Stendhal Festival is Northern Ireland’s biggest and best grass-roots music and arts festival.

With over 100 performances from the likes of Ash, The Magic Numbers, Sharon Shannon and Lisa McHugh taking place over August 11 and 12 at Ballymully Cottage Farm, Limavady, there is certainly plenty of musical variety but did you know that the festival also has a dedicated family programme that caters to children and families of all ages?

Such is the focus on the family aspect of the festival, Stendhal has won awards naming it Ireland’s Best Family Festival over the years and organisers of the event are keen to improve the family and children’s entertainment offerings each and every year.

This year families can enjoy; Drumming Workshops, Storytelling,  puppet shows, dance workshops, mini boat making workshops, clay modelling, bush craft workshops, arts and craft workshops, laughing yoga, a sensory tent,  Circus skills performances, big bubble making and loads more.

Organiser Ross Parkhill explained: “The family element to the festival is hugely important for us. We want to provide an incredibly safe space for youngsters to not only enjoy the specific entertainment put on for them, but to also discover a wider world of music and the arts.

“We believe that introducing children to the arts at a young age can help sow the seeds of innovation in future generations and it’s always great to see families enjoying the event, that’s why our family ticket is priced in such a way as to make Stendhal a really affordable option for families.”

The family programme this year will include two dedicated family tents, one for creative workshops and one for performances, while there will also be family themed acts taking to the other stages around the festival site as well.

One of the family tents, the Discovery play tent, is brought to you by The Dry Arch Children’s Centre, a Limavady based day care facility which this year is celebrating its 20^th anniversary.

Stephen Lowry of the centre spoke of how proud they were to be coming back to Stendhal.

“The Dry Arch Children’s Centre is really excited to be part of the Stendhal Festival this year for the second time to add our very own spin to the family experience,” he said.

“Our ‘Discovery Play Tent’ will be bigger and better this year and will have loads of fun play activities for young children; encouraging them to learn through play; creating, investigating, exploring and most importantly have fun.”

He added:  “The Dry Arch Children’s Centre is proudly celebrating its 20th anniversary supporting families. Some of our day-to-day activities include day care, SureStart programmes, youth and family support services and community events. We have a lot more information on what we do and what’s on at the Dry Arch on our website www.dryarchcentre.org”

For more information and tickets visit www.stendhalfestival.com  or the festivals social media platforms.

Award- winning comedian and actor Owen O’Neill brings his hit one-man show Red Noise to the Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre, Limavady on Thursday 27^th July at 8pm.

Red Noise is the perfect combination of stand-up comedy, theatrical monologue and poetry alongside Owen spinning hilarious true stories of his life.

One of sixteen siblings, he talks about queueing for breakfast, family dramas, how he was struck by lightning when he was nine years old and how his feature film debut with Liam Neeson went horribly wrong.

Owen has toured the world with his shows accumulating in a string of awards. These include three Fringe Firsts at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival where he won The Edinburgh Critics Award for Best Comedy, the Angel Award for Best One-Man Show and the Time Out Comedy Award. He also won Best Actor at the Irish Theatre Festival, New York and Best Short Film at the Boston Film Festival in 2008.

The New York Times has hailed him as a ‘master storyteller’ whilst The Spectator described his shows as ‘dramatically accomplished and emotionally charged, with both papers awarding him five star reviews.

A man of many talents, Owen promises to deliver a superb evening of rip-roaring humour with a twist. To book tickets or to find out more information, please contact Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre on 028 7776 0650 or visit www.roevalleyarts.com

Have you met Robothespian, W5’s life sized, humanoid robot who can move, speak, educate, interact and entertain?

If you have, be prepared for a whole new level of engagement!

Robothespian has received an upgrade and this summer W5 are introducing their new and improved robot to the public. The robotic actor and entertainer is now capable of communicating and interacting in a way that few people will have experienced before.

He will now be engaging with visitors in one to one conversations, entertaining crowds and making lots of new friends!

Robothespian is FREE with admission to W5! For full information visit www.w5online.co.uk.

