Ulster Orchestra Principal Guest Conductor and violinist Beverley Scott outside the Royal Albert Hall in London, where the Orchestra performed as part of the BBC Proms on Sunday 5 September. The Ulster Orchestra was making its tenth Proms appearance, 25 years after first taking to the Royal Albert Hall stage in 1985. It played a programme of music closely associated with the founder-conductor of the Proms, Henry Wood, including pieces by Tchaikovsky, Sibelius and Rachmaninov.
The Ulster Orchestra travelled to London at the weekend to give a concert at the prestigious BBC Proms in the Royal Albert Hall. The Sunday evening concert (5 September), broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio Ulster, celebrated the work of Sir Henry Wood, the Proms’ founder-conductor.
An enthusiastic and large audience greeted the Ulster Orchestra and its Principal Guest Conductor, Paul Watkins, on what was the Orchestra’s tenth appearance at the Proms and the 25th anniversary of its first performance there in 1985.
Pianist Steven Osborne was the soloist in Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.1, providing a London taster for the Orchestra’s new Belfast season which opens with four outstanding solo pianists, each playing one of Rachmaninov’s four piano concertos over four consecutive Fridays from 17 September.
Also on the Proms concert programme were popular works by Sibelius and Tchaikovsky, along with rarities by Bax and Dorothy Howell – very much the sort of mix for which Sir Henry Wood was renowned.
Accompanying the Ulster Orchestra to London, its Chief Executive David Byers said: “The programme really played to the Orchestra’s strengths and Northern Ireland can be rightly proud of its Orchestra and the audience response said it all. It was wonderful to be in the Hall for such a great music-making evening.”
Talking about the Rachmaninov series, David Byers said that Russian virtuoso pianist Boris Berezovsky, who is renowned for his sensitivity and insight, opens the Orchestra’s new Belfast season with Rachmaninov’s Fourth Piano Concerto in the Belfast Waterfront on Friday 17 September. In the following weeks Steven Osborne plays Rachmaninov’s First Concerto once more, Barry Douglas the Second and Sergei Babayan the Third.
The Ulster Orchestra will also play at this year’s Proms on Saturday 11 September, when the Last Night of the Proms will feature the Orchestra at Proms in the Park, which this year comes from Hillsborough Castle in County Down.
The hilarious Colin Murphy is set for a performance at The Playhouse next Saturday 11th of September. As part of the Big Tickle programme, Belfast born Colin makes a welcome return to the town. Colin has played sell out shows throughout Ireland and at the biggest and best comedy festivals around the world including Edinburgh, Melbourne, Montreal, and of course Derry’s Big Tickle.
The last time I went to see Colin, he was performing in his band The 1234s. An unusual experience, Colin is actually a half decent guitarist. The 1234s play punky, good time rock n’ roll and the band provided a great night out in the Bound For Boston in July.
Back at his day job, Colin has been an almost permanent fixture on Irish television for the last decade. From a long list of credits his highlights have included the five years he was the writer and presenter of, the highly regarded and critically acclaimed, Blizzard of Odd followed by a six year stint on the hugely successful The Panel for RTE.
On the BBC he is back as a regular panellist on topical news show The Blame Game and his own Great Unanswered Questions, which airs on television, BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Radio 4.
If you’re in the Maiden City next weekend I can’t recommend this gig highly enough.
Tickets are priced at £15 and are available from The Playhouse box office.
TJ, Belfast Rocks
Belfast Rocks is run in Belfast, right bang in the centre of the city. We work to list all upcoming live events in the city; if you are organising a live event in Belfast contact us. Belfast Rocks is part of the Event Rocks suite.
With over 150 events planned for Sunday 3rd October, National Trails Day 2010 is set to be bigger than ever, celebrating the wonderful variety of trails available for everyone to enjoy in some of Ireland’s most beautiful countryside, forests, mountains and lakes. From hill walking to cycling, horse riding to canoeing, there will certainly be no shortage of events on offer throughout the country.
“National Trails Day is a great initiative encouraging people of all ages and abilities from across Northern Ireland to get out and active.” David Healy, Sunderland & Northern Ireland Footballer.
Now in its third year the cross-community National Trails Day has grown from strength to strength. In 2009 more than 10,000 people from across Ireland got out into the countryside and enjoyed trails in a variety of ways. Events for National Trails Day 2010, which will all be offered free of charge, include bat walks, fun cycles, family orienteering, horse riding, canoeing and nature trail walks to name just a few!
