Budding artists of all ages can get their creative juices flowing this month at free art events at Project 24, Bangor organised by Ards and North Down Borough Council.

Amateur artists are invited to come along to Project 24 on Sunday 24 April 2016 between 12 noon and 4pm to enjoy a relaxed day of drawing and painting.  Bring your own art materials, sketch pads, sketch books and easels or just paint or sketch on your lap.  Why not bring a rug and a picnic and make a day of it!

Local artists Lee Boyd and Duncan Irvine will be on hand to guide you through some drawing and painting techniques, both offering lots of helpful hints and tips.  Choose a landscape, seascape or bring a favourite picture to paint from.  This event is suitable for adults only.

On Saturday 30 April 2016 between 12noon and 4pm the whole family can come along and enjoy an Open Day at Project 24, meeting the artists and makers at their art pods. Make a ceramic bird, try decoupage, have your portrait painted in 20 minutes or just enjoy some painting demonstrations and Artist talks.  There’s lots going on and it promises to be a creative afternoon for all.

Heather Parker, Craft Development Manager with Ards and North Down Borough Council said,

“We are delighted to have some very exciting creative events taking place at Project 24 right through to December this year, starting off with Sketch on a Sunday this Sunday and Open Art the following Saturday.  These events are a great opportunity for everyone to try something creative.  So, come along to Project 24, meet the Artists from the Art Pods, explore your imagination and show your creative flair!”

The free events will take place at Project 24, Queen’s Parade, Bangor on Sunday 24 April and Saturday 30 April.  Booking is not required; events will run from 12noon – 4pm.

For more information on events at Project 24, visit www.project24ni.com.

Antrim will host this year’s Annual Armed Forces Day celebrations in Northern Ireland on Saturday 18 June.

Do you have experience in; Parade Marshalling, Event Stewarding, Car Park Supervision, Crowd Management . . . that could help us deliver a brilliant Armed Forces Day event in Antrim Castle Gardens and Stadium?

If so . . . WE NEED YOU!

Volunteers will carry out a range of roles including Marshalling, Meet and Greet, and Stewarding of the parade. You will have access behind the scenes, get closer to the action and play a role in making this Northern Ireland regional event a huge success.

Volunteers are required from 9am -6pm on Saturday 18 June and must be age 18 years and over.  Free Parking, breaks and food vouchers will be provided.

A one hour training session will be provided in advance of the event.

Join our team and take part in this Northern Ireland Regional event. Armed Forces Day offers volunteers invaluable knowledge of delivering a safe, fun, family experience!

Volunteers must register by Friday 13 May.

To register your interest please contact: Vanessa Postle on 028 9034 0196 or email

vanessa.postle@antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk before Friday 13 May

www.volunteernow.co.uk

The SSE Arena, Belfast: Friday 28 October 2016
The 3Arena, Dublin: Saturday 29 October 2016

This year sees the band preparing to undertake their last ever Electric tour dates in the UK and Ireland.

Francis Rossi, Rick Parfitt, Andrew Bown, John ‘Rhino’ Edwards and Leon Cave will plug back in and bring their thunderous electric live show back to Belfast and Dublin for the last time.

Packed with hits, both new and old, taken from that unbelievable back catalogue.  If you love Status Quo, you need to be there; if you’ve never before seen this truly legendary act play a full full-throttle no-nonsense electric set, you need to be there!

www.statusquo.co.uk

www.MCD.ie

Tickets on-sale FRIDAY 22 APRIL from 9am:

Ticketmaster

In person: From 100 Ticketmaster Outlets Nationwide

By Telephone (24 Hour): ROI – 0818 719 300, Northern Ireland – 0844 277 44 55

Buy Online: www.ticketmaster.ie

The SSE Arena Box Office

Tel: 028 9073 9074

Buy Online: www.ssearenabelfast.com

The fabulous work of Spike Milligan and Robin Glendinning will be staged at The Market Place Theatre in Armagh over the coming weeks, in a delectable treat for drama audiences.