Belfast businesses are cashing in on the city’s growing bike culture by signing up to a new cyclist loyalty scheme which offers discounts and rewards to customers arriving on two wheels.

Sustrans has launched a new cyclist loyalty scheme called ‘Pedal Perks’ in east Belfast to encourage more people to cycle to local shops and cafes in the area and are calling on all business owners to join the scheme.   Click on the link for current offers available http://www.sustrans.org.uk/PedalPerks.

The initiative is part of the €4.4m CHIPS project, which aims to to reduce car traffic and promote sustainable transport, such as cycling on the Comber Greenway to commuters and local residents.

Businesses signing up to the Pedal Perks scheme will benefit from having their products and services promoted to around 10,000 people who work in organisations along the Newtownards Road/ Comber Greenway corridor.

With major funding from the EU, Belfast was chosen as one of several sites across North West Europe for the programme whose goal is to tackle high levels of air pollution by encouraging cycling and public transport instead of car journeys.

Cyclists are good for business

There is wide-ranging evidence of the value of cyclists to retailers and business. Customers not arriving by car visit more frequently and spend more over the course of a month.[1] A UK government survey found that cycle parking delivers five times higher retail spend than the same area of car parking per square metre.[3]

Pamela Grove-White, from Sustrans explained: “People not cars spend money. Making retail areas more accessible for people on foot or by bike boosts business. The pedestrianisation of York city centre for example increased turnover of local businesses by up to 30%. Pedal Perks will have the double impact of benefiting local shops and improving the environment.”

A number of retailers and cafes have already signed up for the scheme including in Ballyhackamore, S.D. Bells, Nature’s Way healthfood shop, Earlswood Road Pharmacy, Sandown Pharmacy; in Dundonald, Cream Café and Dundonald Nursery and Secret Garden restaurant; in Comber, Sugarcane Café Bistro, Georgian House, Indie Fude delicatessen, and Jacks Café at C.S. Lewis Square.

The scheme was launched at S.D. Bells tearoom on the Upper Newtownards Road with the help of proprietor Robert Bell and Colin Neill, CEO of Hospitality Ulster.

Robert Bell, from S.D. Bells said: “S.D. Bells has been trading in this very location for 130 years. Back then, our customers arrived on foot, by bike, on horseback or by horse-drawn tram. My how things have changed! While we have plenty of room for parking at Bell’s Junction, our reliance on the car is becoming unsustainable, so we should do anything we can do to support the local cyclist.”

Colin Neill, CEO of Hospitality Ulster said: “There are huge opportunities for business from cyclists. A few members of the hospitality sector have cottoned on to the benefits of cycling to their business but I think there are still people who haven’t realised the value of cyclists as a segment to cater for. Every cycling club, for example, will stop for coffee or go for something to eat.”

People who cycle should look out for the green ‘Pedal Perks’ stickers which will be on display in windows of participating businesses. Help us spread the word and give us your feedback by tweeting your experiences with #pedalperks

Retailers, cafes or other businesses in east Belfast and beyond who wish to sign up should contact Pamela in Sustrans.

Schools out and if you’re looking for something to entertain the young ones during the summer, Armagh’s Market Place Theatre might have the answer.

From 14 to 18 August, our annual Musical Theatre Workshop, ‘Showstoppers’, is back. Why not make good use of the holidays to learn or perfect your skills in acting, singing and dancing. Over the course of five days a professional director, musical director & choreographer will work with you on scenes, songs and dances from some of the most popular musicals around, before you perform ‘Showstoppers’ on The Market Place stage in front of your own live audience. Believe us, it’s the best fun the summer can be!

Suitable for 12 to 18 year olds, the cost of participation is £68.00 for the week, or £100 for two siblings from the same family. The workshops will run from 10am to 4pm daily [and until after the 7.30pm performance on Friday 18].

