From the producers of ‘A Viennese Strauss Gala’, the sumptuous fully costumed show, ‘Magical Mozart By Candlelight’, will immerse The Market Place Theatre in the wonderful music and the classical baroque world of one of the world’s greatest romantic composers – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

With beautiful settings, costumes and lighting, and of course candles, the European Baroque Ensemble and singers transport you back to the sumptuous past. An evening of classical music and song, which includes excerpts from Mozart’s Operas including ‘The Magic Flute’, ‘The Marriage Of Figaro’, ‘Cosi Fan Tutte’, and many more beautifully sung moments from his world famous operas. Also the European Spirit Ensemble will perform some of his most memorable pieces of Mozart’s magical music. An evening of Mozart masterpieces!

‘Magical Mozart By Candlelight’ will be performed at The Market Place Theatre in Armagh on Thursday 13^th February at 8pm. Tickets are priced £16, and can be booked by contacting the Box Office on [028] 3752 1821, or online at www.marketplacearmagh.com

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.

The Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) has put together a list of 10 exciting things to do in Northern Ireland over the next week (January 27 – February 2).

• Jesus Christ Superstar, Riverside Theatre, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, until February 1.  Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s stirring musical is an emotional rollercoaster as it tells the story of the last seven days in the life of Jesus of Nazareth.

• Robert Mizzell, The Market Place Theatre and Arts Centre, Co. Armagh, January 29.  Country singer Robert Mizzell has made his home in Ireland for over a decade and he is now one of the top country artists in Ireland.  Enjoy this energy filled show brimming with country music.
• Cake Decorating Course, Belle Isle Cookery School, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, January 31.  Learn how to make your cakes beautiful whether you are a complete beginner or you want to improve your skills. 

• Ulster Orchestra: Composers and War – 150 Years in Vienna, Ulster Hall, Belfast, January 31.  Nowhere bears more eloquent witness to the troubled history of Europe than Vienna, its music as much as anything else.  You will hear Beethoven’s famous ‘Pastoral’ symphony, Britten’s arrangement of the Minuet from Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 and Richard Strauss’ late Oboe Concerto. 

• Be Wild about Wildlife, Murlough National Nature Reserve, Dundrum, Co. Down, February 1.  Discover the wildflower and waders of Dundrum Inner Bay and marvel at their epic journeys.  A great day out for bird watching beginners.   

• Wetland Wildlife Weekend, Castle Espie Wetland Centre, Comber, Co. Down, February 1 – 2.  Join us to celebrate World Wetlands Day, an international celebration of wetlands on February 2.  Meet amphibians and insects, take part in wetland themed activities and enjoy lots of wetland related fun.

• Snowdrop Walks, The Argory, Dungannon, Co. Tyrone, February 1 – 23.  Come along and see the wonderful show of snowdrops on display.  After a self-guided walk through the blankets that cover the estate, enjoy warm refreshments in the Courtyard Coffee Shop.  Snowdrop plants will also be available to buy.

• Celtic Soul, Black Box, Belfast, February 1.  This seven piece ensemble will perform renditions of Van Morrison’s classic hits and album tracks including Bright Side of the Road, Have I Told you Lately, Days Like This, Gloria and Brown Eyed Girl.

• Valentine’s Vintage Fair, Malone House, Belfast, February 2.  The ever-fabulous Frock Around the Clock Vintage fair will be hosting its Valentine extravaganza of gorgeous vintage and handmade treasures.  45 fabulous vintage sellers and Irish designers will be showcasing fashion, jewellery, home wares, collectables, music and much more.

• The Unremarkable Death of Marilyn Monroe, The Old Courthouse, Market Square, Co. Antrim, February 2 – 28.   Monroe as we’ve never seen her before; alone in her bedroom, in dressing gown and no slippers, no glitz, no glamour, no masks.  This stark confessional offers a radical interpretation of this Hollywood legend and leads us, in real time, to the very moment of her death.

Down

Meet the Quackers tours at WWT Castle Espie every Saturday and Sunday until the end of May.  What whistles and doesn’t quack?  With a knowledgeable and entertaining guide as your friend for the day discover the exciting world of the largest collection of rare and exotic geese, ducks and swans in Ireland.

Tyrone

Take part in the RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch 2014 this Sunday at Gortin Glen Forest.  Drop in and enjoy the free family fun, record local birds in the Forest Bird Watch, Make a super duper bird feeder, create your own little garden bird and chance the Gortin Glen Angry Bird Trail to win some wildlife goodies!!

