The Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) has put together a list of 10 exciting things to do in Northern Ireland over the next week (March 3 – 9).

• Discover Fermanagh Open Weekend, various venues, Co. Fermanagh, March 7 – 9. Fermanagh’s Visitor Attractions are opening their doors for free as they kick off this year’s tourist season. Taking part in the weekend is the Aughakillymaude Mummers Centre, Belleek Pottery, Garden of Celtic Saints, Enniskillen Castle Museums, Florence Court, Crom Estate and Castle Coole. 

• Belfast Children’s Festival, various venues, Belfast, March 7 -14.  A treat for families as a range of venues across Belfast will host some outstanding international and local productions for young audiences with a programme including theatre, dance, music, visual and the digital, sonic arts.

• Rostrevor MTB Festival 2014, Rostrevor, Co. Down, March 8-9.  The Rostrevor Mountain Bike Festival makes its return with an exciting weekend of events including Round 1 of the Irish Downhill Mountain Bike Series as well as the first round of the Ulster XC Series.

• Phoenix Dance Theatre, Theatre at the Mill, Newtownabbey, Co. Antrim, March 5.  Enjoy a diverse bill that features two thrilling new works and one classic from the company’s archive, from powerful and relentless to dynamic and physical choreography.

• The ‘Them & Me’ Tour, Millennium Forum, City of Derry, March 8. Popular comedian William Caulfield returns to the theatre with his all new show for 2014, offering hilarious observations of everyday life coupled with his unique ability to tell stories that capture the humour of Northern Ireland.

• The Three Tenors & Star Violinist, The Market Place Theatre & Arts Centre, Co. Armagh, March 8.  Ireland’s Greatest Voices perform fabulous hit songs and a popular uplifting mix from Sinatra and Leonard Cohen to The Dubliners and Pavarotti.  

• Adult Crochet Workshop, The Alley Arts & Conference Centre, Strabane, Co. Tyrone, March 7.  Back by popular demand, the crochet workshop will provide a chance to learn new stitches, embellishments and to use patterns to develop knitwear styles at basic and intermediate level.

• Invasion Belfast VI – Return of the Garrison, W5 at Odyssey, Belfast, March 8-9.  Ireland’s premier Star Wars costuming club return to W5 for a weekend of fresh interactive fun, with a new line-up of actors, talks and activities as well as Emerald Garrison’s hugely popular replica props and scenes.

• Meet the Maker – ‘Ebb Tide’ Exhibition by Rosemary McMillen, Craft & Design Centre, Newtownards, Co. Down, until March 29.  The natural forces of Strangford Lough’s tidal energy and the patterns of light reflected in the shallow waters of the mudflats are key inspirations for this glass sculpture and installation.  

• Another World, Roe Valley Arts Centre, Limavady, Co. Londonderry, March 7 – April 26.  Local emerging artist and University of Ulster student, John McMacken will display a stunning collection of drawings in pencil, pen, charcoal, ink and paint, capturing people and landscapes with a sense of immediacy.

Down

The first round of the North of Ireland Karting Association summer championship takes place this Saturday 1st March at Kirkistown Racing Cicuit. The event is a short circuit karting meeting organised by the 500 Motor Racing Club of Ireland.  The meeting features direct drive junior and senior classes.

Tyrone

For one night only – Thursday 27th Febuary, the Strule Arts Centre show their appreciation to the talented Northern Irish Poet Seamus Heaney.  Come along and hear some of the most popular and revered poems being read by some well known individuals and locals who have a love for poetry.  The evening will also include some light musical entertainment.

Fermanagh

See Brendan Grace live on stage Wednesday 26^th February at the Ardhowen Theatre, Enniskillen.  The greatest family comedian of our generation proudly celebrates 42 years in the comedy business. Brendan’s latest show features some brand new material and some ‘Old Favourites’ from his vast repertoire.

Derry

The Riverside Theatre Coleraine will be rocked to the core as never seen before on Saturday March 1st at 7.30pm, when the Wrestling Superstars invade Coleraine.  Coming from successful tours in France, Spain, Japan, Germany, the United States, Mexico and beyond, this night promises to leave your hair standing, heart pumping and your blood boiling!

Armagh

‘Nivelli’s War’ tells the dramatic story of Ernst, a six year old boy evacuated to the countryside from Frankfurt in World War II. When the war ends Ernst finds himself alone with no idea how to get home again. When all seems lost a mysterious stranger comes to his aid; a man who knows the true value of magic. As they travel together, through a war torn world, the stranger instils in the boy a love of conjuring which will last his whole life.  Nivelli’s War is inspired by a true story and is a vivid and moving theatrical account of an incredible journey and a lasting friendship. This enchanting production at the Market Place Theatre Armagh on Friday 28^th February is a play suitable for age 7+, featuring music, magic and illusion.

