Enter a world of mystery & curiosities, guaranteed to thrill the senses, in Bangor Bob’s Maritime Marvel Tent, at this year’s Sea Bangor Festival which is taking place on June 18^th & 19^th. Hosted by Firsty?, the tent will be part of The Tented Village and will comprise of a collection of art exhibitions and interactive demonstrations brought together in a unique, atmospheric way. Firsty? is a local networking group, who meet twice a month and has been set up by Bangor artists and creatives to share ideas, opportunities and banter.

One of the exhibition highlights will be the amazing Wall of Curiosities, a collection of sculptures and paintings from local artists which will be displayed behind a wall of “peep-holes” allowing spectators to view art from a range of different perspectives.

There will also be opportunities to view artists creating art-works, watch demonstrations, including wood-turning and live digital art or you can roll up your sleeves and get stuck in at the embroidery school or craft some paper and blackboard art.

Children will be thrilled by the sound installation, a large painting which responds to the sense of touch and the giant blackboard mash wall which will allow people to leave their own mini-works of art! Or for the budding writers, how about swapping words for art?

One of Firsty’s members Inga Hamilton commented: “Firsty?, a network based in Bangor for creative talent, is exploding onto the scene. And it’s testament to NDBC’s understanding of the arts’ economic power that they have invited Firsty? to be a part of Sea Bangor this year.

By filling the events Curiosity Tent with live art, craft and humour like you’ve never seen before, we hope to make Bangor people proud of all the amazingly creative people that live in and around the town – many of whom boast international careers. Throw out your pre-conceptions of what art and craft are about and come down during the weekend. We promise you’ll be surprised.”

So why don’t you come along to Sea Bangor and prepare to be thrilled and amazed by Bangor Bob’s Maritime Marvels!

This Saturday, June 4th, sees North Down Borough Council’s Summer Entertainment Programme kick off at the Sunken Gardens.

Jack Wise, the current Street Performance World Champion will be wowing the crowds with his magic and sword swallowing. Jack is a top notch magician, with unrivalled experience and sure fire delivery, who specializes in blending sophisticated humour with jaw dropping magic. Jack has performed live on The Late Late Show, at Leinster House, The Curragh Racecourse, for celebrities including U2 and The Spice Girls, and for corporate audiences around Ireland.

Jack is not only equipped with a razor sharp wit – he is also one of Ireland`s leading sword swallowers!

This year’s street theatre programme will be brought to Bangor by Emergent Events who book and supply the world’s best street entertainers for events in Ireland. Their roster of world-class and international acts have performed for President`s inaugurations and the opening ceremonies of Olympics.

The programme will see live street theatre at the Sunken Gardens every Saturday in June and every Saturday & Sunday in July and August (from 3 – 5pm). There will also be live music at The Bandstand in Ward Park every Sunday from 3 – 5pm during July and August.

So keep an eye out in local press each week for details of the upcoming artists!

SUMMER ENTERTAINMENT STREET THEATRE PROGRAMME 2011

Glengormley’s Uptown Hoedown returns on Saturday 11 June with a fun-packed day of entertainment for all the family in Glengormley Park.

A free family funzone with bouncy castles, face painting, arts & crafts and dance workshops will take place from 12-6pm. Younger kids will love the teddy bears’ picnic and kids games from 1-5pm – don’t forget to bring your picnic!

Stall holders from Newtownabbey’s Speciality Market will display their wares in the park and you can take your chance on the Kentucky Derby and rodeo bull.

Citybeat will also host the Glengormley heat of the Newtownabbey’s Next Big Thing talent competition. The winners of this heat will compete against the winners of August’s Shoreline Festival heat at the finale which will take place at the Big Busking Bonanza in September in Ballyclare.

The musical entertainment will start at 3pm with “Shine” performing favourite songs for all the family. Garth Brooks and Eagles Tribute acts will take to the stage for an evening concert at 7pm. The bouncy castles will stay into the evening, so if mum and dad want to listen to the concert, kids can play away in the background!

So get yourself down to Glengormley Park on 11 June for some toe-tapping fun.

For more information see www.newtownabbey.gov.uk/hoedown or follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/uptownhoedown or call 028 9034 0000.

Northern Ireland families needed now to star in new TV Health show

Does your family have the wrong diet and wrong attitude? Do you do enough exercise? Do you shop badly and can’t cook? If the answer to these questions is ‘Yes’, don’t worry, as help is on the way.

A new BBC NI television series is giving you the chance to help change your family’s life forever.

Tern Television is creating a new television series for BBC Northern Ireland called Fat Chance. We are looking for three families (mums, dads and children) with weight issues to take part in an intensive, expert-led weight loss programme this summer which will take stock of their health issues and give them a real chance to change their lives forever.

In this series, the three families will spend one week in a secret location where some of the nation’s best experts in Nutrition, Health, Psychotherapy and Fitness will help set them on the road to recovery. In a course of specialist treatments they will be given the chance to change. Then in the following weeks, they will be sent home to put what they’ve learnt to the test.

We’re looking for outgoing families with weight issues that are making them unhappy and unhealthy but who most of all want the chance to change.

