The Ards and North Down Pipe Band and Drum Major
Championships will take place on Saturday 11 May 2019 at Newtownards Airport,
from 11am – 5pm.
Ian Burrows (Project Manager at the Northern Ireland branch of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association) pictured at Newtownards Airport with Scrabo Tower in the background. Picture: Paul Moane
Ards and North Down Borough Council, in association
with the Northern Ireland branch of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association,
will host what will be a superb day out for the whole family.
Come along and see the world’s best Pipe Band and
Drum Majors in action together with more than 1,000 musicians in 35 pipe bands
contesting this year’s Ards and North Down Pipe Band and Drum Major
Championships.
There will be
plenty to do for the whole family with face painting, children’s highland games,
food stalls and a mini funfair* (*minimal charge applies). Plus, there will be
a colourful display of talent in the Highland Dancing competition!
It promises to be a day of music, colour and
pageantry that will culminate in a spectacular Grand Finale March Past and Salute
to the Chieftain, before the presentation of prizes.
You could even make a
weekend of it and explore the area in and around Newtownards. Go shopping in
the town centre which is filled with lovely gift shops, boutique shops and cosy
cafes – perfect for those who love to shop or simply browse.
Maybe even make use of
the fantastic facilities at the newly opened Ards Blair Mayne Leisure and
Wellbeing Complex where those tired feet would definitely enjoy a trip to
the relaxing surroundings of the spa.
Just outside the town
centre, Mount Stewart is a beautiful spot to take a walk or enjoy a picnic
while the view from Scrabo Tower is simply breathtaking!
For more information, visitardsandnorthdown.com/pipebands
or rspbani.org, or call 028 9127 0069.
Newtownards is preparing for a puppet invasion next month when the Ards Puppet Festival returns to Ards Arts Centre and Conway Square.
Ruby and Daniel Bingham, catch up with some quirky characters at the launch of Ards Puppet Festival 2019. The festival will be held in Ards Arts Centre and Conway Square on Sunday 26 and Monday 27 May. Characters from The Beat Hotel, kindly lent by Filmtrip Ltd.
The popular festival which is taking place on Sunday 26 and Monday 27 May presents a full-programme of puppet mayhem and will be fun for all ages!
popular festival which is taking place on Sunday 26 and Monday 27 May presents a full-programme of puppet mayhem and will be fun for all ages!
The popular festival which is taking place on Sunday 26 and Monday 27 May presents a full-programme of puppet mayhem and will be fun for all ages!
Over the
two days, Ards Arts Centre and Conway Square will be buzzing with an eclectic
mix of scheduled performances, free puppet workshops and plenty of madcap
puppet shenanigans! Expect puppets in all shapes and sizes, from socks to
strings and even glow in the dark!
The Festival
is thrilled to welcome Lyngo Theatre to this year’s programme to perform their ‘Tom
Thumb’ and ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ shows at Ards Arts Centre. Not your usual
puppet shows – these classic fairy tales will be brought to life with
fascinating and magical performances by Patrick Lynch of Cbeebies fame. The
whole family will be entertained!
Clydebuilt
Theatre will make a welcome return to the festival with their adorable ‘Lost
Bear’ production and the much-loved Banyan Theatre will also return with their
enchanting show ‘The Hedgehog Prince’. All scheduled shows cost £3 per ticket,
advanced booking is required.
There’s
lots happening outside in Conway Square too with a full-programme of
street-theatre, walkabouts and puppet workshops. Watch the ‘Billy Goats Gruff’ as
they tussle with the grumpy troll, queue up at the ‘Rat Choc Chip’ ice-cream
van and get more than you’ve bargained for, enjoy a ‘Teddy Bears Picnic’ or
traditional ‘Punch and Judy’. More creative visitors can get stuck into puppet
making at the free interactive workshops where children can build their very
own puppets, with help from professional artists.
One of the
programme highlights will be performances by the Budapest Marionettes.
Performing for the first time in Northern Ireland, Bence Sarkadi is a Hungarian
marionette artist / puppeteer who travels the globe, entertaining crowds with
his award-winning, one-man show. Prepare to be amazed as Bence’s mastery brings
his puppets to life. All Conway Square performances are free of charge.