“National Trails Day is all about getting all sorts of people, no matter how mobile they are, out into the great outdoors to make use of our many off road trails. It’s a great opportunity to show just how easy it is to use these trails and of course how beneficial the outdoors can be to healthy living – who needs a gym when all this is on our doorstep.” Pamela Ballintine, local UTV television presenter.
This year the Countryside Access and Activities Network (CAAN) will be leading the organisation and marketing of National Trails Day in Northern Ireland and will be offering a fantastic range of exciting activities on trails throughout the country.
“Northern Ireland offers a wide range of unique trails both on land and water, everything from ‘have a go’ paddling sessions on the Strangford Lough Canoe Trail to venturing through the foothills of the Mourne Mountains along the Mourne Way. For the slightly less adventurous, National Trails Day is also offering events such as a family fun cycle through Gosford Forest Park and an autumn wildlife walk through the National Trust grounds of Crom Estate in County Fermanagh” explains Chris Armstrong from CAAN.
“The main aim of the day is to celebrate the trails we all have on offer and encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to get outdoors. However, National Trails Day is also about promoting the idea that we need to protect and maintain these trails and October 3rd will also hopefully raise awareness of the great work of the key agencies who strive to do this.”
Miss Northern Ireland supporting National Trails Day 2010
National Trails Day events in include the Lagan Canal Boat Rally and Towpath Walk, a woodland and lakeside walk through Hillsborough Forest and a cycle along the Newry Canal. There will also be a short ramble along a section of the Mourne Way from Rostrevor to Kilbroney Park. The Canoe Association of Northern Ireland (CANI), in partnership with Clearsky Adventure Centre, are running a canoeing taster session on Strangford Lough with the National Trust offering a ‘walk on the wild side’ through Murlough National Nature Reserve.
There will be an Archeology and Heritage trek up Divis and Black Mountain and an autumn meander around Minnowburn, on the outskirts of Belfast.
There will be a pleasure cycle through Ballypatrick Forest, a ramble through Riverside Park in Ballymoney, a nature walk through Lagan Valley and an autumn wood trail walk through Portglenone Forest. There will also be a ‘Leave No Trace’ walk along the Sallagh Braes in the Antrim Hills to name just a few.
All of these events will be offered free of charge.
“A day such as this is ideal for getting out with friends and family and doing something a bit different.” Denise Watson, BBC Newsline Sports Correspondent.
CAAN is organising National Trails Day with the support of financial partners Inland Waterways of the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, Northern Ireland Environment Agency, Waterways Ireland and Sport Northern Ireland. All events organised for National Trails Day 2010 will be listed on www.nationaltrailsday.co.uk with full contact information of the organisers. For some of the events, places are limited so contact the relevant organisers ahead of the day so as not to be disappointed. If you feel like you would like to organise your own event for National Trails Day get in touch with CAAN on 028 90303930.
The Crowd pleasing Red Arrows Display Team will return to Portrush on Saturday.
UP, up and away for the 2010 NI International Airshow. The popular aeronautical event, held annually at West Bay, Portrush will grace the skies over the seaside resort this coming weekend featuring over twenty different aerial displays from current jets to historic and privately owned planes.
The free event, organised by Coleraine Borough Council, was given a welcome funding boost in 2010 by over thirty local businesses and multinational supermarket chain, Tesco. The necessary capital raised saved the show from being cancelled and has been put towards the delivery of another spectacular event that is set to attract up to a quarter of a million visitors to the area this weekend.
Mayor of Coleraine, Councillor Norman Hillis is looking forward to welcoming the pilots and visitors to his hometown of Portrush, he said; “The NI International Airshow is undoubtedly a major highlight in Northern Ireland’s yearly events calendar. Annually attracting large crowds to Portrush, the Airshow makes a significant contribution to our local tourism and hospitality sectors and we are indebted to our local businesses and Tesco who pulled together to generously fund the show.
“Residents and visitors to the North Coast can enjoy a full and free programme on land, sea, and air. A particularly poignant element to the Airshow is the Remembrance parade and Poppy drop on Sunday afternoon. The parade on the beach will be followed by a short service and the release of 4 million Poppy petals over the crowds to remember and honour our service men and women, in particular those who lost their lives during the Battle of Britain seventy years ago.”
Aircraft from all over the UK fly in to display at the show. Closer to home is the Wild Geese Parachute Display team from Garvagh who have jumped at every airshow since 2002. 2010 will be their ninth consecutive year jumping into West Bay to support the event.
