With a new name, Northern Ireland Speed Weekend, the adrenaline fuelled motoring spectacular will return this August Bank Holiday weekend, Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th August, at Eikon Complex  Balmoral Park, Lisburn.

Jam packed with exciting, revved-up action you’ll definitely want to be there!

We’ve been working hard to bring you the most exhilarating Motorsports day out of the year.

Live action, Interaction, Rally Cars, Race Cars, Drifting, Sports Cars, Go Karting, Super Cars, Dragsters, Helicopters, Stunt Shows and a whole lot more are waiting for you at the Northern Ireland Speed Weekend 2015.

What’s Happening

Rallying

On an all new spectator Rally Stage including the WRC Rally Bridge.

Racing

Race cars and exotica will burn rubber on the Speed Weekend Sprint Track

Colin Turkington

Get an autograph from the current BTCC Drivers Champion.

Drifting

“Kill All Tyres!” The best of the NI Drift Series will really wake you up.

Drag Racing

Where every second counts.

Auto test/Auto solo

The cream of the crop of Northern Ireland precision drivers will battle it out.

You can even jump in for a go.

Off Roading

Courtesy of the NI Landrover Club. You can even join them for a ride along.

Helicopter Rides

Head for the Heli-Pad and take off for a bird’s eye view of all the action.

Go Karting

Put your skills to the test on the Eddie Irvine Sports  Go Kart track.

Show n Shine Car Show

All the finest Modifieds and Classics.

New Car Display

Local dealers will be showing off their latest models and best deals.

Merchandising Village & Food Court

Fill up your tank at one of the diners.

Live Music

Hosted by Brian Moore, we bring you the best of local musical talent

Saturday 29^th August

1230pm – Johnny James

230pm – Hillspeak

430pm – Sarah Griffen

Sunday 30^th August

12pm – Hillspeak

2pm – Wookalily

4pm – Johnny James

515pm – Sarah Griffen

Parachute Displays

Courtesy of the Wild Geese parachute Display Team.

For more information or to buy Tickets go to our website www.speedweekendni.com and find us on Facebook.

The NI Speed Weekend is organised and promoted by Supernova Event Management in association with the Ulster Automobile Club . We also thank Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council for their support.

A Belfast City Council committee has recommended the creation of a council-owned company to run the Belfast Waterfront on completion of the current £29.5 million extension.

Work on a new state of the art conference and exhibition facility, which is due to open in May 2016, is well advanced as Belfast aims to become a major player in the global conference market with the target of generating £100 million return for the city over a five year period.

The council’s Strategic Policy and Resources Committee today recommended that those objectives and best value for ratepayers would be best achieved by the arm’s length company, owned by the council but operating more independently.

The detailed analysis presented led the committee to recommend that the council-owned model would best enable the Waterfront to successfully compete with other international conference venues in attracting major events and creating over 1,500 new hospitality and retail jobs.

The decision was however not unanimous and today’s recommendation is now subject to ratification at the council’s monthly meeting on Tuesday 1 September. If agreed, a board of directors will be appointed, with the new company taking over daily running of the Waterfront from April 2016. The venue will remain in the council’s ownership.

“The decision to invest £29.5 million in the Waterfront was a vote of confidence in Belfast’s growing reputation as an international conference destination, and this recommendation now takes the crucial step of providing greater commercial freedom to the venue, so it can fully realise its potential within what is a highly competitive and fast-paced marketplace,” said Councillor Declan Boyle, Chairman of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee.

“To do this, we must have the right structures, conditions and incentives in place to attract and secure bookings, develop our professional, passionate employees and, above all, create a fantastic experience for customers which sells our city to the rest of the world.

“We are committed to ensuring that any new management and working arrangements are introduced as smoothly as possible, if agreed by full council, and will be working closely with staff and the trade unions over the coming months to achieve this.”

Staff will have their pensions and contractual employment conditions protected.

Councillor Boyle pointed out that, with 25 international and national events already confirmed for 2016 and beyond, an enhanced Belfast Waterfront was already bearing fruit.

“Doubling the number of conference delegates travelling to Belfast is good news for everyone who wants to see our city thrive. The benefits are obvious – more jobs created, new investors attracted to a vibrant, friendly city, additional rates income generated and, for communities, the potential to reinvest our success back into other improvements right across the city, making sure everyone feels the impact of this exciting and game-changing project,” he said.

Titanic Belfast is running an Early Riser offer throughout August, which allows visitors to beat the rush and enjoy the nine interpretive and interactive galleries at a discounted rate, before the kids go back to school.