Little ones will have a fearsomely good time at July’s Family Super Saturday featuring ‘Dinosaur Detectives’. Clydebuilt Puppet Theatre presents this brilliant and fun theatre show where kids can follow the clues to the Dinosaur Bones. The Dinosaur Detectives follow a fascinating journey of discovery, fun and conflict surrounding the first fossil finds. A fossil table will be available at the end of the show for everyone to study fossils – including Dinosaur Vertebrae and Dinosaur Poo!

Included in the ticket price is one hour of post-show activities including themed craft workshops, face painting, balloon modelling and fancy dress competition with prizes for best dressed boy and girl. Great value for money! Super Saturdays are recommended for age 4+, and are priced £8 or £28 for a family of four. The event will run at 11am and 2pm on Saturday 29 July.

Visit the website at www.marketplacearmagh.com for full details and bookings, or contact the Box Office on [028] 3752 1821. And to keep up-to-date with the latest news at the Market Place Theatre, you can follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/marketplacearmagh) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/mptarmagh) where you will find all the latest information, special offers and video previews.

If you’re a fan of TV shows like ‘Bake Off’, ‘Love Your Garden’, ‘Countryfile’ or ‘Rare Breeds’ then there’ll be plenty to keep you amused at this year’s Randox Antrim Show.

One of the new attractions this year is a ‘Festival of Food’ marquee where Paula McIntryre will be hosting cookery demonstration throughout the day, surrounded by a number of local food producers keen for the public to sample their wares.

The Show is an event where children and pets are welcome. The popular Children’s Pet Show, sponsored by Clare Veterinary Group, accepts £1 entries on the day, just ahead of judging which commences at 1.30pm. Children under 16 are welcome to enter any pet, however large animals may be refused entry for health and safety reasons. It annually takes place in one of the cattle rings. Look out for the sign.

The Home Industries section is on the hunt for County Antrim Shows’ Best Victoria Sandwich.  Meanwhile in the entertainment marquee the new jiving competition will be seeking to crown the Show’s first ‘King & Queen of the Castle’. Thanks to Enkalon Foundation, the competition’s sponsor, there’s a tempting first place prize of £200 on offer to the winning couple, £100 for second and £50 for third. Entries for the jiving competition are taken on the day of the show.

As one of Northern Ireland’s leading regional agricultural shows, Antrim is delighted to be hosting four important championships in its cattle section this year. In the Dairy section, the show welcomes back the Final of the McLarnon’s Feeds/NISA Dairy Cow Championship, a prestigious event that showcases the very best of dairy in the province. In the Beef section, Antrim is to host the NI Hereford Championship; the NI Dexter Group returns to host its Premier Show of the year; and for the fourth year, Antrim will also host the Northern Ireland Limousin Championships.

The close date of the receipt of entries to the Show’s various livestock, horticulture and home industries competitions (except a few that can be entered on the day of the show) has been extended until 12 noon on the 15^th July 2017. Further details, including entry forms and the option to enter online, are now available on the show’s new look website www.antrimshow.com, alternatively email any show enquiry to secretary@antrimshow.com.

Randox Antrim Show takes place on Saturday 22 July at Shanes Castle, from 9am until 5pm. Admission (payable at the gate) is £10 per person and children under 16 years of age go free when accompanied by a paying adult. Car parking is free.

Keep up to date on the latest Randox Antrim Show news on www.facebook.com/AntrimShow.

 

Tourism Ireland and Bathshack sponsor television coverage

CHANNEL Four has once again agreed to air Armoy Road Races. There will be a half hour documentary followed by a one hour programme which will be aired, seven days after the race on Sunday 6^th August at 7.00 am and 7.30am.

The first of the two programmes, a preview, will document how a sleepy North Antrim village is turned into one of the best national road races there is in Ireland and the second programme, the race programme, will highlight the road racing over the Friday and the Saturday.

The Armoy Motorcycle Road Racing Club sees Channel 4 and their on demand service, 4OD, which is renowned for its coverage of sport, as a great fit for their sport and hopes to continue to build on last year’s strong viewing figures, across both of their platforms as well as further afield.

Chairman and Clerk of the Course, Armoy Motorcycle Road Racing Club, Bill Kennedy MBE, said, “This is good news for the fans and supporters of the Armoy Road Races alike. Promoting our sport to a wider audience and highlighting road racing across the United Kindgom can only be a good thing.