To entertain the young and young at heart there will be a full offering of ground attractions, including, exhibitions, trade stalls, simulators, children’s entertainment and road shows.
Coleraine Borough Council would like to draw your attention to the following information: Both piers at the Harbour will be closed to spectators under instruction from the Civil Aviation Authority. West Strand beach will remain closed until 7pm on each day. All aircraft appearances are subject to weather conditions and technical availability.
West Bay will be closed to all traffic. Please note that vehicle access to West Strand Road and West Strand Avenue is strictly for residents only. Free parking is available at Dunluce Centre, Landsdowne Crescent, East Strand and along the Coast Road to Portstewart..
Disabled parking is available at the Ballyreagh Golf Club car park for holders of valid ‘blue badges’. There will also be limited additional parking for blue badge holders at the Harbour quayside, the painted bays on Kerr Street, the harbour and around Portrush. Tune into Q97.2FM for traffic reports.
For more NI International Airshow details and full line up list, visit www.niinternationalairshow.co.uk , visit the Facebook or Twitter sites or contact Coleraine Borough Council on 028 7034 7234.
Breaking news from CDC Leisure today is that the Wombats are to play the Spring & Airbrake on 12th January. The anticipation surrounding the return of The Wombats continues to escalate. Their upcoming single ‘Tokyo (Vampires & Wolves)’ received a glorious global premiere on Zane Lowe’s Radio 1 where it was named the Hottest Record In The World and was swiftly followed by the news that their October tour dates sold out almost immediately.
Tickets are priced £13 plus £2 booking fee and are available at www.cdcleisure.com The tour’s pre-sell commences on 9am on Wednesday, September 1st from www.the-wombats.co.uk/store before going on general sale from 9am this Friday, September 3rd.
More news from cdc leisure.
LAST EVER SKOOL DISCO!
One of Northern Ireland’s longest-running and most popular midweek theme nights, Skool Disco at the Limelight, is set to close its doors for the final time on Thursday 9 September to make way for a new weekly club starting the following Thursday.
CHIEF CANCEL ANNIES SHOW
CDC regret to announce that due to radio commitments CHIEF will not be able to play their show in Belfast, ticket refunds will be refundable from the point of purchase
DJ YODA RETURNS WITH HIS BRAND NEW AV SHOW!
Stand back! Super-dextrous turntablist and AV master DJ Yoda is once again pushing the entertainment envelope by taking his newest show to the biggest screen in town. No stranger to breaking new ground and consistently raising the bar in DJ entertainment, DJ Yoda’s multifaceted AV live shows are renowned for being an audio visual spectacle.
JIM KERR (SIMPLE MINDS) ELECTROSET TOUR ANNOUNCED FOR BELFAST!
Lostboy! AKA: Simple Minds’ Jim Kerr prepares for an extensive European tour including a stop at the Spring & Airbrake, on November 10th. James “Jim” Kerr is the founder and the voice of Simple Minds, one of the most influential British bands of the Post-Punk musical revolution in 1978. “Lostboy! Aka” is a solo album by Jim Kerr.
Bubble Gum Goes POP again!
Attention all you Princes of Pop and Disco Diva’s! Wednesday nights in Belfast’s legendary Spring & Airbrake will never be the same again as the normally live music venue is transformed into Bubblegum! A club aimed at those who want to get out and party to the purest sounds of POP and dare we say tunes with a slight hint of fromage.
TRASH TALK SUPPORT CANCER BATS
California rockers Trash Talk wil Support Cancer Bats on their Irish dates. Trash Talk recently won Best International Newcomer at Kerrang Awards 2010. Playing three shows at three venues in one night, Sacramento punk powerhouse Trash Talk lived up to the short, fast and intense spirit that of their debut album” Rolling Stone
JASON CLARKE TO SUPPORT TOMMY REILLY
The Belfast born singer who has previously supported Paolo Nutini, General Fiasco and Fighting with Wire will be supporting Tommy Reilly in the Spring & Airbrake on 12th September.
CAITLIN ROSE TO SUPPORT DEER TICK
Caitlin Rose releases her highly anticipated debut album Own Side Now in August 2010. Check out what the Guardian has to say. Review
DARWIN DEEZ ANNOUNCES BELFAST SHOW
Indie Chart toppers Darwin Deez have announced a Belfast date at the Limelight on Wednesday 10th November. Tickets are on sale this Wednesday.
