Calling all budding scientists! Bright Sparks is W5’s unique and exciting week-long summer camp for inquisitive young minds aged 8 to 11.

Participants in Bright Sparks will get hands-on in a range of exciting, science-based activities such as crime labs, rocket races, animation and building challenges. Each day will have its own theme and our young experimenters will be encouraged to explore and learn in a fun and positive environment.

Dates

Monday 1 to Friday 5 August and / or Monday 8 to Friday 12 August

What will it cost?

The total cost for one week is £100. Following registration, full payment should be made to W5 within one week. Enrolment fees are non-refundable and places are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Numbers are limited therefore please book early to avoid disappointment.

What W5 Offer

• A fun-filled programme of hands-on activities, Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm
• Exciting and engaging topics covering a wide range of STEM disciplines
• Opportunities to explore W5, including Climbit
• Enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and experienced staff
• Drop-off and pick-up times designed to accommodate working parents
• A free ‘Bright Sparks’ T-shirt

Registration

To register for a place simply download an application form on the W5 website and email the completed form to: bookings@w5online.co.uk. A member of the Bookings Team will contact you with further details and to arrange payment. For more information you can also contact the team on 028 90467790/93.

Programme

The programme of activities at the summer camp will be exciting and varied. To give the week a unique structure each day will follow a specific theme. Bright Sparks will also get to explore and enjoy W5’s shows, workshops and supervised exhibition floor visits. There will also be an opportunity to visit the Odyssey Cinema and Ten-Pin Bowling. Throughout the week participants will also keep a record of their activities through a student-driven digital portfolio which will allow them (as well as parents!) to look back on their summer camp achievements.

Lunch and refreshments

Children are asked to bring along a morning snack and a packed lunch. They can also visit W5’s coffee shop which serves a daily range of fresh sandwiches, tray-bakes and snacks.

*Weather permitting, children may be taken outside to eat lunch.

For further information visit www.w5online.co.uk.

~ 6^th ‘Door of Thrones’ unveiled as Tourism Ireland’s 2016 Game of Thrones® campaign continues to showcase Northern Ireland to millions of fans worldwide ~

31 May 2016 – Episode six of season six of Game of Thrones® aired last night (Monday, 30 May) and Tourism Ireland unveiled its latest ‘Door of Thrones’ – this week in the Fullerton Arms in Ballintoy, the location for filming exterior Pyke shots and the Iron Islands in HBO’s fantasy drama.

Tourism Ireland is rolling out a major Game of Thrones® campaign until the end of June (when season six ends), showcasing Northern Ireland to millions of the show’s fans worldwide. The campaign involves a series of ten carved doors, each one telling the story of the latest episode. The doors have been created using wood salvaged from two trees at the Dark Hedges (otherwise known as the Kingsroad in Game of Thrones®), which fell during Storm Gertrude.

To date, the doors have been based on “The Red Woman”, “Home”, “Oathbreaker”, “Book of Stranger” and “The Doors”. Echoing scenes from last night’s episode, this week’s intricately-carved door features striking designs and depicts Targaryens and dragons. It is now hanging in The Fullerton Arms.

The first door (from episode one) is hanging in The Cuan guest inn in Strangford, near the filming locations of Castle Ward and Audley’s Castle. The second door is hanging in Fiddlers Green in Portaferry, near Quintin Bay. The third door, in the Percy French restaurant in Newcastle, is near Tollymore Forest Park; the fourth door is in Blakes of the Hollow in Enniskillen, near Pollagollum Cave; and the fifth door is in Frank Owens Bar in Limavady, near Downhill Strand.

Tourism Ireland has also unveiled its sixth – limited edition – Game of Thrones® stamp, another element of its campaign, produced in conjunction with the Royal Mail.

Ireland’s Best Small Festival is back and better than ever

Stendhal Festival of Art, winner of Ireland’s Best Small Festival 2013, 2014 and 2015, has revealed the musical delights in store for all the guests visiting Ballymully Cottage Farm, Limavady, this August 12 and 13.