From 13 – 24 May, the Puppet
Scavenger Hunt will take place around Ards Town Centre. Follow the clues and
spot the crazy characters to win a prize and be in with a chance of winning a
Family Pass to the Black Adventure Zone at the Ards Blair Mayne Wellbeing and
Leisure Complex.
Speaking about the festival, Amy
McKelvey, Community Arts Development Officer with Ards and North Down Borough
Council said; “As
always, we are thrilled to be launching our programme for Ards Puppet Festival
2019 with plenty of unique performances to entertain the whole family.
Alongside festival favourites like Banyan and Clydebuilt Puppet companies, we
are very excited to be welcoming the Budapest Marionettes and Beautiful
Creatures to the festival and to Northern Ireland, for the first time.”
Ards Puppet Festival takes place
from 26 – 27 May in Conway Square Newtownards. Copies of the Puppet Festival
programme are also available from Ards Arts Centre, North Down Museum or any of
the Council’s Visitor Information Centres.
For more information, to book
tickets or to download the programme go to: www.ardsarts.com
Join
us on Friday 7 June at Theatre at The Mill, Newtownabbey for the Simon and
Garfunkel Story – 50th Anniversary Celebration.
Has it really been 50 years since the most successful Folk/Rock duo
of all time recorded their first no1 hit single ‘The Sound of Silence’?
Direct from a week long run in London’s West End and performing
to SOLD OUT audiences in over 50 countries worldwide, The Simon &
Garfunkel Story is back. This show
is currently the biggest and the most successful theatre show celebrating the
lives and career of Folk/Rock sensation Simon and Garfunkel.
Featuring a cast of talented West End actor- musicians, their performance
will take audiences back through the Groovy times of the 1960’s. It
tells the story of both Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel from their humble
beginnings as Rock n Roll duo ‘Tom and Jerry’, right through to their massive
success, dramatic break-up and finishing with a stunning recreation of the 1981
Central Park reformation concert.
The show features 1960’s photos and film footage whilst a full
live band perform all their hits including
Mrs Robinson, Cecilia, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Homeward Bound, Sound of
Silence and many more!
From Sydney to Seattle and now set for Newtownabbey, this is an
evening not to be missed!
This Easter Whitehead Railway Museum will be open for an extended run including both Easter Monday and Tuesday. Opening times each day are 10am to 4pm with conducted tours at 11am, 1pm and 2.30pm. Self-guided tours are also available.
Whitehead Railway Museum will be playing host to the Easter Eggspress special from Belfast. The RPSI steam train, hauled by recently restored engine No. 131, will be operating Monday April 22, making two round trips from Belfast. The train departs Lanyon Place at 11.30am and again at 2.30pm and will be at Whitehead Railway Museum for 45 minutes from 12.15pm and again from 3.15pm.
An extra attraction for people living in the East Antrim area is the Belfast Shopper – a trip by steam train that gives you a full day in Belfast – where you can shop, visit some of the attractions and have a leisurely lunch. The train leaves Whitehead Railway Museum at 9.55am on April 22 and returns from Lanyon Place at 5pm, and you can sip a cup of coffee as the train skirts the shoreline of Belfast Lough. The train calls to collect passengers at Carrickfergus at 10.10am.
Acting General Manager at Whitehead Railway Museum, Siobhan
Dillon, said: “We are thrilled to announce our timetable for the Easter weekend
at Whitehead Railway Museum. Any time where we can open our doors to the public
for an extended period feels special, and we wanted to mark the occasion with
as many activities as possible.
“We had a record number of visitors on April 6 when we held a 100th
birthday party for our little blue shunting engine No. 3BG Guinness. Now we’re
keen to build on that memorable occasion and have a record Easter. We are
offering lots of different attractions which will appeal not just to railway
enthusiasts but to the public looking for a day out with a difference.”
The highly acclaimed Edwardian Tea Room will be offering a special
Easter menu with a range of new dishes over the weekend. The Tea Room opens from
10.15am serving homemade lunches, snacks and teas and coffees. For more
information about the Museum and to book tickets for the Easter Eggspress steam
train, visit https://www.steamtrainsireland.com/
The sun is set to shine on Bangor this Easter weekend with lots on offer to excite and entertain all the family.
Easter Saturday
will be the biggest day of the weekend with Peter Rabbit making appearances
throughout the day at the Town Hall where children can take part in crafts and
workshops, a warrior assault course and lots more activities to entertain kids
of all ages.
