Sunflowerfest organisers and performers scheduled to attend the three day summer festival in Hillsborough, County Down, ‘rolled’ up for a big announcement this week as the leading summer festival unveiled yet another surprise for festival-goers with a unique partnership with award-winning burrito bar Boojum.

Credited with introducing Mexican street food to the Northern Ireland mainstream, Boojum’s iconic burritos will be a welcome addition to the buzzing festival atmosphere this year as the brand rolls in their food truck, The Boojmobile, and rolls out a stretch marquee to create an unparalleled street food experience.

Speaking on the new addition to Tubby’s Farm, festival organiser Vanessa Magowan said, “We’re delighted to work with Boojum this year as we believe our products are a perfect fit. Freshness, authenticity and quality are all ideals we hold high and it’s great to be collaborating with a company that is so like-minded.

“With Sunflowerfest transforming the NI festival scene and Boojum revolutionising the street-food culture, it’s a match made in heaven featuring down-to-earth, wholesome nosh in a chilled out, happening environment combining to create a recipe for summer happiness.

Commenting on their tasty partnership with Sunflowerfest Nuala McMenamin, Marketing Manager, Boojum added, “We are so excited to be involved with Sunflowerfest. The ethos of the festival complements our brand and style so well. Not only are we bringing the Boojmobile and our delicious food but will also have a marquee space to create an eclectic, funky environment for all our customers and festival goers to chill out and enjoy! Keep an eye on all our social feeds for updates and maybe even the chance to win a prize or two. Roll on July!”

Sunflowerfest guests can find Boojum on Tubby’s Farm, Hillsborough for Sunflowerfest from 28^th – 30^th July.  Tickets are now available for sale at www.sunflowerfest.co.uk.

Tourism NI has put together a list of 10 exciting things to do in Northern Ireland (April 24 – April 30).

 

1. Lord Mayor’s Day, Belfast, Saturday April 29. Celebrate all that is exciting and entertaining about Belfast on the lawns of Belfast City Hall. From the extremely talented artists and musicians to the top class performers and well-known landmarks, there will be something to entertain everyone. Try your hand at making some Belfast animations, or relax and listen to fantastic Belfast stories. You can also enjoy interactive drumming, visit a completely different world through virtual reality or even help to paint a portrait of the Lord Mayor. 12-5pm, free entry.
2. Jazz in the Gardens, Co. Down, Sunday April 30. Bring your picnic and settle down on the lawn with your family and friends to enjoy an afternoon of jazz in the beautiful gardens at Mount Stewart. Dogs on leads are welcome. 2-4.30pm, admission £4.31 – £8.63.
3. Scarva Band Concert, Co. Armagh, Sunday April 30. The finest in local concert bands performing at the magnificent Victorian bandstand on beautiful Scarva Green, which is renowned for its superb floral displays.3-4pm, free entry.
4. Presidential Portraits by Frank McKelvey, Co. Tyrone, until April 30. American Presidents claim ancestral links to Ulster. This exhibition at the Ulster American Folk Park of original drawings, made around 1930, focusses on eleven of them and their journeys to the White House.
5. Paws in the Park, Co.Fermanagh, Saturday April 29. Dogs are always welcome at Castle Coole but especially when a whole day is dedicated to our pooch pals! Join the dog walk, enter your dog in the pet dog show and pick up some behavioural techniques and grooming tips. 12-3pm, admission £2-3.50.
6. City of Derry Jazz & Big Band Festival, Derry~Londondery, April 27 – May 1. The festival returns with five days of live music throughout the city and district, featuring Imelda May, Hot Chocolate over 200 other musical acts over the Bank Holiday weekend.
7. Damhead Miniature Railway, Coleraine, Saturday April 29. Damhead Miniature Railway, in the heart of the countryside between Coleraine and Ballymoney, is a great place to visit with the children. The small trains can be travelled on by both the kids and adults and the track covers one third of a mile. There are picnic facilities on site.12-5pm, children £1, adults £2.
8. Laurentic Exhibition, Derry~Londondery, until June 21. It has been 100 years since the famous Laurentic sank off Lough Swilly on a bitter cold night in January 1917. This Tower Museum exhibition tells the story of the famous ship, the numerous salvage operations and the search for the elusive gold still on board.10am-5.30pm, free entry.
9. Cushendun’s Big Arts Weekend, Co. Antrim, April 28 – May 1. A four-day festival of music, drama, poetry, exhibitions workshops and family fun in one of the most beautiful villages in the Glens of Antrim. Now in its fifth year, the festival celebrates the rich culture and spectacular landscape of Cushendun and the Glens of Antrim.
10. Malone House Spring Fair, Belfast, April 29-30. Experience the flower filled grounds of Barnett Demesne, with farm animals including chickens, rabbits and goats. Falcons will be swooping in for aerial displays and exotic reptiles such as snakes and lizards will also be on show. There will also be a variety of children’s entertainment, music, dance, plant and craft stalls, and environmental activities to enjoy.30-5.30pm, free entry.