The all-encompassing arts extravaganza has announced that this year there will be five headline acts for revellers to enjoy, along with over forty other musical offerings, art, craft, comedy, poetry and a bounty of all things creative.

Northern Irish Alternative rock legends Therapy? International DJ Sensation DJ Yoda, the hottest new act in folk, Lynched, Bluegrass festival juggernaut Hayseed Dixie and Mercury Prize winning Badly Drawn Boy are all scheduled to light up the stage at Stendhal this year.

On top of that stellar cast, the festival will also be showcasing the sensational talents of the finest Northern Irish acts plying their trade today. The Bonnevilles, The Emerald Armada, Ports, Ryan Vail, Paddy Nash and the Happy Enchiladas, The Woodburning Savages, Joshua Burnside, Lore and Jessica Doherty are all can’t miss acts.

Add to that The Pat McManus Band, Connla, Chirs Madden, Sons of Burlap, Andy the Doorbum and Emma Lusby and the surface has barely been scratched.

With more acts to be announced, plus the family line-up, comedy and poetry line-up to come, there is still plenty more to come for guests at the festival this year.

Festival Director Ross Parkhill said: “We are thrilled to be welcoming so many fantastic acts to Ballymully Cottage Farm again this August.

“From Legendary Irish acts to emerging ones, bands who have festival experience the world over to a Mercury Prize Winner, we believe that this year’s line-up is the strongest we have ever assembled.”

He added: “We strive to have as much variety in our acts as humanly possible, tick as many boxes as we can for fans of all genres and we once again will have something for everyone at Stendhal this summer.

“We will be announcing the second wave of acts, along with our comedy, poetry, theatre, art and family programmes very soon, so watch this space for much more to come.”

Tickets to the event will be on sale next week via stendhalfestival.com, Ticketmaster and a host of local outlets. For more information visit the festival’s social media channels and website.

Tourism NI has put together a list of 10 exciting things to do in Northern Ireland next week (May 30- June 05).

• Rathlin Sound Maritime Festival, Ballycastle and Rathlin Island, Co.  Antrim, May 27 – June 05.
  Celebrating the culture, cuisine and coastal treasures of Rathlin Island and its surroundings, the ten-day Rathlin Sound Maritime Festival has a jam-packed programme of exciting sea-focused events for every age group filled with food, fun and seafaring frolics.

• The Celtic Apprentice, Navan Centre & Fort, Co. Armagh, May 30. Become a Celtic apprentice for the day as the living history team put you through your paces in the Iron Age dwelling.  Try your hand at boat building, cobb oven making, wicker weaving and pottery, all important tasks in the life of the Celt.

• Gran Fondo Giro d’Italia Northern Ireland, Titanic Quarter, Belfast, Co. Antrim, June 04 – 05. Like 2015, the 2016 Gran Fondo event will be a special experience with fully closed roads, two challenging routes and post ride party with wood fired oven pizzas, gourmet pasta dishes, Italian beer and wine and fun cycling activities such as a Velodrome at Titanic Exhibition Centre.

• Cruise the Lough at Crom, Crom Estate, Co. Fermanagh, May 30. Discover Crom Estate, one of Ireland’s most important nature conservation areas from the water on a cruise around Upper Lough Erne in Crom’s 100-year-old traditional craft. Price £4/£2.

• Gran Fondo Giro d’Italia Italian Inspired Menu Evening, Coppi Restaurant, Belfast, Co. Antrim, June 03. The official charity of the Gran Fondo Giro d’Italia NI, Co-operation Ireland, invites you to an evening in celebration of all things Italian.  Enjoy a creative Giro inspired menu and complimentary Italian wines by Executive Chef Tony O’Neill, meet Giro d’Italia winners and world cycling champions Stephen Roche and Gianni Bugno and get your photo taken with the iconic Giro Trophy. There is also a superb auction and raffle. To book call (028) 9089 1004.