At Ward Park’s
Bandstand Hotch Potch Tiny Tours will celebrate the magic of nature with
installations and storytelling and stilt walking like you’ve never seen it
before. Just cross the lawns from at Band Stand at Bangor Library, storytelling
sessions will take place throughout the day.
You’ll be able
to get your skates on for the roller disco at Project 24 starting at 1pm and
running throughout the day until 5pm. Roller skates are provided and Queen’s
Parade will come alive with the sounds of disco!
On Easter
Sunday, the Ulster Youth Orchestra will set-up their instruments at the Band
Stand at Ward Park putting on a performance between 3-5pm. Bring along a picnic
and enjoy the music al fresco!
Peter Rabbit
returns to Ward Park on Easter Monday making appearances throughout the day
alongside Hotch Potch Tiny Tours and interactive dance fun and exercise with
Jump, Jiggle and Jive. ‘Shed of Stories’ pop-up library will be bringing books
to life with storytelling.
The pop-up
roller disco will open once again at Project 24 skating to the sounds of the
70s, 80s, 90s and noughties while an Easter trail and crafts will take place at
North Down Museum.
Throughout the
weekend Main Street and High Street will have Easter themed fun in conjunction
with Bangor Chamber and Main Street My Street.
There’s a packed
line-up of events taking place throughout Easter weekend in Bangor. For full
details go to www.visitardsandnorthdown.com
Explore
Belfast City Centre with the kids this Easter and hunt down 10 coloured Easter
Eggs hidden in local shops, cafes and restaurants, for a chance to win a family
prize package worth £300*. The Easter Egg Hunt runs from Friday 12 to Sunday 28
April.
The
Family Prize Package includes £150 toy shop vouchers, restaurant vouchers and
cinema passes and, for your chance to win, all you have to do is find six or
more Easter Eggs and tell Belfast One what colour they are by posting your
entry, available online or at any one of the 10 egg locations, in a Belfast One
post box located around the city centre, by emailing your entry to info@belfastone.co.uk, or by posting it to Belfast One BID
Ltd, Scottish Provident Building, 7 Donegall Square West, Belfast, BT1 6JH.
If you
share your pictures of the Easter Egg Hunt on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter
using the hashtag #BelfastEggHunt you could be in with the chance of winning
one of two £50 vouchers for a shop of your choice in the Belfast One area.
Download
your Easter Egg Hunt sheet at www.BelfastOne.co.uk/Easter or pick one up at any of the
egg locations!
Renowned writer, director, actor and musician, Cora Bissett returns to the MAC on 1-5 May for her latest show, What Girls Are Made Of.
Following
an award-winning, sold out premiere at Traverse
Festival 2018, What Girls Are Made Of comes to the MAC as part of
a UK and worldwide tour, before heading to Brazil and the USA.
Written
and performed by Cora Bissett, co-creator and director of the acclaimed Glasgow
Girls, which visited the MAC in 2017, What Girls Are Made Of takes audiences back to 1992 to tell the
autobiographical story of Cora’s rollercoaster journey from Fife schoolgirl to
indie singer.
Directed
by former Traverse Artistic Director, Orla O’Loughlin, the show celebrates the euphoric highs (touring
with Radiohead, partying with Blur) and epic lows (untrustworthy managers,
£40,000 debt) of Bisset’s young life, poignantly interspersed with the personal
losses and gains of her adult life. Now
a mother herself, Bissett draws from her own teenage diaries to question what
wisdom we should pass on to the next generation, and which mistakes we should
let them make for themselves.
Performed
with a live backing band and packed full of 90s indie tunes
from Nirvana, Blur, Sultans of Ping, Radiohead and Throwing
Muses, What Girls Are Made Of promises to be a fun night out, bringing audiences on a trip down memory lane
and giving them an insight into what life in the music industry is really like.
Speaking about
the show, Cora Bisset said: ‘I never imagined that last year
when I started wading through the old diaries and piecing together this story
into a play, that we would end up this year with a tour traversing Scotland and
Northern Ireland and ending up in Brazil and the USA! I’m really excited to
take the show on the road and particularly back to my old home turf in Fife,
where I was born and went to school.