Fermanagh

Carrybridge Lakeside Lodge are hosting a Burns Night Supper on  Saturday 25^th January. Music by Enniskillen Pipe Band. Supper at 8.00pm. Tickets only £5 per person.

Derry

The Everglades Hotel Wedding Fayre, presented by Perfect Bliss Wedding Events, takes place this Sunday 26th January from 2pm-5pm.  Admission is free. Over 45 Wedding Suppliers in attendance…Wedding Band Showcase on the day from Michael Mc Gill Entertainments.

Armagh

You are cordially invited to join Farmer Joe in celebrating his birthday on Friday 24th January at the Armagh City Hotel.    It sure will be a great night’s craic with cake, party games, best decorated wellie competition and much more, with music by Colorado Fever.  Tickets are priced at £10 and currently on sale from hotel reception with all proceeds in aid of Southern Area Hospice Services. So dust down your Sunday best and polish up those willies, it’s time to party!

Antrim
It’s pure slapstick comedy at the Courtyard Theatre this Saturday with the Bart Players’ production of Family Fever.  Alec’s daughter Myra goes into early labour, his neighbour needs help to pick a negligee for his wife and a wily mouse is on the loose.  A host of misunderstandings and comical characters will have you are laughing in the aisles.

Belfast

Calling all wrestling fans past and present! Ever wanted to see your favourite classic matches on a giant cinema screen? Well now is your chance!  On Saturday, January 25th, at 7:30pm at Strand Cinema, Holywood Road in East Belfast wrestling returns to the big screen!  After the success of the July 2013 and October 2013 events, WrestleFest is back for another chance to see your favourite wrestling stars in some of their most famous matches and moments on the big screen!   Presenting ther ROYAL RUMBLE special and it’s all happening on the night before this year’s WWE Royal Rumble pay per view.  This is the perfect addition to any Belfast wrestling fans Rumble weekend!!

First Minister The Rt Hon Peter D Robinson MLA and deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness MLA have shown their support to hundreds of local athletes that are preparing to compete at this year’s Special Olympics All-Ireland Games in Limerick.

The First Minister and deputy First Minister met with local gymnast and Special Olympics athlete, Jonathan McCartney, aged 10, his mother, Sue McCartney and representatives from sports charity, Special Olympics Ulster, as 244 local athletes prepare for the Games, which take place 12-15 June 2014.

To mark the official launch of Team Ulster, ministers, MLAs and NI Assembly staff will be joined by Special Olympics Ulster athletes, volunteers and supporters at Parliament Buildings on Monday 27^th January to cycle, run and walk a cumulative 500 miles – representing the return journey Ulster athletes will make to the 2014 Special Olympics Limerick Games.

Participants taking part in Special Olympics Ulster’s ‘Stormont Challenge’ will have their choice of treadmill or exercise bike in Room 115 at Parliament Buildings – sponsored by the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM). The event will allow people to drop in throughout the day between 10am and 4pm to make their contribution to the overall mileage target of 500 miles.

Commenting on the initiative, the First Minister Peter Robinson said: “We are pleased to support Special Olympics Ulster, a valuable community organisation that provides year round sports training to people with intellectual disabilities, in the launch of Team Ulster for the 2014 Special Olympics Limerick Games. We wish the athletes and volunteers best wishes for their preparations and every success for the Games in June.”

The deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness added: “Our Special Olympics athletes are great ambassadors and we would encourage members of the public to get behind Team Ulster as they prepare for their journey to Limerick in June by showing their support in any way they can.”

The 2014 Special Olympics Limerick Games will take place over four days from Thursday 12 June to Sunday 15 June 2014. In what will be one of the largest and most prestigious sporting events to take place in Ireland this year, 1,500 Special Olympics athletes from throughout the island of Ireland will travel to Limerick. They will be accompanied by 500 coaches and official delegates as well as a contingent of over 3,000 family members. The Games will be supported by a team of 3,000 volunteers who will be recruited over the coming months.

The Limerick Games represent the third year in the four-year Special Olympics competition cycle, with the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games taking place next year in Los Angeles.

Locally, the Special Olympics programme is delivered through sports charity, Special Olympics Ulster, supporting over 2,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities in 98 clubs throughout the region.

Commenting ahead of the launch of Team Ulster, Shaun Cassidy, regional director, Special Olympics Ulster said:

“For many of our athletes in the Ulster region, the 2014 Limerick Games will be the first time they will have competed on a national level. Reaching this level of competition is a real achievement for our strong delegation of Ulster athletes.