It’s not just the Easter bunny that Belfast Zoo visitors have spotted this Easter, as Kau Kau the Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo has finally ‘hopped’ out of mum’s pouch to greet the Easter crowds!

Kau Kau was born to mother, Jaya and father, Hasu Hasu last summer but the joey has only recently ventured from her pouch to explore her surroundings.  Like all marsupials, female tree kangaroos carry and nurse their young in their pouch.

As their name suggests, the Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo is a tree-dwelling mammal which is native to the mountainous rainforests of Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. Tree kangaroos are well adapted to a life in the trees by climbing up to 20 feet high and leaping more than 30 feet through the air from branch to branch.  However, this species is facing increasing threats due to habitat destruction and hunting.

Zoo manager, Alyn Cairns, is delighted with the new arrival, “Belfast Zoo is committed to the conservation of species in danger and we take part in a number of global and collaborative breeding programmes. While we are always delighted to welcome new arrivals, we are particularly pleased with the arrival of Kau Kau.  Until this year Belfast Zoo was the only zoo in the United Kingdom and Ireland to care for Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo and we were the first in the UK to breed the species back in 2014.  This species is listed as Endangered on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List as the population has dramatically declined in Papua New Guinea by at least 50% over the past three generations.  The work of zoos is becoming ever more vital in ensuring the future survival of species, such as the Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo, and we are delighted to play an active role in the conservation efforts.”

Zoo curator, Andrew Hope, said “When the joey is first born it is the size of a jelly bean and remains in the pouch for eight to ten months so Belfast Zoo staff were unable to determine the sex of the joey immediately. When we started to see the joey peak out of her pouch, we began to affectionately refer to her as ‘wee spud’. We then named her Kau Kau, a Papua New Guinea word for ‘sweet potato’ which happens to be our tree kangaroo’s favourite food. Kau Kau is already proving to be quite a character and we hope that visitors to Belfast Zoo will enjoy seeing her first ventures outside of her pouch.”

Visitors can see Kau Kau and her family at Belfast Zoo.  The Goodfellow’s tree kangaroos have a public feeding time daily at 11.15am.  The zoo is open daily from 10am, last admission is at 5pm and the zoo closes at 7pm.  For more information visit www.belfastzoo.co.uk.

A visit to the Navan Centre, is always a fabulous day out for all the family.

The exhibition allows you to discover the history and the archaeology of Navan and a visit to our Iron Age dwelling transports you to the traditional age of the Celts.  Explore the myth and reality of Navan on a guided walk to the Fort.

This bank holiday (1^st May) the characters will be preparing for the arrival of Summer as the feast of Bealtine is fast approaching.  Bealtine marks the end of Winter and the arrival of the warmer, longer days of Summer.

All fires are put out to mark the end of Winter and the upcoming light of Summer.  Winter bedding is burnt and families separated by Winter are reunited, cattle are moved to Summer pastures, the fairies move from their Winter homes to their Summer palaces, hand fasts take place and offerings are made to please the gods and purification fires are lit to cleanse and encourage good health and fertility.  Rowan and hawthorn is used to signify good luck and fertility and to ward of fairies as they move to their Summer homes.

This event runs from 11.00am – 5.00pm, normal admission charges apply.  No advance booking needed, just come along and join in all the fun!

For information please contact: Navan Centre, 81 Killylea Road, Armagh.  BT60 4LD.  Tel 028 3752 9644 or www.navan.com

 

Tickets on sale Friday 28^th April at 9am

Long regarded as an exhilarating live act, Paramore has spent much of the past decade-plu son the road, with highlights including sold out  headline arena tours and show-stealing festival sets around the globe.

Paramore has consistently drawn both critical acclaim as well as a wide-ranging list of international honours and accolades, now including a GRAMMY® Award, two People’s Choice Awards, three NME Awards, three MTV Video Music Award nominations, and much much more.

Paramore will kick off a European headline tour this June, UK and Ireland dates are as follows.