Tim Robbins actor / musician plays the Limelight – Sept 27
Actor, director, screenwriter & musician Tim Robbins is set to embark on his first ever European tour including a date at The Limelight on September 27th. He will tour with The Rogue Gallery Band. Tim Robbins is best known for his roles played in The Shawshank Redemption, Mystic River and Bull Durham. He has won many awards for his work in film including an Oscar for directing Dead Man Walking as well as an Oscar and Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Mystic River.
SCOTT MCKEON ANNOUNCED AS SUPPORT TO GLENN HUGHES
Guitarist /singer /songwriter Scott McKeon will support Glenn Hughes during his Belfast show in the Spring & Airbrake. Since picking up his first guitar at the age of four, Scott McKeon has devoted himself to the mastery of his craft and can now be considered to be one of the most gifted and naturally talented guitarists, singer/songwriters emerging on the UK blues rock scene. In 1998, Scott was the winner of Guitarist Magazine’s “Young Guitarist of the Year” and by the age of fourteen, he was already fronting his own band. He is already listed as one of the 27 best blues guitar players in the
TINPAN ORANGE TO SUPPORT THE CAT EMPIRE
‘From the minute that Tinpan takes the stage one is struck by the synergy of something so gentle yet powerful. The partnership of Jesse, Emily and Alex is a formidable knock out combination. They all know when to let it breathe or drive it home. The web they weave instantly catches you and you are happy to be their captive.’ – John Butler
Elliot Minor return to The Limelight – September 26th
Elliot Minor will return to The Limelight, Belfast on September 26th during their UK tour. This will be their third time playing to Belfast fans in The Limelight. Elliot Minor are a classically influenced rock band from York, England, previously called The Academ
Boyce Avenue will return to The Limelight – 22nd November
Boyce Avenu have previously played to Auntie Annies and Spring & Airbrake. Boyce Avenue, a Florida-based band popular for its strong acoustic roots and melodic rock sound, consists of the three brothers Alejandro, Fabian, and Daniel Manzano. They became a YouTube sensation after posting videos of their own songs and covers of their favourite song
Paul Gilbert brings ‘Fuzz Universe’, to lBelfast
Paul Gilbert will bring ‘Fuzz Universe’, his most recent album to life during his return to Spring & Airbrake on Sunday 7th November 2010. Paul will be accompanied on tour by bassist Craig Martini and drummer Jeff Bowders. As a special bonus Tony Spinner will be included in the band as guitarist and vocalist. Tony is known for his powerful mix of rock, blues and shred guitar as well as his stunning vocal abilities. Tony has toured with Paul on his solo tours of Japan in the 90’s. In addition to presenting his new songs for the first time live, Paul will be performing favourites from RACER X, M
SARAH BLASKO TO PLAY AUNTIE ANNIES
‘As Day Follows Night’, Sarah’s third album was voted Album Of The Year by Triple J, Australia’s biggest national radio network and nominated for five ARIA’s. Award winning Sarah Blasko plays Auntie Annies Attic in December
Deer Tick for Annies!
Deer Tick have announced a Belfast show in Auntie Annies. The Rhode Island band, influenced by the likes of Tom Petty and Sammy Davis Jr, consider themselves a rock n roll band. They already have three albums under their belt, with the latest release The Black Dirt Sessions, due for release in June 2010.
GREG DULLI TO EMBARK ON FIRST EVER SOLO TOUR
An Evening With Greg Dulli. 29-City Acoustic Tour Makes Stops In Five Countries and will showcase his solo material in Spring & Airbrake on Thursday 28th October 2010.
The Wombats return to Belfast for a headline date at The Spring & Airbrake on Wednesday 12th January 2011. Tickets priced £13 are on sale this Friday at 9am. The anticipation surrounding the return of The Wombats continues to escalate. Their upcoming single ‘Tokyo (Vampires & Wolves)’ received a glorious global premiere on Zane Lowe’s Radio 1 where it was named the Hottest Record In The World and was swiftly followed by the news that their October tour dates sold out almost immediately.
‘Tokyo (Vampires & Wolves)’ has also since been named as Zane Lowe’s Single of the Week.
The single introduces the band’s eagerly anticipated second studio album (title to be confirmed) which is set to launch their unique style to a wider audience when it’s released towards the end of the year. Produced by Eric Valentine (Queens of the Stone Age, Lostprophets), ‘Tokyo (Vampires & Wolves)’ adds an array of new sounds to the band’s famously immediate songwriting.