“We would like to thank the First Minister and deputy First Minister for their valued support – our Stormont Challenge is poised to be a great launch event for Team Ulster as our athletes begin their journey to the Limerick Games, where they will represent Northern Ireland on a national stage.

“Members of the public wishing to support Team Ulster on the road to the 2014 Limerick Games can make a donation online at www.specialolympics.ie/ulster – every donation, however small, will make a huge difference to the lives of local athletes with intellectual disabilities.”

For further information on how to get involved with the Special Olympics Ulster Stormont Challenge, to make a donation, or to find out how you can volunteer, visit www.specialolympics.ie/ulster or call 028 9023 9023. Special Olympics Ulster is funded by Sport NI.

Northern Ireland’s favourite vintage shopping event, the fabulous Frock Around The Clock Vintage & Handmade Fair, will be making its first appearance of the year at Malone House in Belfast on Sunday 2nd February with an extravaganza of vintage glamour and unique gifts just in time for Valentine’s Day.

The event will showcase over 45 handpicked, high quality vintage dealers and creative designers specialising in vintage, handmade and upcycled fashion, jewellery, furniture, homewares, collectables, dolls and bears, art, scrumptious sweet treats, photography and much more. With all this under one roof it will be easy to find your loved one a unique gift that they will treasure forever, and if you’re not romantically inclined, or you’re against the whole Valentine’s affair, then there are tons of treats to show yourself a little love too!

Creative Director Becky Moore says ‘Our February fair is always a favourite with visitors – a glittering spot on the horizon of a long and dreary January. Its the perfect time to treat yourself with your first pay cheque of the year, find unique Valentine’s gifts for your loved one, or even early Mother’s Day presents that will show Mum just how much you appreciate her. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner we wanted to show our customers some love too, so we have not one, but two fabulous prizes in our event competition this time. All visitors on 2^nd February will be able to enter our free prize draw for the chance to win either a gorgeous statement pillbox hat from milliner Sophie Dinsmore of Lower Than The Angels, or a framed photograph of the Belfast Cranes from Photography By Marc Lawson.’

Pioneering the vintage way since 2008, it comes as no surprise that Frock Around The Clock has put the fun and glamour back into shopping. The effort that visitors make in getting really dressed up for the occasion, and the degree of originality and individuality seen in how they put an outfit together, is an indication of just how seamlessly vintage has merged with mainstream fashion in Northern Ireland. The Sugahfix.com Style Spotter is always in attendance to capture stylish ladies on camera so the prestigious event’s customers regularly appear on the pages of Northern Ireland’s leading online fashion guide!

Now in its 6^th year of delighting customers from all over Ireland, Frock Around The Clock still remains dedicated to sourcing the best in vintage dealers and fresh creative talent, so in addition to many of the old favourites there will also be a number of fresh faces to be seen at the 2^nd February event, providing a spectacular variety of unique, quality and interesting things to see and buy. Whether you are in search of a stunning frock, authentic vintage treasures, beautifully handcrafted designs, or delicious edible goodies, this event has it all!

The impressive exhibitor list will include Lower Than The Angels, creators of distinctive, bespoke millinery inspired by vintage chic and Hollywood glamour, Norma Jean Vintage, who will be running a sale on original vintage wedding dresses, Strictly Vintage, connoisseurs of high end vintage designer jewellery, Emili-Jean Vintage, dedicated to sourcing amazing and authentic vintage wear,  Tiny Tower Vintage, specialists in vintage china, linens, eiderdowns and collectible books, Ardmore Cottage Interiors & Gifts selling soft furnishings, clocks, pictures and lamps, FiftyFive65, creators of vintage reproduction dresses for modern gals, Vintage Aggy and Molly, showcasing exquisite handmade dolls created from antique haberdashery, Emily Loves Vintage offering beautiful, limited-edition eclectic jewellery, and Rosy Glow who will be selling handcrafted lampshades and hand painted glassware.

The Frock Around The Clock Valentine’s Vintage & Handmade Fair will take place from 12-5pm on Sunday 2nd February 2014 at Malone House, Barnett Demesne, Malone Road, Belfast BT9 5PB.  Admission costs only £3, which includes entry into the exclusive competition. More information on the event and the exhibitor list can be found at frockaroundtheclockvintagefairs.com and facebook.com/frockaroundtheclockvintagefairs.

iFactory – a 36 month EU funded programme designed to provide bespoke innovation support to SMEs across Northern Ireland and the border counties – will culminate in a celebration conference and awards ceremony featuring fragrance entrepreneur Jo Malone as keynote speaker in the City Hotel, Derry-Londonderry on January 29.