‪15 JUN‪ Dublin, Ireland @ Olympia

16 JUN Belfast, United Kingdom @ Waterfront

18 JUN Manchester, United Kingdom @ O2 Apollo

19 JUN London, United Kingdom @ Royal Albert Hall

21 JUN Bristol, United Kingdom @ Colston Hall

22 JUN Edinburgh, United Kingdom @ Usher Hall

Tickets for Belfast go on sale Friday 28^th April at 9am

Tickets for Belfast Waterfront are available:

In person at the Ulster Hall Box Office

By Telephone: 028 9033 4455
Book On Line: www.waterfront.co.uk

In person: From 100 Ticketmaster Outlets Nationwide
By Telephone (24 Hour): Northern Ireland – 0844 277 44 55
Book On Line: www.ticketmaster.ie

Their previous self-titled album “PARAMORE” topped the charts in Ireland – and also scored an array of #1 debuts around the globe. “PARAMORE” showcased a string of blockbuster singles including “Still Into You” and the #1 smash, “Ain’t It Fun.” The latter track proved one of Paramore’s biggest singles to date,

Paramore has had a truly remarkable run of RIAA certified albums and singles since coming together in Nashville in 2004, from 2005’s gold-certified debut, “ALL WE KNOW IS FALLING” and 2007’s 2x platinum-certified breakthrough, “RIOT!” (with its 3x platinum-certified hit, “Misery Business,” as well as the platinum-certified singles “crushcrushcrush” and “That’s What You Get”) to 2008’s worldwide platinum “Decode” (from Chop Shop/Atlantic’s chart-topping “TWILIGHT – ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK”) and 2009’s platinum-certified “brand new eyes” and its GRAMMY®-nominated smash, “The Only Exception.”

There’s plenty of opportunity this May to listen to good music,  fall in love all over again with the story of Pinocchio, live through one women’s amazing story, and laugh out loud at some of the best stand up on the scene at the Burnavon, Cookstown.

The Curious Adventures of Pinocchio (Thursday 11th May, 10.30am) is presented by Lyngo Theatre, and adapted and performed by Patrick Lynch from CBeebies. In this children’s show suitable for ages five years old and above, he pulls all the strings and turns all the pages to bring you the true story of Pinocchio – no lie – as he brings one of the best loved classics for children to life. Who ‘nose’? He might even find his father and become a real boy. Come and join him on his incredible journey, you’ll have a whale of a time! (Tickets are £3).

Celebrating a quarter of a century paying tribute to Queen, one of the most outstanding bands in musical history, Flash Harry’s attention to detail is second to none, and you’ll be able to judge that for yourself on Saturday 13th May. If you missed out on tickets for Queen’s forthcoming Belfast concert, then don’t miss this night of sheer energy, enthusiasm, passion and showmanship, not to mention the fantastic music back catalogue. (Tickets are £18).

Music of a different genre will also delight, as for the first time, Donaghadee Male Voice Choir will take to the Burnavon stage on Saturday 20th May at 7.30pm, accompanied by pianist, Ivan Black and compere, Gene Fitzpatrick. Established 84 years ago, Donaghadee Male Voice Choir’s repertoire embraces both secular and scared music, and popular, folk, traditional and operatic works.  (Tickets are £12).

The Burnavon will also be keepin’ it country as JMG Music Group presents their Summer Country Show on Friday 26th May. Featuring Mick Flavin, Louise Morrissey, John Hogan, Joe Moore, and Caitlin and Tony Kerr. Tickets are exceptional value at £19.50.

Stepping out of the shadow of her infamous brother, Brendan O’Carroll, (Mrs Brown’s Boy), Eilish O’Carroll comes into her own with a reflective look on an eventful life which included a strict Catholic upbringing, two failed marriages and coming out as a lesbian at the age of 50. While poignant and deeply moving, it is also packed with humour. The end result is a warm, witty triumph that joyously celebrates being true to yourself. (Tickets for the show on Friday 19th May are £20 and please note the performance may contain strong language).

Fresh from the success of his award-winning show, ‘Selfie’, Pat Shortt returns with a brand new show called ‘How’s Tings?’, which brings May to a close. In a night of music and mayhem (Saturday 27th May), one of Ireland’s most popular comedians explores all sorts of tings. Big tings and little tings. Personal tings and tings that are not so personal. Important international tings and tings that only affect the parish. In Shortt, it’s a funny show about tings! (Tickets are £25)

All shows are at 8pm, unless otherwise indicated and tickets are available now from the Burnavon Box Office, Burn Road, Cookstown, by phone on 028 8676 9949, or online at www.burnavon.com<http://www.burnavon.com>

 

Don’t miss out on a special opportunity to build your very own pollinator home in Crumlin Leisure Centre on Saturday 22 April from 2 – 4pm.

The event will start with a talk from BUGLIFE on ‘the small things that run the planet’ and what we can do to help them. You will then build your very own pollinator homes for our Bee-licious site at Crumlin Leisure Centre, or you can take one home for your garden.

The wildflower meadow restoration work is part of our three year Bee-licious project, which is designed to restore our native flower-rich habitats for pollinating insects. Delivered by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, the site at Crumlin now joins a number of other Bee-licious sites across the Borough including Antrim Forum and Holywell Hospital.