The Early Riser Saving runs until the end of August from 9:00am, 9:20am or 9:40am. Guests can explore boomtown Belfast, the Shipyard, the fit out, the sinking, aftermath and its final resting place for only £10 per adult and £6 per child when booked online.

To mark the early riser offer, the largest Titanic visitor experience has listed unique things to see and do before 9 o’clock for tourists and locals alike. These include

• Watch the Cruise Ship Dock

With the ever increasing number of cruise ships coming to Belfast, watch the spectacle as they sail and dock on Belfast Lough and dock on the far side of the Lough! Most ships dock at around 8am.

• Walk Along Titanic’s Promenade Deck

Explore the slipways life size plan of Titanic’s Promenade Deck which is inlaid in white stone, where the ship would have been constructed, outlining where the liner’s lifeboats and funnels and benches on board would have been.

• Visit the Memorial Garden

View the memorial garden, where four grass lawns alternate with timber decking to illustrate the proportion of Titanic’s victims and survivors from each of the passenger classes and crew, in the morning silence.

• Watch the Sunrise Over the Iconic buildings

Watch the sun rise over Titanic Quarter, one of the world’s largest urban-waterfront regeneration projects, including the iconic Titanic Belfast, SS Nomadic, the famous barrel-vaulted Harland & Wolff Drawing Offices and the landmark Samson and Goliath gantry cranes.

• Travel The Map

Follow the route of the Titanic around the plaza surrounding the building on one of the largest maps of the Northern Hemisphere at 10,000 m2.

• Hear the SS Nomadic’s Bellowing Horn

Every day the last remaining White Star vessell’s horn sounds to mark the start of the business day. If you’re one of the first visitors on the ship, you may even get the chance to do the honours!

• Watch the Sea Gulls Feast on Breakfast on the Slipways

Sea Gulls can be seen throughout the morning uniquely shelling and feasting on mussels on the slipways. The blue shell remains can be found on the slipways throughout the day.

For more information on the Early Riser Saving and the Titanic Belfast, visit www.titanicbelfast.com.

The second annual Bangor Culture Day takes place this Saturday, as part of the 2015 Open House Festival programme.

From 12 noon to 5pm, the seafront area of Bangor will erupt with a kaleidoscope of cultural activity, from live music, to spoken word, to dancing, to visual art – and it’s all free. There’ll be craft making, vintage stalls, artisan food, flash mobs, parkour jumping, storytelling, singing lessons – and even free recording sessions on offer.

“One of our messages for this year’s festival has been that Bangor itself is the star of the show, with events taking place in so many unique and beautiful venues,” says Open House’s Culture Day Co-ordinator, Sharon Matchett. “Culture Day will reiterate that message by giving a host of creative local people the opportunity to showcase their talents on their own doorstep.”

This year, all of the activity will be centred around The Hub at Project 24 on Queens Parade. Highlights will include the first public performances from the Open House Festival Choir, which has been rehearsing for the past six weeks under the guidance of singing tutor, Katie Richardson of Katie and the Carnival and Goldie Fawn. There’ll also be big band sounds, traditional music, busking, and a DJ set from the Bangor Vinyl Collective.

You’ll be able to participate in screen printing and paint bombing workshops, see bee keeping in action, take part in tea dances, line dancing and get a swing dancing lesson – and much, much more.

“We’re still putting the finishing touches to the programme,” says Sharon, “but there’ll be something happening virtually every minute of day from noon to five pm. So people can come down to the Hub area on Bangor seafront at any time and know they’ll see something!”

Mayor of Ards and North Down, Alderman Alan Graham, says, “Culture Day Bangor will be a great celebration of arts and culture showcasing the talent of our area. Ards and North Down Borough Council is pleased to be supporting Open House Festival for this fantastic and free Culture Day.”

Open House Festival Bangor 2015 is supported by Ards and North Down Borough Council, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Tourism NI. For more information about the festival go to: www.openhousefestival.com.

Down

The 3rd Open House Festival continues until the end of August, with events taking place in 36 venues and locations across Bangor. Entertainment includes music, theatre & comedy, film, food and much more. View the full programme of events here at www.openhousefestival.com.

Armagh

Join the Camlough Water Festival this weekend, 21st to 23rd August,  for a range of swimming competitions and have a go sessions including the Try-a-Tri, Ulster 5k and 10k championships as well a Night Swim. Camlough Lake Water Festival’s mission is to improve access to and promote water based sporting activities in and around Camlough Lake and Carlingford Lough for the purposes of fun and competition.