• Family Fun Day at The Jungle, Magherafelt, Co. Londonderry, May30. Similar to a fun-fair, The Jungle’s Family Fun Day is an open-park day and offers a range of outdoor activities by token such as archery, zorbing and Llama trekking. With both kids’ activities and adult adventures to be had, there is something for everyone. Starts at 11am.

• Walled City Music Festival, Culturlann/The Glassworks, Co. Londonderry, May 02 – 05. The Walled City Music Festival presents four packed days of high-quality classical music concerts and events, featuring guest artists including Andy Akiho and Ian David Rosenbaum, Jeremy Denk, Measha Brueggergosman.

• Slieve Donard Moonlit Walk, Slieve Donard, Co. Down, June 03. Challenge yourself to make it to the highest peak in Northern Ireland – in the dark! Starting at 19:30 you will plan to make it to the summit where you will be able to stargaze and marvel at the lights of Newcastle and beyond, before returning to the main car park around midnight.

• Marble Arch Caves Family Fun Day, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, May 30. Take a visit to the Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark and enjoy a jam-packed programme of events taking place through the day including an interactive family nature hunt, face painting as well as a variety of arts and crafts activities. Charges for additional activities apply.

• Old, New, Borrowed & Blue, Ulster American Folk Park, Co. Tyrone, May 04 – 05. Celebrate weddings from both sides of the Atlantic on the one day.  The 19th century rural Ulster wedding will take you on a journey from courting, to the church and then on to the wedding feast. On the ‘New World’ side of the museum you will join the 18th century wedding party in pioneer America, complete with old-time music and dancing in the Pennsylvania Barn.

Please note some of the events require pre-booking. For more details on these and other events click on www.discovernorthernireland.com/events, visit your local tourist information centre or log onto www.facebook.com/discovernorthernireland.

Down

Northern Ireland’s only  Puppet Festival dedicated entirely to puppets is back to thrill and delight with a jammed programme of puppet performance, workshops and general puppetry shenanigans. Taking place at venues across Ards, 28^th to 30^th May, this is a unique and fun filled treat for children of all ages… Power to the Puppets!

Armagh

On Bank Holiday Monday 30th May from 11.00am – 5.00pm the Navan Centre & Fort, Armagh are offering you the chance to become a Celtic Apprentice for the day!  This promises to be a great family day out as our Celtic characters show how they live from day to day and train you on how to be a Celt.  They will be making a cobb oven and need you to get your hands dirty to help them out.  How creative can you be with your wicker weaving? The Celts used this to make fences around their homes, garlands etc. and now is your opportunity to try this new skill and many more!

Fermanagh

This Bank Holiday Monday enjoy a jam-packed programme of events at Fermanagh’s Marble Arch caves taking place throughout the day, including an interactive family nature hunt, face painting, as well as a variety of arts and crafts activities. There will be a small charge for additional activities.

Tyrone

Country In The Park comes to the Ulster America Folk Park Omagh May 28th & 29th, Over the weekend the festival will host 50 artist on 3 stages. See www.countryinthepark.co.uk for the full line up.

Derry

The Tamlaght O’Crilly Country Fair and Vintage Rally takes place this Saturday 28th May at Drumand School grounds with over 200 vintage vehicles, along with Ulster Heritage Day. There will be music by Country Features and Jordan Mogey,  an Ulster Scots showcase,  animal farm, arts and crafts, pet show, kids fun zone with inflatables, traditional fair games – rickety wheel, tombola, kids lucky dip, old skills demonstrations – pony threshing, pancake making, spinning, bee keeping and wood turning. Lots of fun for all the family. Starts at 12 noon.

Antrim

The Portrush Raft Race will take place on Saturday, 28th May 2016 at the Harbour in Portrush as part of a packed bank holiday weekend of harbour-side family mayhem and fun. Portrush Raft Race and Ramore Restaurants will each be celebrating their 35th birthdays in the coming year, and are both are well loved fixtures of the popular County Antrim town.  As well as being enormous fun on the beautiful north coast, it’s an important annual event for the RNLI and the town of Portrush. All the funds raised by Portrush Raft Race go directly to the local branch. As is now traditional the day’s events will be compered by Alan Simpson in his own inimitable style.