The play starts
in Glenrothes and charts my teenage self, looking for the big adventure that
life might hold. I was overwhelmed by the response we got in Edinburgh last
year, where it seemed to resonate with everyone from teenage girls, to
middle-aged men and women with teenage kids, and to older people who felt that
teenage self rekindled. It seemed to be everyone’s story.
It tickles me
that a story about an indie kid from Fife somehow clicked with theatre
programmers in Sao Paulo and South Carolina, who want to share it with their
audiences. Maybe that’s because,
although it speaks in broad Fife-isms, it also speaks in universalities. It’s
about growing up, and not wanting to be anyone’s puppet. It’s about making big
leaps of faith and failing monumentally. It’s about searching in the dark for
years for what the hell you’re meant to be doing. It’s about losing loves,
losing faith, losing parents, losing weight, hitting the depths and working out
how you build yourself back up again. It’s about being a girl, bringing up a
girl, trying to be a woman, and trying to work out how to pass something on
that is actually useful. It’s about celebrating imperfection, not
homogenisation. It’s human, it’s truthful, it’s a total ‘riddy’, but it’s life,
and it seems to be a bit about us all. Maybe that’s why we are touring from
Fife to far, far away. I can’t wait to see how audiences take to the show in
different corners of the world.’
Tickets for What Girls Are Made Of at the MAC are on sale
now at themaclive.com or call the box office on 028 90235053.
The Market Place Theatre in Armagh is set to entertain little ones
this Easter with some stunning children’s performances.
‘Egg and Spoon’, on 27 April, is a perfect gentle introduction to the
magic of theatre. It’s an interactive
romp through the seasons where children aged 1-5 come in and out of the magic
circle and get to open all the gifts of nature. Percy and April get you settled
on our comfortable cushions and introduce you to Birdy, still hiding in his glowing
egg. We have to wait til Spring if we want to see him, so it’s time to begin
our hands-on journey through the year. We’ll run through the rain and the
falling leaves and sleep under the snow till the sun wakes us up for the
butterfly party.
Then on Tues 30 April, we meet Blaithin and Uncle Rusty in ‘Hatch’, a
unique blend of music, comedy, theatre, contemporary and aerial dance. ‘Hatch’
also weaves Irish language and dancing into this wonderful story, creating a
new world for young audiences that is interactive and sensory friendly. It is
beautifully crafted and exquisitely delivered, full of unexpected and colourful
wonders, which invite children to understand the transformational cycles of
life, whilst exploring, interacting and discovering new things about the world
of caterpillars, moths and butterflies! There is an arts and craft session as
part of the performance where children become part of the story as they are
invited on stage to begin their adventure! Suitable for 4-8 year olds.
There’ll be a festival feel in Ballymoney this weekend with the return
of the Spring Fair.
Now in its third year, the event organised by Causeway Coast and Glens
Borough Council with support from Local Women magazine, promises to be an
unmissable experience for all the family.
Visit the Artisan Market at Castlecroft Square, try have-a-go activities
at Megaw Park and view the Old
Vehicle Club Vintage & Classic Car Show at Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre
before the event comes to a colourful conclusion with a town centre cavalcade and
parade.
New this
year, Fuse FM will be on hand with an afternoon of outdoor entertainment in
Castlecroft Square on Friday 12th April with Ulster Scots yarns, artisan
stalls traditional music, balloon modellers and walkabout characters from 11am
– 4pm, helping to build excitement for the main event.
Throughout
the town centre, look out for in-store fashion events and special promotions in
many of Ballymoney’s unique shops and boutiques.
On Saturday,
the Spring Fair will open with a ‘Quiet
Morning’ for children with additional needs at Megaw Park from 10am –
11.30am with a petting farm and craft workshops to enjoy. Book your place by
emailing eventscoleraine@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk.
From 12 noon,
members of the public can look forward to a host of free attractions including
duck herding, petting farm, pony rides with Riding for the Disabled, horse-shoe
demonstrations, inflatables, live music and street theatre.
From
11am-4pm, Castlecroft Square will come alive with Naturally North Coast &
Glens Artisan Market selling unique local food and drink items along with quality
arts and crafts. Throughout the town, browse the many independent
and family-run businesses which help to set Ballymoney apart.
The Old
Vehicle Club Vintage & Classic Car Show will be on display at Joey Dunlop
Leisure Centre from 10am – 3.30pm when the cavalcade will set off following the
colourful carnival parade participants.
