas and enhance the online presence of small businesses.
It also seeks to draw on and support long traditions of storytelling in northern locales and encourage communities to rediscover and celebrate local tales.
Both training sessions will be recorded and will include an interactive element such as a Q&A session and participant handouts.
From left Zymplify Chief Marketing Officer Debbie Rymer, Zymplify Chief Executive Michael Carlin and Lead Onion CEO Michael Green
New platform that finds a total addressable market in seconds and connects with decision makers in minutes
Belfast, UK 02.12.21
SAAS company Zymplify Group has launched Lead Onion, a powerful intent-driven sales enablement platform that allows users to identify, prioritize and connect with leads and prospects in real time.
Lead Onion allows users to activate buyer-intent data with 17 dynamic intent sources at their fingertips giving them the ability to quickly identify companies who are ready to buy and their key decision makers.
Once identified prospects are prioritized into ready-to-buy sales leads allowing sales teams to connect with in-market buyers in real time.
The announcement comes on the back of Zymplify Group investing a further £1.5million into the SAAS company and a commitment to create 26 jobs over the coming year working across its three brands Zymplify, Lead Onion and Zym.
Zymplify Group chief executive Michael Carlin said Lead Onion represented a significant step forward in the operationalization of data and prospecting across all sectors.
He added: “Lead Onion helps teams reduce sales cycles, accelerate sales and enhance their sales and marketing efforts by making available the world’s largest and most compliant database of 400 million business profiles and 4.2m identified in-market accounts.”
With Lead Onion users can see the companies who are actively searching for their product or service, get contact details of the key decision makers and send prospects to their tech stack for lead nurturing or use Lead Onion’s inbuilt cadences to connect instantly and quickly act on those buying signals.
Zymplify Group chief marketing officer Debbie Rymer explained: “The thing that makes Lead Onion really different isn’t just the company level intent or the contact details of the key decision makers in those organisations. It’s the fact that our platform is the only company on the market that takes into consideration first, second and third party data, and then highlights the people that are displaying intent across all of those channels”.
With Lead Onion companies can not only gather up to the minute, relevant and current data but can organise and prioritize that data efficiently in a manner that allows sales teams to act on the intelligence immediately right when the customer is ready to buy.
Michael Green, chief operating officer of Lead Onion said: “One of the biggest challenges companies have with intent data is making it actionable. That’s what we solve.
“For example, there’s been a lot of discussion in sales and marketing about third-party intent data and whether it’s useful…the fact that we make it actionable helps to solve that conundrum – we bring order to the chaos of there being so much data out there.
“Lead Onion provides contact details alongside the company-level intent. We’re the only platform that has first, second, third-party intent data at the company level.”
Lead Onion was originally created to fill a need for the Zymplify Group themselves.
Michael and his team, frustrated by the prospecting and lead generation tools on the market, set out to find a solution that would streamline the prospecting and lead generation timeline.
He explained: “Before we created Lead Onion it was my job to extract the data from various sources, be that G2 or purchasing large data lists, and populate existing sales CRM systems and platforms with that data for the sales teams to use.
“This was being done every week but, in some cases, by the time the data was collected, collated and uploaded to the system the intent was already a week old and in many cases the data had gone stale.
“With Lead Onion that process has gone from a few days or a week to minutes. Our sales teams are being fed live data on a daily basis that’s current, relevant and actionable.
“Sales teams no longer have to think about where they will go for their next lead – it’s there, it’s ready and waiting for them. Their days are planned out and if they need more the system can give them more.”
With Lead Onion’s suite of tools marketers responsible for delivering leads to sales, sales leaders responsible for growing revenue at scale and recruiters looking for their next hot hire can use up to the minute tools and intelligence to identify, target and connect faster with their target audience.
“Lead Onion gives your sales teams more talk time because we have removed repetitive admin and research tasks from their workflow” said Debbie Rymer, adding: “supercharge your conversions by giving your team the hottest leads today looking for the solution that you offer now, not last week, not last month.”
With the festive season justaround the corner, Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council is delighted to announce its first Royal Hillsborough Christmas Market, which will be set up along The Dark Walk and Hillsborough Fort.