It will be the first time the successful businesswoman, who has been an innovator within the beauty and lifestyle industry for 20 years, has attended a speaking engagement in Northern Ireland.

Led by North West Regional College and managed by the Northern Ireland Business and Innovation Centre (NORIBIC), the £1.65 million iFactory programme was funded through the European Union’s INTERREG IVA Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) and has supported 150 small businesses.

Dr Bernard Toal, Chief Executive of NORIBIC, explains: “Small and micro businesses across the INTERREG IVA region have huge potential for growth but are often hampered by obstacles which the iFactory believes can be overcome with the application of innovation.

“By embracing innovation as an integral and key component of a business’ products, processes and services we have shown iFactory participants how to shorten their improvement journey and move closer to realising their growth potential.

“We are delighted to welcome Jo Malone as headline speaker, given both her personal success in building a worldwide brand and also her extensive experience in helping small businesses realise their dreams of trading on the high street.”

Fifteen partners have worked together to deliver the programme including all of Northern Ireland’s further education colleges, Letterkenny and Sligo Industries of Technology, NORIBIC and West BIC, and five county enterprise boards in the border counties. Each partner contributed their expertise to the mentoring pool which was accessed by participants in one-to-one sessions and web based information through i-learning seminars and conferences.

Lorraine McCourt, Director with the SEUPB, added: “This project has acted as an invaluable catalyst for real innovation development amongst a significant number of locally based SMEs, on a cross border basis.

“By providing the support, expertise and resources these firms need to improve their business offering the iFactory programme has helped them to become more competitive within the global marketplace.  I look forward to sharing the experiences and celebrating the success of the participating businesses on January 29.”

The iFactory Celebration Conference and Awards will comprise a showcase of a selection of participating companies and addresses from keynote speakers followed by dinner and the presentation of five iFactory Innovation awards recognising Innovation in Growth, Export, New Service Development, New Product Development and Innovation Continuum.

Baroness Shirley Williams visits Theatre at The Mill for an evening of disclosures on her past civic triumphs and challenges and her outlook on today’s political arena. Come along on Thursday 6^th February and witness interesting insights into current affairs of past and present.

Baroness Shirley Williams believed that being an MP would give her the power to bring about all kinds of good things for society. Such aspirations might sound naïve but Shirley Williams has achieved more by sticking to her principals and core values. Now into her ninth decade, she has seemingly singlehandedly forced the coalition government into a U Turn over their plans to restructure the NHS.

In this remarkable show Dame Shirley Williams talks about a fascinating life lived through turbulent political times.

Don’t miss ‘An Audience with Shirley Williams’ at Theatre at The Mill on Thursday 6^th February. Tickets which cost £15, £13 and £11 can be booked online at www.theatreathemill.com or through Box Office on 028 9034 0202.

The Market Place Theatre in Armagh will be swinging to a mix of folk, rock and bluegrass music over the coming weekends, with music by ‘The Four Shuck Men’ and ‘The Curtis Blackwell Bluegrass Band’.

‘The Four Shuck Men’ are Malachy O’Neill, Adam Costa, Aidan McGillion and Paul Meehan.  All members are based in Armagh City and perform widely around Ireland and abroad.  Formed in ‘Red Ned’s Bar’ in Armagh by a group of friends who share a passion for music, they have managed to carve out quite a reputation in the local music scene. The band play a lively mix of original material, folk, rock and traditional Irish music.

The Four Shuck Men will perform on Saturday 1^st February at 8.30pm. Tickets are priced £10 each.

After more than forty years of playing bluegrass music, Curtis Blackwell still captivates audiences with his high, powerful voice and the sincerity expressed in his singing. Curtis Blackwell is a member of the Atlanta Country & Bluegrass Music Hall Of Fame, a former member of Bill Monroe’s ‘Bluegrass Boys’, and is honoured in the Atlanta Country Music Hall Of Fame. He has performed on the Grand Ole Opry and at many of the U.S. historic Bluegrass festivals. As many have said, he’s the real deal!

Curtis here performs with multi-instrumentalist Chuck Nation who plays fiddle, mandolin, guitar, banjo, and bass, Susan Nation on vocals and acoustic upright bass and Gary ‘Biscuit’ Davis who has won the National Bluegrass Banjo Championship many times.

You are promised an evening of toe-tapping music that will engage and entertain from the moment the band take the stage until the rousing applause at the end! Close harmony vocals and superb instrumentals are their trademark of The Curtis Blackwell Bluegrass Band. They know how to draw, entertain and engage a crowd. Whether it’s a well known ballad with that high lonesome sound that is a trademark of a great bluegrass band or a rousing fast-paced instrumental like Orange Blossom Special, this band can deliver!