Fermanagh

This Friday 21^st August join staff from the Northern Ireland Bat Group at Castle Caldwell Forest from 9.00pm to 1.00pm, and discover more about some of our most elusive and mysterious mammals in their natural environment. All children must be accompanied by adult. Please bring a hand or head torch. Warm waterproof clothing and sturdy footwear are essential. Booking is essential.

Tyrone

This Sunday August 23rd at 8.30pm Bríd Harper will perform in Concert at An Creagan.  A native of Co Donegal, Brid has been playing Irish Traditional Music on the fiddle since she was nine years old. She has won many All Ireland competitions and many traditional musicians cite Bríd as a major influence on their playing and she has been described as one of the finest exponents of traditional fiddle playing of our time. For this concert Bríd will be accompanied by PJ McDonald talented singer and multi-instrumentalist from Donaghmore. Concert 8.30 –9.30 pm followed by open session.

Legenderry

Beoga (gaelic for ‘lively’) are based in County Antrim, in the north of Ireland. The bedrock of their sound lies firmly within the Irish tradition. However, they are not afraid to incorporate other genres’ nuances into their music. From bluesy riffs to Astor Piazzola-style jazz, to a raunchy New Orleans jamboree vibe, their music always returns to a wonderfully bouncy Irish sound. The result is traditional, with a huge sense of fun and adventure and it all works – wonderfully well. See them perform live this Saturday 22^nd August at An Coire Maghera. Tickets £12.50.

Antrim

Peter Corry presents ‘The Red Velvet Cabaret’ – this summer’s must see cabaret show. Produced by the team that brought you last summer’s sold out production of ‘Spectacular!’ based on the songs from the film Moulin Rouge.” The Wild Duck Inn Portglenone is the venue for this show on Friday 21st August with doors opening at 7.30 p.m.  Tickets are only £15 and all profits from this event will go to Save the Children.

Belfast

EastSide Arts Festival, 19th – 31st August, is just around the corner with 12-days of events across the EastSide and beyond; 33 of these are FREE and there are lots of family activities. Highlights include Ciara O’Malley’s mobile space project featuring her interactive caravan of art located at Connswater Pocket Park, Making It Up Story workshops at Skainos, Storytelling at Short Strand Community Centre and Cregagh Library, Craft Workshops with Redhead Thread at Short Strand Community Centre  and Belmont Tower and the fantastic Orangefield Park Celebrations on August 29, organised by Connswater Community Greenway, featuring workshops, music and street theatre. For further details visit www.eastsidearts.net

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.

Tourism NI has put together a list of 10 exciting things to do in Northern Ireland next week (August 24 – 30).

• Belfast Mela, Botanic Gardens, Belfast, August 30. Round off your summer at this magnificent celebration of music, dance, food and fashion from all over the world. Savour the sights and sounds from across the globe with thousands of others at this unique and colourful event in the beautiful setting of Belfast’s Botanic Gardens.

• Carnival of Colours, St. Columb’s Park, Derry, Co. Londonderry, August 29-30. In Your Space Circus return to Columb’s Park with their flagship festival, the Carnival of Colours this bank holiday weekend. Festivalgoers of all ages can enjoy a wide variety of international street theatre, local acts and shows by some of the world’s funniest circus performers, with belly laughs guaranteed!

• A Night of Americana, Alley Theatre, Strabane, Co. Tyrone, August 29. Jack Grelle is a country, folk and honky tonk songwriter from Missouri who sings his personal stories of the road and people he has met along the way, and Ags Connolly is a country singer-songwriter hailing from Oxfordshire who has been described as “the closest we’ve ever come to an English Willie Nelson.” Both will be performing at this great night of southern Americana music.

• Van Morrison Walking Tour, starting at Eastside Visitor Centre, East Belfast, Belfast, August 27-29. In the days before his 70^th birthday, take this opportunity to visit some of the places in the East Belfast of his youth, guided by Lynn Corken. Tickets cost £5 and are available from the Visit Belfast welcome centre.

• 2^nd Annual Newry City Blues Festival, Various Locations, Newry, Co. Down, August 27-31. A number of Newry City bars and restaurants will play host to a host of top class blues and jazz musicians both international and local. Artists include The Bluez Katz, Allison McGrath and Cold Porter, while special spicy food menus will be available throughout the big blistering blues festival weekend.