“It does take substantial monies to achieve this milestone, so I would like to thank both Peter and Connor Dunlop of Bathshack and Aubrey Irwin from Tourism Ireland as without their vital support, television coverage of the races just would not have happened.

“I would also like to thank Channel 4 for agreeing to feature the Armoy Road Races again and to NPE Media for their professionalism and managing and filming of the whole event. The Channel 4 programme provides many existing and potential new fans with the chance to view the show on a mainstream, terrestrial channel, across the whole of the UK.

“Events like the Armoy Road Races don’t just happen; they have to be funded and then capitalised upon. As a result, the Armoy Road Races are showcased, not just across the United Kingdom, but across the world – allowing our landscape and our sporting event to be seen as one of the best that Northern Ireland has to offer.”

Aubrey Irwin, Tourism Ireland’s Head of Northern Ireland, “I’m exceedingly happy with the news that Channel 4 has commissioned a highlights programme on Armoy Road Races for a fourth year running. With riders and fans travelling from all over the globe, this programme and this area has something for everyone. I’ve no doubt that it will continue to encourage more people to visit this beautiful and historic part of the Northern Ireland.”

Peter Dunlop of Bathshack said, “This is a great opportunity for Bathshack to be involved with the Armoy Road Races and Channel 4. It was an easy decision to help sponsor this programme and showcase what’s on our doorstep to a wider audience. North Antrim is our home and this was not only a great way to give back to a community that continually supports us but to help a fantastic local sporting event.”

Graham Little and his team at NPE Media will once again be responsible for the production of the programme. A well-known sports presenter Graham can be found across the sports channels as well as directing and organising the filming of many key sporting events.

He said, “I’m delighted to be involved with both Armoy Road Races and Channel 4 for the fourth year running. It is testament to the hard work of the Club and the road racers who continue to come to Armoy and race, that we have one of the best, if not the best national road races in Ireland. My job is made all the easier by their professionalism.”

This year, Bike Week runs from Sunday 23rd July until Saturday 29th July with the races taking place on Friday 28th July and Saturday 29th July 2017 culminating in the Roadside Kia ‘Race of Legends’. The Armoy Road Races are part funded by Tourism Northern Ireland and the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.

For more information on Armoy Road Races, visit www.amrrc.com or search for ‘AMRRC’ on Facebook or follow on twitter @ArmoyRoadRaces.

Please support the Armoy Road Races by buying a programme. They are available from the AMRRC office, the Mace Shop in Armoy, the Petrol Station in Armoy, Biesty’s Centra, Ballymoney and theTown Hall in Ballymoney, from the Tuesday 18^th July and cost £15.00 or €17.

 

A day-by-day breakdown of NI’s ‘most ambitious festival yet’

With just one month to go until Northern Ireland’s only 3-day festival of music and arts returns for its ‘most ambitious festival yet’, we’re offering a first look at the day-by-day breakdown of the artists and attractions across the weekend shows.  This year festival-goers have something truly special to be excited about:

 

Redesigned to incorporate the theme of a ‘parallel universe’, immersive retro-futurism is the name of the game at The Barn stage, where fans of heavier sounds can expect to see fellow Roots heat winners Dreaming of Jupiter, Damola, Daz and the shimmering pop stylings of Montauk Hotel kick off their weekend in a unique, otherworldly performance space. While on the sloping, theatre-style Campfire stage, Belfast natives NEWT and up-and-comers Beauty Sleep will open mid-afternoon followed in the evening by Dublin barn-burners, The Bonny Men. Ubblakhan and Jika Jika! will bring their electronic stylings to the ElectroMoot, with Donegal native Jason Young warming up the controls earlier in the day.

DJ and acoustic pop-up sets in a new venue, The Forest, an intimate wooded setting will be found across the weekend as Sunflowerfest continues to give festival-goers the opportunity to experience ‘new dimensions’ of performance. One of many festival highlights, Belfast’s discerning queer disco Ponyhawke will host a takeover of the forest for a long set on Friday, with Bangor’s own Brién at the controls earlier in the evening.