Belfast

Join the BIG Pop-Up Picnic next to Titanic Belfast and SS Nomadic, running from Saturday 28th to Monday 30th May.  During the event, visitors can kick back and relax enjoying a mix of maritime activity including live music, dance style flash performances, Titanic mascots, games for kids & the kids at heart, whilst enjoying a delicious picnic.  Plus there are a host of other activities including walking & photography tours, where you will descend 44ft into the bottom of Titanic’s Dock; you could explore the galleries at Titanic Belfast or enjoy period music on-board Titanic’s little sister, SS Nomadic.

Add your events free at www.whatsonni.com. Follow us on twitter @whatsonNI and on facebook at fb.com/www.whatsonni.com for news, competitions and what’s on near you.

Belfast Bar, The Cloth Ear has the perfect solution for those looking to spice up the Bank Holiday weekend, as its first ever Chilli Festival takes place Saturday 28^th and Sunday 29^th May.

As part of the festivities, the heat has been turned up on The Cloth Ear’s menu with a range of delicious new chilli based dishes and drinks introduced for the weekend. Amongst the sizzling hot offers is a fear-inducing Chilli Chicken Wing Roulette, with one of the chicken wings doused in extra hot hot sauce.

Spice lovers are also being dared to eat 10 eye-watering chicken wings made with the hottest pepper in the world – the Carolina Reaper – in under four minutes as part of a special Chicken Wing Challenge. Those with a preference for a slightly more subtle chilli kick can enjoy a range of chilli-flavoured cocktails.

Throughout the weekend, guests will also be in with the chance to win lots of prizes and enjoy live music on Sunday from Davy Watson from 5pm – 8pm.  For more information visit facebook.com/clothear or call 028 9026 2719.

Armagh Public Library has launched its next temporary exhibition to mark 2016 as the ‘Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink’, a celebration of local food and drink, promoted by Tourism NI.

pThe history of food and drink is an important element of cultural inheritance. It shows the place of food and drink in the society, economy and environment of a country, and in the lives of its people.

Library staff member, Rachel Toner, who worked on the exhibition said, “This exhibition highlights what the Library holds on eighteenth century food and drink in Ireland, from production to consumption.  The texts also provide us with an insight into the diet of local people during that period.”

The works of eight authors make up the exhibition, including Jonathan Swift’s humorous essay, ‘Directions to Servants in General, and in Particular to the Butler, Cook, Footman, Coachman, Groom’. Swift satirises the rules and regulations of eighteenth century English society by giving absurd advice to the many servants who would be employed in a large household.  Examples include, “When you roast a long joint of meat, be careful only about the middle, and leave the two extreme parts raw, which will serve another time […]”, and “If a lump of soot falls into the soup, and you cannot conveniently get it out, stir it well in, and it will give the soup a high French taste.”

The Keeper of Armagh Public Library, the Very Revd Gregory Dunstan said, “As human necessities, food and drink are fundamental and revealing aspects of any society’s culture.  The books displayed in this exhibition show both science and scorn, the views of foreigner and native-born, the desire to spread ‘improvement’ and affection for tradition.  The exhibition will remain on display until the middle of August.  We look forward to welcoming many visitors to see it.”

Stephen Bill, Regional Manager for Tourism NI, commented, “Tourism NI is delighted to support Armagh Public Library in launching its temporary exhibition to mark 2016 as the Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink.

We believe that in partnership with our stakeholders we can really enhance our reputation as a food destination.  Collaboration and partnership, authenticity and genuine passion, are driving the Year of Food and Drink activity and we congratulate Armagh Public Library in showcasing a vital cultural element of

our social history.  The exhibition places food and drink firmly at the heart of our visitor’s tourism experience and enables the destination to tell their respective food and drink stories, enhance their reputation and celebrate continuing success.”