Antrim

Bann Valley Community Group present the Award Winning Johnny Cash and June Carter Tribute Show in Clady Hall on Saturday 1^st March.   Tickets available from McCanns furniture shop, Clady post office and Clady Shop.

Belfast

The Waterfront Hall is the venue for the Mind, Body, Spirit Show this Sunday afternoon. Covering complementary health, spiritual awareness, personal development and lots of pampering! This show is the largest of its type in Ireland. Its central feature is the Experience Zone where you can try out a range of activities from reflexology to an Indian head massage. There will be a host of inspirational and uplifting seminars and workshops, from aura photography to zen and from amazing fortune tellers to zumba classes.

Transport Minister Danny Kennedy and Education Minister John O’Dowd are urging schoolchildren to take part in two competitions linked to the Giro d’Italia – the world’s second largest bike race taking place in Northern Ireland this year.

To maximise the local impact of the event taking place in May, the Department for Regional Development (DRD) and the Department of Education (DE) have joined forces with the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB), Sustrans and the Public Health Agency (PHA) to create a supporting programme of events and activities to inspire schools to ‘Think Pink’ and spread Giro fever across Northern Ireland.
School children of all ages are being asked to design a banner to use along the route of the Giro d’Italia and to make active journeys to school.

Minister Danny Kennedy said: “This is an exciting time for Northern Ireland as 200 top professional cyclists from across the globe will arrive here for one of the greatest sporting spectacles on our shores during the weekend of 9-11 May. My Department, along with the Department of Education and all our supporting partners would like to encourage school children to get involved in the excitement. The Giro provides an invaluable opportunity to educate everyone about cycling, not just as a means of transport but also as a leisure activity and as a sporting opportunity.

“As a legacy of the Giro d’Italia, I want cycling to be carried forward in a meaningful way that will make it not only a landmark event but a means of encouraging and promoting cycling as we go forward.”

Minister for Education, John O’Dowd added: “Being active is a vital part of any child’s development and hosting the Giro d’Italia provides us with the opportunity to highlight the importance of physical activity to our young people. Along with the many health benefits, taking part in enjoyable sports activities such as cycling can boost young people’s confidence and self-esteem, in turn stimulating their motivation to learn.

“The Giro is also an amazing spectacle. My message to teachers is: think about how you can use the Giro to get children and young people excited about not only cycling, but exercise and healthy living in general.

“These fun and engaging competitions from Travelwise NI and Sustrans offer excellent opportunities to learn more about this prestigious cycle race, one of cycling’s three ‘grand tours’. And I would encourage parents and families to consider bringing their children out to see the race in action while it is here.

“The prospect of world class professional sport on our doorstep can only serve to inspire our young people to get more active.”

The DRD Travelwise competition is tasking all schools in Northern Ireland to create a banner for use along the route of the Giro d’Italia. The school with the winning design, will have their banner printed, with the winning class (30 pupils and 10 adults) winning a trip to watch the race and display their banner to the watching world.” The closing date is the 14 March 2014. Visit http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/giro-banner for more information.

And, to encourage schools to get active this spring, Sustrans’ innovative 10-day ‘Giro Schools Challenge’ is an inter-school competition that will encourage pupils to cycle, scoot and walk to school each day from 31 March – 11 April. The more active journeys they make, the more points the schools will earn, helping them to compete for a range of prizes including a BMX display session from T13, cycle and scooter parking pods, and Dr Bike sessions.

The Giro Schools Challenge is funded jointly by the PHA and DE. PHA Chief Executive Dr Eddie Rooney said: “PHA is delighted to support this challenge which will help more children to take part in physical exercise, which is so important for their growth and development, not to mention the fact that it is good fun. Too many of our children do not get enough exercise and this poses real, long-term risks to their health and wellbeing.”

To register for the challenge or for more information visit http://www.girochallenge.sustrans.org.uk

Lakin McCarthy Entertainment presents
RUBY WAX: SANE NEW WORLD-THE TOUR
“I’m hilarious, trust me.”

On 13 April, Ruby Wax – comedian, writer, mental health campaigner – will bring her one-woman show RUBY WAX: SANE NEW WORLD-THE TOUR to Theatre at The Mill. Ruby has based this new show on her No. 1 bestselling book Sane New World: Taming the Mind, which has enjoyed worldwide success since publication in 2013.