• Dunluce Castle Artisan Food and Craft Market, Dunluce Castle, Bushmills, Co. Antrim, August 29. Naturally North Coast bring their Artisan Food and Craft Market to this iconic setting from 11am – 4pm on Saturday 29^th August. Come along to explore, discover new flavours, stumble upon artistic talent, and savour a uniquely vibrant atmosphere.

• River To Lough Festival, Eel Fishery, Tombe, Co. Londonderry, August 29. Come and sample world famous Lough Neagh eel, while fishermen tell stories of the history and heritage of the Lough. Award-winning food writer and television presenter James McIntosh will be giving cookery demonstrations, and there will be live music to be enjoyed throughout the day.

• The Auld Lammas Fair 2015, Ballycastle, Co. Antrim, August 24-25. Thousands of people will be descending on the beautiful seaside town of Ballycastle for Ireland’s oldest traditional market fair. The present day fair includes a wide array of market stalls and street entertainment, with two days of trading, bargaining, busking and amusements all contributing to the great atmosphere.

• Famine Wall Walk, Crossmaglen Community Centre, Crossmaglen, Co. Armagh, August 30. Join Seamus Murphy, a knowledgeable and experienced hill walker for a guided hill walk and exploration of local history on Slieve Gullion Mountain to visit and learn about the infamous Famine Walls.

• Rock Detective Club, Marble Arch Caves, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, August 26. An exciting expedition for 4-12 year-olds, who can take part in a treasure hunt or try their hand at orienteering, whilst finding out about the array of plants, many of which have existed for millions of years.

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.

The stunning cliff path walk is set to reclaim its title as Northern Ireland’s premier visitor attraction as it opens to the public.

After six decades of closure and a £7.5 million investment, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council today (Wednesday 19^th August 2015) reopened The Gobbins to the public, giving eager thrill-seekers the chance to uncover the once hidden wonder of the Antrim coast and indulge in an exhilarating cliff path walk.

The reimagined cliff path will draw in thousands of visitors each year from across the globe as well as re-establishing itself as the iconic Northern Ireland attraction it once was.

Speaking in advance of the public opening, the Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough, Councillor Billy Ashe said: “This is a very exciting time for the Mid and East Antrim Borough, the local community of Islandmagee and for the people of Northern Ireland. We have brought back an exhilarating experience that reinforces the strength of Northern Ireland’s tourism offering and in no time The Gobbins will become the respected tourism giant it once was all those years back.”

Comprising of suspension tubular bridges, caves, steps, and tunnels carved through the spectacular rock face here, Mid and East Antrim Borough’s reimagined treasure has brought what was once a thriving 1900’s hotspot into the 21st century.

Along the trail, visitors will not only enjoy spectacular views of the natural landscape here but get up close to a diverse range of wildlife and gain privileged access to Northern Ireland’s only mainland colony of Puffins alongside various other bird species.

As well as the geological interests, Gobbins Cliff Path boasts history and heritage. It was first enjoyed in 1902 by the Edwardians following its original development by visionary Berkeley Deane Wise, Chief Engineer of the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway Company.

After relishing five decades as Northern Ireland’s top tourism attraction, even exceeding the popularity of the Giant’s Causeway in its heyday, The Gobbins went into disrepair and closed to the public in 1954.

While Gobbins has preserved its original charm to offer the same spellbinding appeal that it did in its prime, new additions bring it into the modern day, including a state-of-the-art Visitor Centre with a café, an Interpretation/ Exhibition space, pre-tour rooms, a shop for branded memorabilia and local crafts, as well as a Tourist Information point.

The Mayor concluded: “It is with great pride and excitement that we open the doors of The Gobbins and share its majestic story with a new generation. There has always been a huge interest in the attraction even long after it closed and today that interest has been heightened dramatically. The demand to experience what is a truly amazing jewel in the Antrim Coastal crown has stretched beyond Northern Ireland as far afield as Australia.

“Bookings are coming in fast and the demand has been phenomenal. I have no doubt that the enthusiasm for The Gobbins will continue to grow rapidly for the foreseeable future.”

The Gobbins cliff path requires a reasonable level of fitness. There is also a height restriction in place and booking online is essential at www.thegobbinscliffpath.com for the hourly tours that depart on the hour from 10am until 3pm is essential. Tickets cost £8.50 per person and £23 for family tickets.

Air Waves Portrush has added a Hollywood A-lister to its stellar airshow lineup for early September.

Sally B, the star of David Puttnam’s 1989 film Memphis Belle, will make a VIP (Very Important Plane) display on the eastern shoreline at Portrush on Saturday 5^th September.