The Curtis Blackwell Bluegrass Band will perform on Saturday 8^th February at 8.30pm. Tickets are priced £10 each. Tickets can be booked by contacting the Box Office on [028] 3752 1821, or online at www.marketplacearmagh.com

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.

The Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) has put together a list of 10 exciting things to do in Northern Ireland over the next week (January 20 – 26).

• Nightrider: Mountain Biking by Moonlight, Castle Ward, Strangford, Co. Down, January 23 and February 6 & 20.  Have a go at the fun and quirky activity of mountain biking by moonlight on the bike trails around Castle Ward.  Top quality mountain bikes and lights will be available.

• A Musical Evening of Song and Dance, Ardhowen Theatre, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, January 25.  Following a sell out concert, St. Mary’s and Ballyreagh Silver Bands are back with another evening of music with the aim of bringing communities together.   This year the bands are joined by compere Sean McCaffrey and conductor Stephen Crooks.

• An Evening of Popular Music with local band Crush, Square Box, Ranfurly House Arts & Visitor Centre, Dungannon, Co. Tyrone, January 25.  Family band Crush’s mix of popular songs and original material makes it one of the most popular bands in NI and earlier last year it supported the number one selling UK group The South on tour.

• Burns Dinner Night, SS Nomadic, Hamilton Dock, Belfast, January 25.  Come and enjoy a traditional Burns Night celebration onboard the SS Nomadic, the last remaining White Starline ship, in celebration of one of the UK’s finest poetry legends with haggis, neeps and tatties. 

• Ulster Orchestra:  Burns Night Celebration featuring Eddi Reader, Waterfront Hall, Belfast, January 25.  The Ulster Orchestra has put together an evening of traditional music in partnership with the Ulster-Scots Agency.  It will feature music by acclaimed Scottish singer-songwriter Eddi Reader who is well known her interpretations of the songs of Scotland’s national poet.

• Learn to Kitesurf, NI Kitesurfing School, Ards Peninsula, Co. Down, January 25.  Learn to kitesurf in a structured and safe environment with Northern Ireland’s only dedicated school.  All equipment provided on the day.

• Adult Pony Camps, Tullynewbank Stables, Glenavy, Co. Antrim, January 26.  These camps are a great way to refine a skill or to learn something completely new about equestrianism.  Remember to bring a warm jacket and your riding boots.

• Way Back Then, Millennium Forum, Co.  Londonderry, January 26.  Local entertainers come together for a special 50^th anniversary show to commemorate one of Bishop Daly’s famous Sunday night variety concerts. Featuring the talents of the Foyle Showband and the ex- Rosemount Boys School Choir.

• The Story of Belfast, Falls Road Library, Belfast, until February 13.  An exhibition exploring the development of Belfast from pre-Christian times until the present day and recount how the city grew from a small settlement into a major industrial city in the late 1800s and how it became a world leader in heavy industry including shipbuilding, engineering and textiles.

• Jan Powell’s Plathian Mythologies, the Market Place Theatre and Arts Centre, Co. Armagh, until February 15.  Jan Powell is an artist from Armagh who has exhibited throughout NI from the early 1980s.  Her exhibition ‘Plathian Mythologies’, made up of 84 works, is inspired by the poetry of Sylvia Plath.

On 23 January, Theatre at The Mill presents THE ONLY WAY IS DOWNTOWN, written and performed by Luke Kempner and produced by Seabright Productions.

Following a sell-out run Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2013 and a West End season, impressionist Luke Kempner (star of YouTube hit Downstairs At Downton and West End shows Les Mis and Avenue Q) brings his solo show The Only Way is Downton to Newtownabbey.

‘A fine impressionist, giving a splendid display of Downtonry.’ Stephen Fry

As celebrities start appearing at the Abbey, cultures clash and eras hilariously collide in this brilliant new parody. Building on the multi-character original scenario of his YouTube video, Luke has created an original story in which the characters of Downton Abbey are in crisis and have to call upon modern celebrities in their appeal to save the Dowager’s country pile from certain closure.

Writer/performer Luke Kempner has recently appeared in Sleeping Beauty for Salisbury Playhouse, the UK tour of South Pacific, LIFT at the Soho Theatre, the UK tours of Avenue Q and Les Miserables, directed by Laurence Connor. Luke is a graduate of the Guildford School of Acting.