RUBY WAX: SANE NEW WORLD-THE TOUR will help us understand why we sabotage our own sanity and provides a manual on how to survive the 21st century, using Ruby’s knowledge from her recent Masters Degree in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy at Oxford University spiked with comedy.

Why we need a ‘manual’…

Ruby comments: “We are not equipped for this century, it’s too hard, too fast, and too full of fear; we just don’t have the bandwidth. Our brains can’t take so much information in a world where we’re bombarded by bad news and force-fed information. I can just about take in the weather then I’m exhausted. You open a newspaper, everyone’s dead. We’re only supposed to know what our neighbour is up to; if the woman next door to you is having sex with the man next door to her we need to know; but four doors down and it’s none of our business.”

Using her signature humour, Ruby gives a tour of the brain and how to tame it: “We know so much about how the world works – but so little about our how our own minds work.  It’s like having a Ferrari on top of your head but no one gave you the keys.”

www.rubywax.net/sane-new-world-tour

About Ruby Wax

Arriving in Britain from the United States in 1977, Ruby Wax began her acting career with the Royal Shakespeare Company.  She went on to write and perform in her own hugely popular television programmes for the BBC and Channel 4 and was Script Editor on all series’ of Absolutely Fabulous.  Ruby has since obtained a Masters Degree in Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy from Oxford University and has spoken at TED Global.  She has become a respected campaigner for mental illness in the UK.

RUBY WAX: SANE NEW WORLD tours to Theatre at The Mill on Sunday 13 April. Tickets priced £17.50 and £15 can be booked online at www.theatreatthemill.com

Ahh, Go on, Go on, Go on! Come to The Courtyard Theatre on Saturday 15 March where ‘Ted and Co – The Dinner Show’ is serving up guests a hilarious treat!

A parody to the TV classic Father Ted, the unique and interactive comedy dining experience ‘Ted and Co – The Dinner Show’ was a sell-out hit at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. During its tour, it received five star audience reviews, thanks to its high energy improvisation, audience participation and perfect comic timing.

The highly acclaimed cast combine satire and surrealism with a good helping of old fashioned comedy to bring the tribute show to life. With a three course meal included in the ticket price, you’ll enjoy this entertaining evening as Ted, Dougal, Jack and the housekeeper keep you company, you will, you will you will!

Tickets are selling fast so get yours quick for ‘Ted & Co – The Dinner Show’. They cost £40 (includes 3 course meal) and are available from the Theatre’s website at www.thecourtyardtheatre.com or by phoning Box Office on 028 9034 0202.

The Merchant Hotel’s fabulous Fashion Teas return this March, serving up the sweetest spring trends from a selection of Northern Ireland’s top boutiques.

On Saturday 22^nd and Sunday 23^rd March, The Merchant’s opulent Rita Duffy Suite with four stunning spring Fashion Teas from independent boutiques, Red Ruby Rouge, Edge Emporium, Rio & Brazil and The Boudoir.  In a Fashion Teas first, a children’s collection will also take to the catwalk, as Little Citizens Boutique in Holywood join Red Ruby Rouge to create a show that’s sure to please yummy mummies.

During the decadent round table event, guests will indulge in a luxury afternoon tea including Moet et Chandon champagne and melt in the mouth patisseries, whilst Style Academy models sashay through the room in the season’s hottest new looks, with stunning hair by Andrew Mulvenna and spring make-up looks from Lancôme.

The stylish spring series of Fashion Teas kick off on Saturday March 22^nd with Holywood boutiques, Red Ruby Rouge and Little Citizens Boutique at 12.30pm, followed by Dungannon boutique, Edge Emporium at 3.30pm.  On Sunday March 23^rd, stunning designs from The Boudoir, Dungannon will take to the catwalk 1pm, with and Belfast boutiques Rio & Brazil bringing the spring event to a close with its stunning spring collection at 3pm.

Following each show, guests will have the opportunity to shop the collections, hot off the catwalk with pop-up boutiques for each retailer taking up residence in The Merchant for the weekend.

Look out for ice cream brights, simple separates and sports luxe looks from Red Ruby Rouge. With statement oceana-inspired jewellery from Martha’s Vineyard, abstract leather print clutches, totes from Israel and hand painted menswear inspired silks from Brooklyn, Red Ruby Rouge will showcase beautifully unique and globally inspired collections.