Following the release of their debut album ‘The Wombats Proudly Present… A Guide To Love, Loss and Desperation’, the band’s ascendency continued unabated. The Wombats completed two huge sold-out UK tours which included triumphant shows at Brixton Academy, a unique one-off headline show at London’s Royal Albert Hall and a massive homecoming show at the 10,000 capacity Liverpool Echo Arena. They were nominated for Best UK Act at the MTV Europe Awards, and played a plethora of enormous festival appearances including OXEGEN and a co-headline set on the NME/Radio 1 stage at Reading and Leeds as well as storming sets at Glastonbury, T in the Park, Isle of Wight.
The Wombats will play live at Spring & Airbrake, Belfast on Wednesday 12th January 2011. Tickets are priced £13 plus £2 booking fee and are available at www.cdcleisure.com The tour’s pre-sell commences on 9am on Wednesday, September 1st from www.the-wombats.co.uk/store before going on general sale from 9am on Friday, September 3rd.
The Wombats will play:
January
12th – Belfast, Spring & Airbrake
13th – Dublin, The Academy
15th – Edinburgh, HMV Picture House
16th – Dundee, Fat Sams Live
18th – Newcastle, O2 Academy
19th – Leeds, Metropolitan University
21st – Birmingham, HMV Institute
22nd – Manchester, Academy
23rd – Sheffield, Leadmill
24th – Norwich, UEA
25th – Cardiff, University Solus
27th – Bristol, O2 Academy
28th – London, HMV Hammersmith Apollo
Venue: Spring & Airbrake
Date: Wednesday 12th January 2011
Ticket Price: £13 plus £2 Booking Fee
Doors: 9pm
Support: To Be Confirmed TICKET DETAILS
In person: From 22 Ticketmaster outlets province wide (Including Easons) / Katy Daly’s
Bar
24hr hotlines: Tel: (NI) 0844 277 44 55 (ROI) 0818 719 300
Buy online: www.cdcleisure.com
Strabane’s award winning Alley Theatre has announced this week that a major educational arts seminar is to set to take place at the intimate venue, in association with BT and NWIPP. Entitled “Like – Building Digital Networks For The Arts”, this groundbreaking North West event will be free to attend for North West students and people working within the Arts Industry.
It is anticipated over 250 students and local artists will benefit from this conference, which will offer various social media workshops offered by Derry’s Nerve Centre and the opportunity to hear leading social media commentators. Throughout the day participants will explore how individuals, whether from an arts or business background can develop a serious and profitable presence via various social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and My Space.
John Kerr, Alley Theatre Manager stated “We have invited students from across Tyrone to take part in this interactive seminar. Students will be able to learn more about new developments in social media and new skills. Various workshops will be on offer from, how to set up a podcast, to video and movie editing, designing publicity material for events and business, and animation and social networking. We also have a selection of top guest speakers throughout the day including Andy Ferris from the top Northern Ireland record label Small Town American Records, and Mark Nagurski, the newly appointed Digital Champion for Derry and IT commentator.”
“On the day the seminar will host a special celebrity guest host, who will share their secrets about using social networks in their career. We will also have guest speakers from our partners, BT and NWIPP, who will be sharing with the participants information on how new advances online are changing the way individuals are doing business, and what they expect to see in the future in terms of online communications.”
The Alley Theatre will be hosting this major conference due to a REACH funding award from Arts and Business NI, an organisation which develops and supports business involvement in the Arts. Last years Sounds Like Summer Festival, supported by BT and NWIPP was a major event in the North West, and in recognition for this successful event and partnership, funding has been provided to run this exciting event.
“People are demanding more from the internet as they spend more time on line, whether you’re talking music, videos, websites, blogs or downloads, in our ever increasing digital world, online is the place to be” stated Peter Morris, Consumer Director BT. “As one of the leading providers of superfast broadband we are currently rolling out BT Infinity, our fibre optic technology, across Northern Ireland providing users with an even greater online interactive experience, and all at the speed of light. It is through events such as ‘Like’ that encourage the use of online skills and we are therefore delighted to provide support for this innovative event.”
Beverly Coomber from Arts and Business NI commented ““Arts & Business Northern Ireland is delighted to support The Alley Arts & Conference Centre to develop its creative partnerships with its local and national business sponsors through the Reach Investment Programme. Reach exists to encourage and inspire sustainable relationships, which work to maximize return on investment, meet business objectives and deliver tangible benefit through working with the arts. We would congratulate BT and NWIPP for working with the Alley on “Sounds Like Summer 20:10” and look forward to seeing the outcome of “Like”.