Due to popular demand, the market will take place over two days, Friday 10th December from 3pm-9pm and Saturday 11th December from 10am-3pm.
Visitors can expect a host of festive foods, gift ideas, activities and entertainment guaranteed to awaken the Christmas spirit in all adults, children and ‘Bah Humbugs’ alike! The Royal Hillsborough Christmas Market will provide over 50 local artisan food producers and craftspeople a platform to showcase their unique produce and festive gifts.
Self-proclaimed ‘foodies’ are in for a treat with the wide range of artisan producers taking part including local favourites Spontaneous Deuce, Ispini Charcuterie, Rosie McNeill Cakes and Jack’s Fudge. Other offerings include seasonal chutneys and preserves, speciality cheeses and rare breed meats, organic teas, juices and much more to fill your festive larder. There will also be an impressive line-up of artists and designer craftspeople along The Dark Walk, with local makers including Ellie MacCandles, Wendy Ward Design, Plumpy Balms, LG Jewellery, Ruth Osborne Art and Lauren Fowler Handcrafted Company all taking part.
In addition to the local artisan offering, marketgoers will also get the opportunity to explore the ever-popular local street-food scene in the grounds of Hillsborough Fort. Delicious aromas will be floating through the winter air from a range of gourmet street-food and drink vendors including Dough Heads, The Hatch and Tribal Burger, with warming coffees and hot chocolates from Percy’s Coffee and Steady Neddy’s to name just a few, each with their own distinctively seasonal menus developed using the best of Northern Ireland produce.
To ensure a festive atmosphere like none other, Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council has made every effort to impress by calling upon the local community to provide the seasonal entertainment. The sweet sounds of the Downshire Primary School Choir and Friends’ School Brass Ensemble will be on hand to open proceedings and welcome visitors to the picturesque setting. Children can partake in seasonal craft activities and there will even be a visit from the big man, Santa himself, so if you are not already, you need to make you have made the ‘nice list’, in time for the market!
Royal Hillsborough Christmas Market is free to attend and will take place Friday 10th December from 3pm-9pm and Saturday 11th of December from 10am-3pm. The market will be managed with COVID-19 mitigation measures in place. The advice is to wrap up warm and join the festive fun.
TO CELEBRATE THEIR 20TH ANNIVERSARY, BLUE ANNOUNCE THE HEART & SOUL TOUR
TICKETS ON SALE FROM FRIDAY 9AM
One of the UK’s most exciting and successful boy bands are back! To celebrate their 20th anniversary, Blue have announced today their Heart & Soul Tour. Blue will play 14 arena shows around the UK and tickets go on sale this Friday at 9am – tickets can be purchased from:
The announcement for the Heart & Soul Tour comes 20 years to the week that Blue released their smash hit #1 debut album, All Rise. The album which was released 20 years ago this week, went on to sell over 1.4 million copies in the UK alone and was certified 4x Platinum. The tour sees all four original members – Antony Costa, Duncan James, Lee Ryan and Simon Webbe – reunite for a fun-filled epic show. The concert will feature all the band’s hits from their 5 albums as well as some incredible surprises.
Speaking of the tour, Blue added: “We can’t believe it’s been 20 years since All Rise, our debut album, was released. It’s been quite the ride since then and now we have so much to look forward to as we go into our third decade! We had a lot of time in lock down to reconnect as friends and we started thinking how we could celebrate the anniversary. The four of us started working on new music and it felt so good to be back doing what we love again. This time off during the pandemic also made us realise how much we missed performing live. We can’t wait to get back on the road and see all of you at our Heart & Soul Tour. We have been planning this tour for a while and we promise you, we’ll be putting on the best show and making it a celebratory night you won’t forget! We have some surprises up our sleeve for the 20th anniversary so stay tuned, 2022 is going to be a big one!”
Blue are one of the most successful British bands and have sold over 16 million albums worldwide including 3.6 million albums and 1.4 million singles in the UK. Their first 3 albums all topped the Official Album Chart and the group have worked with a variety of legends including Stevie Wonder, Elton John and Lil’ Kim. The British four-piece have recently begun work on new music, with announcements to come.