To book a place, or for further information, please T. 028 9446 3113 ext. 31371  or ruth.wilson@antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk

 

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council is seeking to recruit four young people, aged 18- 24 years, to take part in a European programme, Rybnik Days – the Future of Europe.

The successful applicants will participate in a series of debating skills workshops, prior to travelling to Rybnik, Poland from 15-18 June 2017.  The delegation from the Borough will take part in the debates on the future of Europe, which will form part of a bigger programme of events taking place in Rybnik during the Rybnik Days festival.

The main programme is funded through the Europe for Citizen’s Town Twinning programme, with the debating skills workshops in Antrim and Newtownabbey being funded by The Executive Office and the Council’s Good Relations team.

All travel and accommodation expenses are covered through the programme, however, participants are expected to provide their own passports and spending money.

The call for applications is open from Wednesday 19 April until Wednesday 3 May.  To apply visit www.antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk/RybnikDays or for more information E. carol.shane@antrimandnewtowabbey.gov.uk

Completed application forms must be received no later than 4pm on Wednesday 3 May 2017.  All shortlisted applicants will be required to attend an interview, conducted by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, on Wednesday 10 May.   To be eligible for the programme you must be aged 18-24 at the time of travel and reside in the Borough of Antrim and Newtownabbey.

The Curious Wedding Fair is coming to the Eikon Exhibition Centre, Balmoral Park, Sprucefield on Saturday 22^nd and Sunday 23^rd April 2017 from 11am to 5pm.

Northern Irelands’ coolest and most unique wedding fair brings together an eclectic range of unique, unusual and traditional wedding suppliers. With our new location at the Eikon Exhibition Centre, The Curious Wedding fair is bringing you their biggest and best fair yet!

 

The Eikon Exhibition Centre is located on the edge of Lisburn and only 10 minutes from Belfast city centre. Away from the traffic of the city, and just off the motorway, this venue is easily accessible and offers FREE parking for all guests.

 

Whether you are just engaged or just looking for a few unique extras, we have you covered! Over 100 exhibitors are taking part in The Curious Wedding Fair, showcasing everything from quirky photography, unusual wedding transport, mouthwatering cakes, classic venues to fireworks and fairground rides!

 

The first 250 attendees to the fair will receive a FREE goodie bag plus there will be 200 FREE cocktails up for grabs over the weekend!!! The fun continues in the Curious Live lounge which will play host to some of the finest wedding entertainment on the market all weekend. You can enjoy the curious live lounge from the luxury of our bespoke bar courtesy of San-greal Bar Tending.

 

If all that isn’t enough we have also managed to bring some of the best bridal shops together for an awesome sample sale. Get there early on Saturday to get first pick of these amazing dresses and accessories at jaw-dropping prices!

 

The weekend will culminate with the final of our Win a 10k Wedding competition where one lucky couple will be awarded the amazing prize live on stage! You know what to do, get your squad together and get yourself to the Wedding Fair of the season!!!
Discounted early bird tickets are available priced at only £6 per adult and £20 for a group of 4. Visit www.thecuriousweddingfair.co.uk

 

     “We don’t do ordinary.”

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council is delighted to announce that tickets are on sale for the Silver Wings Chalet at Airwaves Portrush.

Now in its fourth year, the venue has proved to be the ideal location for both new and returning aviation enthusiasts, photographers and other thrill seeking leisure visitors.

Situated at the heart of Portrush’s premier event, and lying directly under the central flight line, it’s the perfect setting to take in all the action while enjoying first class hospitality.

Looking ahead to the event, which takes place on Saturday 2^nd and Sunday 3^rd September, the ever popular Red Arrows have confirmed they will take to the skies on both days.

The ‘Reds’ will thrill those in attendance with full displays of their acrobatic skill.

And to add to the exhilaration, RAF’s premier Eurofighter aircraft, the Typhoon, will join them on Saturday and Sunday as well.

With such a great starter line up and more information on participating aircraft to follow, why not book your seat now.

Tickets are on sale from Coleraine Visitor Information Centre 028 7034 4723 colerainevic@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk or Portrush Visitor Information Centre portrushvic@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk 028 7082 3333 priced at £65 per person per day.

 

The Silver Wings Chalet Experience includes:

• Exclusive chalet in premier viewing area
• Over 18 only
• Lunch
• Afternoon tea
• Exclusive access to Silver Wings cash bar and viewing deck throughout the day
• Private toilet facilities
• Dedicated parking adjacent to Silver Wings Chalet for disabled Blue Badge holders only
• Dedicated Silver Wings car parking approximately 200 metres from Chalet
• Opportunities may exist to meet passing display teams who pop into the Chalet for refreshments

Please note that animals other than guide dogs are not permitted.

For up to date information on the event, including the latest confirmed aircraft, go to www.airwavesportrush.co.uk