The award-winning Little Citizens Boutique will present a spring collection full of bright and fun colours such as sherbet yellow, berry pinks and clover greens.  Styled with chambray neutrals, the look embodies easy living.  The print on print trend seen on the international catwalks will be evident in their Fashion Teas show, with a range of unusual colour combinations such as camel, neon green and black, as well as white chequered prints and paisley.

Exclusive Dungannon boutique, Edge Emporium will show a stunning selection of key spring/summer looks with a focus on new season colours and prints, including bold brights, sweet pastels and monochrome, all combined with striking prints such as graphic florals and other eye-catching patterns.

The Boudoir at The Linen Green Designer Village, Dungannon, specialises in occasion and casual ladies fashion and accessories.  Its Fashion Teas show will feature an array of the latest trends, with punchy spring brights such as pink, lime green and yellow creating on-trend looks for both mother and daughter.  With over 30 labels in-store, this show will be packed with must-have pieces, perfect for creating a capsule spring wardrobe.

Belfast’s Rio & Brazil will present a fashion-forward collection of candy coloured oversized outerwear alongside sports luxe and sophisticated tailoring from By Malene Birger, as well as metallic weave fabrics in shift blouses with printed silks and American heritage pastels and stripes from Gant.  Except to see the best of this year’s spring/summer trends.

Tickets to The Merchant’s Fashion Teas cost £35 per person and include an exclusive fashion show, champagne afternoon tea and a luxury goody bag.  Tickets can be purchased by calling The Merchant Hotel on 028 9026 2717.  Funds raised from a luxury ballot at the events will be donated to the hotel’s 2014 charity partner Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke.

Northern Ireland’s Queen of Comedy, Nuala McKeever, will entertain audiences with her black comedy ‘In The Window’ on Saturday 1 March at Theatre at The Mill for one night only.

Written and performed by the established actress herself, Nuala McKeever astounds us with this brand new one woman show about the resilience of the human heart in the face of…well just about everything that can go wrong in people’s crazy modern lives.

Divulging the sorrows of a woman called Margaret whose life hasn’t turned out the way she had dreamed and throwing in a burglar, a match-making nosey neighbour, a sexy policemen and a series of little white lies and this black comedy delivers a cocktail of humour and disaster that’s just to die for.

Tickets for ‘In The Window’ which cost £14, £12, £10 (concessions £2 off) are available from the Theatre’s website at www.theatreatthemill.com or by phoning Box Office on 028 9034 0202.

The Lord Mayor of Belfast and Miss Northern Ireland, Meagan Green are just two of the high profile names that will help to paint the town purple next month, when Belfast City Hall hosts a glamorous charity ball in aid of Northern Ireland Hospice.

The glitzy Violet Ball, hosted by the Lord Mayor of Belfast Máirtín Ó Muilleoir will take place on Saturday March 29 at Belfast City Hall and will include an exclusive live performance by one of Ireland’s most successful singers, Brian Kennedy.
Organised by the NI Hospice’s Belfast to Boston Marathon team, who will run the Boston Marathon this April in aid of the charity, it is hoped the Ball will raise over £25,000 to go towards the building of a new state of the art adult hospice at Somerton Road, Belfast.

Guests at the event hosted by the Lord Mayor will include Miss Northern Ireland, Meagan Green, Olympic gold medallist Dame Mary Peters and boxing legend Barry McGuigan, to name but a few.

Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Máirtín Ó Muilleoir has been a strong supporter of Northern Ireland Hospice during his year in office. Commenting on the plans for the gala event, he said:

“The Violet Ball is shaping up to be a fantastic evening and I am very much looking forward to hosting the event at Belfast City Hall, which will be a suitably grand setting for such an occasion.

“This charity has supported so many families throughout Belfast and the Violet Ball is a great opportunity to give something back to this wonderful organisation, as it strives to raise vital funds to rebuild its adult hospice at Somerton Road.”

The Violet Ball will begin with a drinks reception at 7pm, sponsored by Samuel Adams Boston Lager and healthy energy drink ‘Little Big Shot’, followed by a four course dinner in Belfast City Hall’s Great Hall and a headline performance from Brian Kennedy.  Popular Belfast venue, The John Hewitt will run a bar for the evening.

A charity auction and ballot on the night will see a range of fantastic items up for grabs, including a guitar donated by Snow Patrol and high value pieces of boxing, rugby and golf memorabilia, which will be auctioned in aid of NI Hospice.

The exciting event is the brainchild of the four-strong NI Hospice Belfast to Boston Marathon Team, which includes Stuart Kennedy, Peter White, Boston native, Eileen Jack and her husband, Daniel.