Correctly known as a Flying Fortress, “Sally B” is the last remaining airworthy B-17 in Europe and this year celebrates its 70^th birthday.  Memphis Belle told the story of the first B-17 to complete 25 missions over enemy territory in WW2.  Sally B’s movie co-stars included Matthew Modine, Harry Connick Jnr and Tate Donovan.

The Flying Fortress is just one of many major attractions across the weekend, which will include the RAF Red Arrows (on both days), one of the most iconic single seat strike fighters, the SAAB Viggen jet fighter ‘Thunderbolt’, and the impressive, jet-powered vintage Avro Vulcan bomber. The majestic Vulcan is the only flying Vulcan in the world and this exclusive appearance in Ireland will be its first and last before being permanently grounded in September.

Other aerial highlights will include the RAF Typhoon jet, two RAF Hawk jets, Wild Geese Parachute Display Team, the Blades Display Team, Autogyro, and Royal Navy Sea King Helicopter, among the strongest line-up for years.

With Sally B, the Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane in the air, the WWII theme is carried over on the ground with live music from the Swing Gals and a GI army camp courtesy of Wartime Living History.

Family fun is the focus for ground-based activities which include a play zone,  the Motor Village, vintage aircraft display, 6 helicopters on static display,  Star Wars characters, artisan marketplace,  and the very best of North Coast hospitality.

Air Waves Portrush, organised by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council and sponsored by Tourism Northern Ireland, is set to enthral the 100,000 spectators who are expected to attend.  The event marks the end of the 2015 summer season in Northern Ireland’s much-loved coastal resort.

For more information on Air Waves Portrush visit www.airwavesportrush.co.uk or search for Air Waves Portrush on social media.

2015 marks the 75^th anniversary of the Battle of Britain – the greatest aerial conflict of the Second World War, which turned the tide in the war against Germany.

In recognition of this important anniversary, Ards and North Down Borough Council is holding a special commemorative event featuring a spitfire and hurricane fly-past, jazz picnic and vintage fair at Ards Air Field on Saturday 19 September.

The sounds of the 40s will be recreated by headline act the Syd Lawrence Orchestra, known as the ‘Best Big Band in the Land’.

For further information on this event please contact Ards Visitor Information Centre on (028) 9182 6846 or email ardsvic@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk

A team of 30 determined and dauntless women will take on a unique 30-day charity fitness challenge this autumn. Could you be one of them?

Cancer Fund for Children, the leading NI charity for children and young people living with cancer is calling on women aged 18 and over to sign up to pretty TOUGH. It will take place in the greater Belfast area and will involve indoor and outdoor activities catering to all fitness levels which will run from September 21st to October 20th, 2015.

Led by Bangor-based Tribal Fitness, the challenge is just the excuse to get outdoors, get fit and have some fun. Locations include Ashfield School in Belfast, the Ozone at Ormeau Park and Seapark in Holywood. Activities include circuits, bootcamp drills, team games and relays as well as relaxation.

At the same time participants will be raising vital funds for Cancer Fund for Children, a charity dedicated to ensuring families don’t have to face cancer alone through its unique offer of practical, emotional and financial support services as well as free therapeutic short breaks to families across the island of Ireland.

Cancer Fund for Children service user and NI 4 Kids magazine’s Mum of the Year -Tracey McGeehan is getting behind the pretty TOUGH recruitment campaign. She organised similar events in her home county of Tyrone recently which raised over £40k. She decided to support the charity’s work after receiving help when her little girl Cassie was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2010 aged just 18 months.

Tracey said: “Events like pretty TOUGH are a perfect way of getting out there and getting fit. This challenge will also raise funds for a charity that really helped my family through such a difficult time by offering us a free short break at its therapeutic facility Daisy Lodge in Newcastle which allowed us to escape the pressures of hospital visits and treatment.”

Cancer Fund for Children’s CEO Gillian Creevy said: “By taking part in pretty TOUGH your support will be helping families affected by cancer get through the “toughest time of their lives”. Every week in Northern Ireland another three children, teenagers and young adults are diagnosed with cancer. We rely on donations and goodwill from the public. Funds raised will enable our team of experienced specialists to help even more families cope with the impact cancer has on their lives supporting them during and after treatment and sadly in some cases, bereavement.”

The registration fee for pretty TOUGH is £70. Minimum sponsorship is £300. A full timetable will be provided upon registration. For more information or to register log on to cancerfundforchildren.com, call 028 9080 5599 or email alex@cancerfundforchildren.com.