Popular Maritime Festival is only days away

Ballycastle and Rathlin Island are anticipating over 15,000 visitors to descend upon the coastal locations for a week long maritime themed festival packed awash with family fun, food and sea-going antics.

The Rathlin Sound Maritime Festival, now in its fourth year, is a celebration of Northern Ireland’s rich and diverse maritime history and the unique stretch of water lying between Ballycastle and the magical island of Rathlin.

The festival will run from 27^th May to 5^th June and features a bustling schedule of events perfect for families, local foodies and boating enthusiasts, beginning with a unique boat blessing to open the festival.

From then on the activities are endless! Kids can take a ride on the famous Tall Ship, The Johanna Lucretia. Take part in a pirate-themed Children’s Treasure Hunt, learn about the tales of Vikings and the myths and legends around the Causeway Coast’s famous giant, Finn McCool.

Foodies shouldn’t miss Ulster’s inaugural Chowder Cook Off featuring live cookery demonstrations from none other than Paula McIntyre, and music lovers will want to hear country music sensation Lisa McHugh’s latest tunes.

All of this in addition to racing yachts and fishing trips, powerboats and traditional hand-crafted rowing boats (curraghs) – every pace and taste is catered for over the festival’s busy itinerary.

Caroline Carey, Tourism Development at Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, shared her excitement for this year’s event, saying: “We are delighted to invite visitors back to Rathlin Island and Ballycastle for the fourth year of this superb festival. It is a fantastic mix of culture, entertainment, nature, sport and, of course, seafood.”

This year’s festival has been organised by the Council, Ballycastle Community Development Group, the Rathlin Development & Community Association, and the Ballycastle Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Sponsors include Tourism Northern Ireland, Malin Waters, Rathlin Boat House Partnership, Rathlin Island Ferry Ltd, Marine Hotel Ballycastle, Naturally North Coast & Glens Market and Causeway Coast and Glens Food Network.

For more information on the full Festival programme of activities in Ballycastle and on Rathlin Island, between 27^th May and 5^th June, visit www.rathlinsoundmaritimefestival.com.

Fancy yourself as a Poirot? Could you solve our Celtic Mid-Summer Murder?

Put your little grey cells to the test on Friday 17^th June as King Conor invites you to join him at the Navan Centre & Fort, Armagh to celebrate the Summer Solstice.

From 7.00pm – 10.00pm, King Conor plans a night of feasting and entertainment befitting to the Solstice but before the buffet is served a murder takes place.  Can you help solve the murder?

Promises to be a night of great fun for just £20.00 per person, children aged 12 years and under are charged £8.00 per child.

Booking in advance is essential.  Book your tickets today on www.armagh.co.uk/solstice or call 028 3752 9644

For information please contact: Navan Centre, 81 Killylea Road, Armagh.  BT60 4LD.  Tel 028 3752 9644 or www.navan.com

Think that Maths is boring? Think again! Cahoots NI present Danny Carmo’s Mathematical Mysteries, at The Old Courthouse on Saturday 11 June at 12.30pm and 3pm. A fun-filled family show that puts the magic, literally into Maths!

Prepare to be amazed, dazzled and bewildered by Cahoots NI’s mind-blowing new production. This is a spectacular show where Maths, Theatre and Digital Technology collide to create a fun and interactive performance that proves that maths can be fun!

Meet Danny Carmo. It’s not so long ago that he thought school, and in particular, maths, wasn’t for him. Danny had more interest in dreaming of a bigger future, one where he is known on stage and screen – all he has ever wanted is to be a famous magician! But when he knuckles down to learn the tricks of the magician’s trade, he realises that maths is not only essential….but is the SECRET to a whole world of magic and fun!

Starring magician Caolin McBride, this show is recommended for children aged 7+ and promises to bring lots of fun and learning. Tickets priced at £5 & £3 (Concession) and are available from Box Office: 028 9446 3113 or online at www.antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk/boxoffice