Commenting on the inspiration behind the glamorous event, Stuart Kennedy said:

“The Violet Ball promises to be a night to remember, with unforgettable entertainment, food and drinks,  all set within the incomparable surrounds of Belfast City Hall.

“In addition to running the Boston Marathon in aid of Northern Ireland Hospice this April, we hope to raise £25,000 from the Violet ball to help the charity on the road to building its new state of the art adult hospice.”

Joanna Pawson, fundraising and marketing manager for the Northern Ireland Hospice added:

“We are so thankful for the support of the Lord Mayor of Belfast and our incredible Belfast to Boston marathon runners for their support in creating this wonderful event.

“Initiatives such as the Violet Ball will raise vital funds to help to turn the dream of a new Northern Ireland Hospice at Somerton Road into a reality.”

As part of their wider fundraising efforts, the NI Hospice Belfast to Boston Marathon team are also organising a 5k Between the Bridge run in June to help raise even more funds towards the rebuild of the Northern Ireland Hospice.

Tickets to the Violet Ball cost £100 each or £1,000 for a table of 10. For further information on the Violet Ball, visit www.nihospice.org or call 028 9077 7123.

From garbage to garden or landfill to living room, it’s amazing what can be done with the usually cast-off! Although many of us now embrace recycling to some degree, landfills are still home to many discarded but useful items.

The free to visit Waste Not Want Not – Landfill to Living Room event (noon-five) at Ards Leisure Centre on Saturday 8 March, plans to challenge visitors to consider making their living rooms home to intercepted or reclaimed items. A dedicated swap shop invites members of the public to bring small pieces of furniture, bric-a-brac, curtains etc. to swap with others at the event. Electrical items, toys and larger furnishings such as beds and settees are for obvious logistical reasons not included. Sources for the swap can be auction pieces, car boot finds or simply something on skip row.

Organiser Gill McNeill said, “An example of the increasing market for previously discarded useful and necessary items, is the current demand for wooden pallets. To some they are either landfill or wood burner fodder once they have fulfilled their function.  But in other countries this is seen as an expensive waste of resources when they can be turned into polished wooden floors, furniture and cabinets.”

“As well as keeping cost down and providing jobs, valuable hardwood previously buried or mulched is now perceived as a quality, value-added product with potential for profit. It’s not just wood but rubber, vinyl, glass, metal, and paper are fast exiting the waste stream and becoming resources on the commodities market for repurposed products.”

Well-known Northern Ireland recycling-based retailer, restore will also be at the event to explain how they are meeting the ongoing task of up-cycling and repurposing everything from bicycles to furniture.

The organisation’s PR and Events Officer, Cathy Megahey said: “We love to encourage people to get creative with second hand furniture. For as little as £1 plus some DIY input and a tin from our salvaged paint range, smaller pieces can be transformed into bespoke additions that would look good in any living space.”

“Our restore shops in Belfast, Antrim, Larne and Ards sell pieces of refurbished furniture from small coffee tables to dining room sets, wardrobes and suites with a range of prices to suit everyone.  Call in and have a look at some of our items to get your creative juices flowing.”

As an added incentive, a free to enter competition to find the best repurposed or

up-cycled item saved from landfill will launch at the event. Visitors can enter the ‘Skip the Skip’ competition by emailing a a ‘before and after’ photograph of what has been saved from the skip to wnwn@takesplace.info – live from Sunday 9 March 2014.

Prizes for the best creations include a £250 IKEA prize voucher, a refurbished chair from restore and two composters from Ards Borough Council Waste Awareness. The competition closes on Friday 23 May 2014.

So if you want to help conserve forests, reduce waste, recycle valuable resources, and have a little fun in the process, it’s so simple – just reuse those curtains or that old piece of furniture!

A free make and take recycled craft is available for children and for adults, plenty of common sense advise from a number of exhibitors.

Waste Not Want Not – Landfill to Living Room is supported by Ards Borough Council, Ards Borough Council Waste Awareness, East Belfast Mission/restore and the Ards Chronicle.

A new craft event for Ireland will be taking place in Belfast for the first time on Sunday 9^th March, when TOTAL STITCH FEST – THE ALTERNATIVE CRAFT SHOW appears at the Ramada Plaza in a big celebration of all that is handmade and unique. Brought to you by the creative folks behind Frock Around The Clock, the new event aims to bring together a community that fosters a burgeoning handmade and DIY culture, and will be the perfect place to shop for one-of-a-kind goods made right here in Ireland, in a welcoming and friendly atmosphere with designer makers who exude a special energy.