For more
information on what is happening throughout the day go to www.visitcausewaycoastandglens.com. Follow Causeway Coast and Glens Events on Facebook and Twitter and look
out for our hashtag #SpringItOn for updates.
As the song says, “ladies and gents, this is the moment you’ve waited for!”
Performer and Producer, Peter Corry, launches the 2019 Rhythm of the Bann Festival with Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council Councillor Brenda Chivers. The Festival runs 26th and 27th in various venues throughout Coleraine town and more information can be found on www.rhythmofthebann.com
Details for The Rhythm of the
Bann festival in Coleraine have been launched.
The two-day programme of musical extravaganza will take place this April
on the 26th and 27th in various venues throughout Coleraine town.
The perfect weekend to round
off the Easter holidays, will see a number of specifically themed, choral,
musical and theatre style performances and shows for all the family. All
brought to you under the artful direction of our very own greatest showman,
Peter Corry on behalf of the Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council.
The
Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council Councillor Brenda Chivers
said: “Rhythm of the Bann is set to fill Coleraine with song, dance and theatre
for what is set to be an unforgettable weekend of unique entertainment. Whether
you are a performer or a music fan, the programme will showcase the very best in
the sector paving the way for the exciting return of a choral celebration to
Coleraine next year. The town has a rich history in this field and we are
looking forward to building on this and developing what is set to be a very
exciting annual event.”
Peter Corry of Peter Corry
Production added, “Rhythm of the Bann 2019 will offer international performance
and workshops that will not only be engaging but educational and of a very high
standard, with high quality international coaches and performers involved in
the festival.”
On Friday evening St Malachy’s
Church will be home to three wonderful choirs.
Adoro, Cantemus and Dalriada
Chamber Choir. Adoro has performed at many
prestigious events in Northern Ireland including services of thanksgiving for
HM The Queen for the Diamond Jubilee and 90th Birthday. Local Choir Cantemus sing a mixture of ancient & modern repertoire,
from Bach to Stopford; Wesley to Parry – and the Dalriada Chamber Choir voices blend
beautifully to deliver chilling harmonies, rousing emotions and tapping toes. Local
violinist Jasmine Morris, a member of the Ulster Youth Orchestra and former
winner of the Robert Lewin
Scholarship, will also add to this musical
evening.
On Saturday evening, The Showman Is Coming! THE Northern Ireland born
but internationally renowned Peter Corry will lead a cast of dynamic dancers,
singers and talented performers. The
Showman Is Coming combines the passion of Moulin Rouge, the
spectacle of Barnum and the energy of The Greatest Showman, all under one roof
at the Lodge Hotel.
Peter Corry
Productions strongly recommends this event is also the perfect opportunity for
young people of all ages to get involved with the offer of world class workshops
aimed at enhancing their artistic side. These events are of world class standard
and not to be missed on Fri 26th and Sat 27thApril. This
is also a great way to prepare to take part in next years’ Festival.
“Thank You For The Music” is a
workshop in the Town Hall, led by Ashley Fulton who is originally from
Magherafelt and one of the top vocal coaches in the UK. Three sessions for a
mix of ages and abilities are available.
The Saturday workshop will
take place in the Methodist Church Hall and is aptly entitled, “On
Broadway”. Coleraine is proud to welcome
Ian Weinberger who is currently the Associate Music Director of the smash hit
musical Hamilton on Broadway. His other
Broadway conducting credits include Kinky Boots and Titanic (Lincoln Center).
The international hit, Hamilton: An American Musical, is about the life
of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, and is a multiple Tony, Grammy,
Olivier and Pulitzer Award winning show. In the words of a former American
President “where rap is the language of revolution and hip hop it’s urgent
soundtrack”.
Details of all shows, tickets
and how to get involved in the workshops, can be found on www.rhythmofthebann.com
The
Rhythm of the Bann Festival will enthuse, engage and stir passion in everyone
with a love of music, song and dance. Music to suit all tastes from musical
theatre, gospel, jazz and choral to blues, swing, anthems and hymns, and hip
hop! Just like the river itself, the Rhythm of the Bann is a blend of movement,
music, patterns and flows.
This April, “Let’s be
glorious.”
Only in Coleraine, this April,
does Hamilton meet the greatest showman.