“For anyone considering a career in the creative industries, or perhaps even starting a business, an understanding of social media is already becoming a serious advantage and soon it’ll be a necessity. It’s great to see forward-thinking events like this working with students to equip them with the skills they’ll need to make a real impact.” Mark Nagurski, Digital Champion for Derry
John Kerr concluded “As well as local A- Level and GCSE students, we are also inviting local artists, musicians, actors, anybody within the arts fields to register free of charge to hear the guest speakers section. This part of the event starts on September 17th at 10 a.m. sharp. If you work in the arts industry or and want to learn more about developing your presence on the internet for free via social networking, contact the Alley Box Office on 028 7138 4444 to register your details. If you are a teacher and wish your students to attend please contact the Alley’s Maketing Department on 028 71884760. Places are free, however limited so early booking is advisable.” For more information on “Like” visit http://www.alley-theatre.com/about-us/like or contact the Alley Theatre Box Office on 028 7138 4444.
You are warmly invited to join us on 15 September 2010 for the official launch of Culture Northern Ireland’s new Digital Skills Training Programme.
The launch will take place simultaneously in the Midtown Centre, Belfast and the Nerve Centre, Derry, from 2pm – 4:30pm. A two-way Skype connection will stream the event between the venues.
Digital marketing expert and mentor for the Arts Council of Ireland, Aoife Flynn, will offer free training in strategic digital marketing.
Get a taste for digital media by trying out some of the equipment for yourself and watching demos. Trainers will be on hand to answer your questions. Beginners and experienced digital media users are all welcome.
For more information on the training programme and to register your attendance, please visit our website at
Teddy bears, fridges and even beds are among the many things that students bring with them to start university life according to the UK’s largest ferry operator P&O.
The company, which operates the shortest, fastest and most frequent crossings between Ireland and Scotland, and estimates it carries thousands of students on these routes each year, has also reported seeing guitars, surf boards, roller blades and even the odd golf club or two on board during the run up to freshers week.
Among the other items routinely transported on P&O sailings are bikes, TV’s and games consoles and according to the company one student even brought a much loved pet.
Tracy Robb, Marketing Manager for P&O Irish Sea, said: “With the huge array of books, electrical items and other worldly possessions needed at the start of university life travelling by ferry remains one of the most popular choices for transporting loved one’s and their luggage in the run up to first term.
“Starting university and leaving home for the first time can be a scary prospect for many and so having a few well chosen items that remind students of home often brings comfort and security in the first few months of term. P&O takes the hassle out of travelling and because there is no maximum luggage allowance or weight restrictions it means that often Teddy gets to go too!”
According to UCAS over 3,000 students make the journey from Northern Ireland to England and over 1,000 move to Scotland to start university life*.
Tracy continues: “P&O operates 20 sailings per day on its routes between Larne and Troon and Cairnryan, and four sailings per day between Dublin and Liverpool**, and with fares as low as £79 for a car and driver P&O offers parents and students a hassle free journey towards the first days of university life.”
*2009 Annual data sets
**Except Sunday and Monday.
For more information on all day trips or to book, visit www.poirishsea.com
7 year old Liam Nachmias gets in some practice for Ballyclare Busking Bonanza with the Mayor of Newtownabbey, Alderman Paula Bradley.
Ballyclare will come alive with the sound of music on Saturday 11 September when Newtownabbey Borough Council and the Ballyclare Chamber of Trade will host the Borough’s first ever Big Busking Bonanza.
A wide range of talented performers, musicians and vocalists will take to the streets and with a line up to suit the tastes of both young and old, there will certainly be something for everyone to enjoy.
Speaking at the launch of the event, the Mayor of Newtownabbey Alderman Paula Bradley said;
“I’m delighted to be launching the Borough’s first ever Big Busking Bonanza. We’re hoping that everyone will come along to Ballyclare for this great fun event and enjoy the wealth of talent that will hit our streets.”
Niall McConkey, President of Ballyclare Chamber of Trade said;
“By working in partnership with the Council, local companies hope to deliver a successful Big Busking Bonanza which we hope will become an annual event to put Ballyclare firmly on the musical map and attract visitors to the town centre.”
The talented buskers will be competing for a £1500 prize fund, including Best Individual Act, Best Group Act, Best Street Performer, Best Junior Act and Best Overall Act.
For further information, contact Gillian Lewers on 028 9034 0079, see the Council’s website or follow the Big Busking Bonanza on Facebook.