TOTAL STITCH FEST will feature a curated marketplace of around 60 designer makers and artisans from all over Ireland who combine new and traditional craft techniques to produce fresh, innovative work not found at mainstream craft shows. There will also be sellers of craft supplies, various craft demonstrations running throughout the day, a Designer Fashion Exhibition by UNIFY, and a fantastic competition to enter. As a nation who lament the loss of our manufacturing heritage, it is time to make amends – forget mass produced and head to TOTAL STITCH FEST for the best in local and Irish handmade products for you, your family and your home!

Creative Director Becky Moore says ‘the idea for TOTAL STITCH FEST was born out of the growing success of the handmade element of our Frock Around The Clock Vintage Fairs over the last 5 years, and also the popularity of our craft workshops which we ran with textile artist Rosie Moore of Cut Out Doll.  Through this new event we seek to provide inspiration and learning to both a new generation of crafters and seasoned craft addicts, as well as a quality handmade shopping experience which features Irish creative talent. Our commitment is to showcase the best and brightest in indie craft and design so TOTAL STITCH FEST is aimed at shoppers who seek niche and handmade products in opposition to mass produced items, and all handcrafted products available at our Alternative Craft Show will be made by Irish crafters, designers and artisans. With the growing interest in buying local we hope to encourage socially-minded consumers to boost the local economy by purchasing unique gifts handcrafted in their own community and by connecting with the people who made them’.

The craft marketplace will include suppliers of craft materials such as Abacus Beads, The Textile Studio, Simply Spun, and Fine Fish Yarns as well as many designer and artisan stalls selling a wide variety of high quality, unique handmade products including clothing and fashion accessories, furniture, home décor & soft furnishings, art & photography, jewellery, gifts, toys, artisan foods, bath & beauty products, candles, and much more! Exhibitors will include Ewe Sir, specialising in giclee prints, greetings cards and felted original artworks of native Irish wildlife, Petite Jou Jou, creator of unique toys and baby accessories, Vintage Aggy and Molly, selling gorgeous one-of-a-kind miniature teacup dolls, Purls of Colour, creating unusual handknitted accessories using natural fibres, handspun yarn and fabric strips, B-Louise, specialising in crocheted fashion accessories, birds and upcycled lampshades, Colour and Cloth, with handmade designs in scarves and cushions created from naturally hand-dyed textiles, Smudge Illustration, showcasing beautiful textile artworks produced from recycled fabric and thread, Junk Jewels, an upcycling duo who create a variety of funky upcycled items including old suitcases turned into chairs, and Koko Designs, architects of handpainted silk lampshades, scarves, notebooks and bags.

TOTAL STITCH FEST will also include a Designer Fashion Exhibition by Belfast-based collective fashion studio UNIFY. A collaboration between designers of different disciplines, the exhibition will include cutting edge designs in fashion, bridal wear, millinery and jewellery from exciting young designers including David Henderson, Shaua Fay, Kiera Ann Marie Phillips, Marie Claire Millinery and Melanie Bond Jewellery. Visit www.unifyni.com for more details.

The event will also feature various craft demonstrations running alongside the craft marketplace throughout the day. Visitors will be able to see designers and artisans in action, demonstrating many crafts including spinning, fabric strip knitting, appliqué, fabric flower making, wet felt making, fashion upcycling, and much more. Some demonstrations will be interactive giving visitors the opportunity to ‘make and take’ a small something away with them. It is the perfect opportunity to meet the makers in person, and talk about their handmade goods and creative processes.

Visitors to the event will be able to enter a free draw for the chance to win a collectible Irish wildlife print from Cork based textile artist Molly Ellis of Ewe Sir, and 2 runners up will each win a pack of wildlife cards. Specialising in needle-felted illustration, appliquéd textile art, and native irish wildlife, Molly’s foxes, deer, and badgers are all made with a unique fusion of contemporary and traditional felting techniques. She also makes all her Giclee prints from start to finish and, by using archival paper and pigment, the prints are often mistaken for the originals.

TOTAL STITCH FEST – THE ALTERNATIVE CRAFT SHOW will take place from 12-5pm on Sunday 9^th March 2014 at Ramada Plaza, 117 Milltown Road, Shaws Bridge, Belfast BT8 7XP.  Admission costs only £5. More information on the event and the exhibitor list can be found at frockaroundtheclockvintagefairs.com and facebook.com/frockaroundtheclockvintagefairs.