If you and your family are Overweight and potentially putting yourselves at increased risk of Diabetes, Heart Disease and a variety of Cancers, we want to hear from you. We want people who are willing to share their stories with the nation to ultimately show us all how we can tackle our growing obesity problem.

The treatment programmes our families will undergo would normally cost thousands of pounds, but for the people who take part in the show it will be completely free.

For further information on how to take part, contact the Fat Chance team, Peter or Gohir at fatchance@terntv.com

Or Tel:- 02890326038

* All enquiries will be dealt with in the strictest confidence*

The Ulster Festival of Art & Design has commissioned the Belfast band, And So I Watch You From Afar to write and produce a unique 30 second track.

In an innovative move, the Festival is using the special one-off piece entitled “Confident Human” as part of its radio advertising……….a bespoke track written specifically for this purpose. The track will air on Cool FM and U105 from 20^th May – 11^th June.

In addition, to complement this enterprising stroke of creativity, the Festival also commissioned filmmaker and artist Seamus Harahan to make a short film to accompany the track.

More info: Tim Kerr | t.kerr@ulster.ac.uk | 028 9026 7286
www.ulsterfestival.com

You won’t be angling for something to do over the next two weeks if you catch some of the exciting events taking place during the South Antrim Fishing Festival!

Organised by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Councils, the event runs from 21 – 28 May.

On Saturday 28 May, a flagship event will take place at Mossley Mill, from 11am to 5pm.  Jenny Bristow, Ireland’s Good Food Ambassador, celebrated chef and author will be showcasing her skills in the marquee at 12 noon, 2pm and 3.30pm as she demonstrates how after you’ve hooked it, you can cook it. Along with fly tying demonstrations, fish stalls, arts and crafts and children’s entertainment, it promises to be a brilliant day for all the family to enjoy.

Throughout the course of the festival week, seasoned fisherman will have a chance to pit their skill against each other at the three competitions which are taking place at Straid Fishery on 22 May from 10am to 4pm; Craigmore Fishery, Randalstown on Thursday 26 May from 6 to 10 pm and Tildarg Fishery, Ballyclare on Saturday 28 May from 11am to 4pm. The winner of each competition will walk away with a prize of £200, second place with £100 and 3rd place £50. The person who hooks the heaviest fish over the course of the competition will take home the Allan Kirkpatrick Memorial Cup.

For those of you who would like to enter a fishing competition in the future, but have never tried the sport, the coaching sessions are just the ticket.  These free, one hour sessions will be led by professional angling instructors at Tildarg Fishery on Monday 23 May from 6-10 pm; Toome Linear Park on Tuesday 24 May from 6-10pm; Trout and About, Ballyclare on Tuesday 24 May from 5.30-9.30pm; Craigmore Fishery, Randalstown on Wednesday 25 May from 6-10pm, Straid Fishery, Ballyclare on Thursday 26 May 6-10pm and Creeve Trout Fishery, Randalstown on Friday 27 May from 5-9pm.

It certainly promises to be week of fishy fun with something for everyone to enjoy.  Make sure you don’t miss out!

For further information visit www.southantrimfishing.com or contact Lisa O’Kane on 028 9034 0052.

The South Antrim Fishing Festival is being funded by ‘GROW South Antrim’ through the Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme and sponsored by Ulster Bank, AG Wilson, Barnabys Restaurant, Castle Mall, Six Mile Water River Trust, Straid Fishery and White O Morn.

Looking for a great local family day out in June? Then why not check out the Funtopia Family Fun Day, in aid of Foyle Hospice, on Saturday, June 4th from 1 p.m. This exciting event will be held at the new Funtopia Fun Centre, situated at the Three Rivers Centre, just behind the Eclipse Cinema Complex, Lifford, and will be packed with all the fun that Funtopia can provide from Games & Entertainment, face painting, Balloon moddelling and much more!

All in aid of the hardworking charity, Foyle Hospice, the Funtopia staff and management are planning a spectacular family event with “It’s a Knock Out”, games and inflatable fun throughout the afternoon. Children will be able to enjoy all the facilities of the fun centre, which is currently offering a packed programme of events for young people including a after schools club, drama classes, fashion and design classes, junior youth club and youth discos.

“Since we opened our after-school club and various evening clubs for children and young people in the Strabane and Lifford areas, we have been overwhelmed by the local support” commented Rose McCrossan from Funtopia.  “We therefore felt a great way to thank everyone would be to offer a truly magical fun day all in aid of Foyle Hospice, which will bring everyone together for such a hardworking charity, whilst letting everyone in the local area enjoy our wonderful facilities and services offered by the fun centre. For example little ones the fun day will be offering a magical fun day and balloon modelling, while older children can enjoy the pool and games room, karaoke and disco room and much more!”

The Funtopia Family Fun Day in aid of Foyle Hospice kicks off at 1 p.m and will run until 3 p.m, with all proceeds raised on the day from the fantastic Funtopia Face painting team and bouncy castle going towards Foyle Hospice. The Funtopia Fun centre has excellent parking facilities and is only a 1 min walk from the Eclipse Cinema, offering family’s the ideal opportunity to catch a matinee film after the fun day! For further information about the fun day, which is also open to community groups wishing to bring groups on a special day out, simply call Rose on the Funtopia hotline on 07821046036.