Saturday 29^th July

Alongside a hotly-awaited headline performance from Rubberbandits, fans on Saturday can expect Electric Swing Circus on the Main Stage as well as an essential dose of arena-worthy rock from R51. In between re-fuels at Boojum’s ‘Boojmobile’ – a partnership that is set to bring legendary street food to NI’s only 3-day festival – Magwere, Monkeeman and Derry five-piece Lavengro can all be found tearing up the main stage.

Over at The Barn, heavier noise on Saturday will be served courtesy of Stormzone, Lisburn noisemakers The Crawling and Banbridge’s unmistakable, dimension-bending NASA Assassin while the Campfire Stage will host the unique musical talents of Mr. B The Gentleman Rhymer. Tyrone’s Hiva Oa, acclaimed for emotionally powerful performances, will make their Campfire debut alongside the Irish-Lebanese Farah Elle, whose virtuosity as a pianist and vocalist has stunned her way to recognition in the Republic of Ireland.

Saturday’s ElectroMoot billing will see some of the most contemporary figures in the Northern Irish electronic scene join the Sunflowerfest-faithful, including OR:LA, Chris Hanna and Chinooq & Stayin Low.
Belfast Underground’s Topia are also set to take over the controls in an ambitious bid to ‘contact the mothership’.

Sunday 30^th July

Festival circuit veterans King Kong Company always make sure to mark Sunflowerfest as a key highlight in their Summer festival diary, and Sunflowerfest 2017 will be no exception as the fan-favourites make their return to the Main Stage. Le Galaxie are also set to make a welcome return on the stage alongside newcomers AE Mak, whose unforgettable live performance, one that ‘flirts between music and dance-theatre’, has seen the young duo shoot to acclaim in record time; ‘A Parallel Universe’ marks their debut on the Sunflowerfest main stage. Belfast Ukulele Jam will also make their festival debut with an interactive main-stage performance, one that is sure to draw an early crowd.

The atmosphere is set to remain electrically-charged on the Barn Stage as Bangor’s The Hardchargers throw down their headline set. Ballymena art-rockers Electric Octopus and the indie-alternative Oh Boland are sure to make the festival’s final evening at The Barn one to remember.

The endearing Beans on Toast – of Glastonbury fame – will round off the Campfire Stage. Sunday’s Campfire highlights are set to include Jamie Stanton, Cado and comedy antics from Paul Currie who will keep spirits high on the final night of the festival. Opening on the final day is Lisburn-based duo Mississippi Boombox and Sunflowerfest’s annual ‘School of Rock’, a group performance initiative that has given young individuals the chance to pursue their musical ambitions and have them accredited on-stage at NI’s only 3-day festival.

Across the weekend illusionists, comedians, culinary experts, imbibers and even the infamous Twisted Sisters can all be caught at the new Heverlee Tent, an exciting new sponsorship with the Belgian brewers that promises the Sunflowerfest-faithful a truly unique experience inspired by the brand’s Belgian café culture.

Staying ‘rooted’ in their renowned ethos for self-care amongst the fans, drum circles, calisthenics, a sound healing spa, sweat lodge and even more uplifting attractions will take place in the festival’s renowned Bliss area with Tonic Health & Well-being, where Sunflowerfest continues to cultivate spaces for individuals to relax and take time to nurture in nature. The crew themselves are even expected to be treated to a shoulder massage drop-in centre to keep spirits high over the ambitious weekend!

Sunflowerfest never fails to stay true to its family-friendly reputation, and is all set again this year to deliver a new KidzZone experience that includes both educational and interactive opportunities for young people to embrace the festival’s charm. Sunflowerfest’s charity partnership with RSPB promises families a chance to learn more about our world while taking in the natural beauty of Tubby’s Farm, and circus skills, crafts and kid’s yoga will deliver a lasting experience for families.

Tickets to Sunflowerfest can be purchased online at www.sunflowerfest.co.uk.