Holywood Players, one of Northern Ireland’s leading amateur theatre companies, return to The Market Place with Robin Glendinning’s ‘The Week Before’. This is the story of the crazy week that precipitated the Easter Rising of 1916 which changed history. Pearse and MacDonagh were poets and romantic idealists who secretly organised the armed insurrection. Fitzgerald and MacNeill, the president of the Volunteers, were strongly opposed to a rising on practical and moral grounds and were ignorant of the advanced plans of the others. Birell, a brilliant civil servant who did much good in Ireland and his subordinate Nathan, were the English government aka ‘The Castle’.

The play covers the debates and moral dilemmas which filled ‘The Week Before’. As a link to the audience, the Cynic stalks the many vivid characters and whirling events but he too is on a journey and at the end he is not quite sure what it all means. ‘The Week Before’ will be staged on Friday 22 April at 8pm. Tickets are priced £11 and £9 (concession).

Then it’s the return of Big Telly Theatre Company and their massively popular production of Spike Milligan’s ‘Puckoon’, which has had audiences all across Ireland screaming with laughter at its Goonish blend of theatrical anarchy, musical wit, and impossible plot.

Ireland 1922, and the Ulster Boundary Commission has drawn the new border straight through the small town of Puckoon. With the church separated from its own graveyard and drink now thirty percent cheaper in one corner of the pub, life in the newly divided village will never be the same again. Based on the book by Spike Milligan, this comic masterpiece is an irreverent and hilarious story which takes the mick, celebrates the absurd, and paints a picture of a simple life that borders on the ridiculous. ‘Puckoon’ will be staged on Thursday 5 May at 8pm. Tickets are priced £13 and £11 (concession).

Tickets for all performances can be booked through the Box Office on [028] 3752 1821, or online at www.marketplacearmagh.com

And to keep up-to-date with the latest news at the Market Place Theatre, you can follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/marketplacearmagh) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/mptarmagh) where you will find all the latest information, special offers and video previews.

SPRING may have just arrived but bookings are already well under way for Christmas party nights, dinners and festive accommodation packages at the three Hastings Hotels in Belfast.

Their Europa, Stormont and Culloden Estate and Spa’s 2016 Christmas brochure is bursting with seasonal festivities including exciting party nights and unmissable shows that are the perfect night out for groups of friends, family and work colleagues.

Showcasing some delicious Christmas dinners are Executive Head Chefs, Paul McKnight from the Culloden, Adrian McDaid from the Europa and Jay Eisenstadt from the Stormont.   Christmas may seem like a long way away but places are filling up fast so get your skates on and get booking now! For more information go to www.hastingshotels.com

Thursday night at the Bardic Theatre in Donaghmore, world renowned Irish classical cross-over trio The Celtic Tenors enjoyed a heroes welcome when they took to the stage for the opening night of their Homecoming Tour.

The Homecoming Tour is exactly what it says on the tin, their first full tour of Northern Ireland in many years, celebrating the release of their latest album Timeless, released on Universal Ireland label.

Performing a range of material from both pop, country, classic and Irish artists, The Celtic Tenors truly showed the audience what has made them so special for so long. With over one million album sales worldwide and several international tours of Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada and more it is no surprise they received what can be likened to a heroes welcome.

The Celtic Tenors continue their tour next week performing their close-harmony take on classics from Eric Bogle to John Denver to Dolly Parton to Luciano Pavarotti whilst ensuring there is something for everyone with their mix of comedy and song. As the tenors have noted themselves ‘There’s nothing “high-brow” about our show, it’s informal, relaxed and fun for all the family”

Remaining Dates include

Thurs 21 April – Millennium Forum, Derry

Fri 22 April – Canal Court Hotel, Newry

Sat 23 April – Europa Hotel, Belfast

STOP THE PRESS!!!

Due to overwhelming public demand, The Celtic Tenors will release a limited amount of SHOW ONLY tickets for their Europa Hotel, Belfast performance. These tickets will go on sale directly from all usual Ticketmaster Outlets including www.ticketmaster.ie on Tuesday 19th April at 9.00am.

Tickets for all other shows are available from Venues & Ticketmaster. See Celtic-Tenors.com for more info.

Tourism NI has put together a list of 10 exciting things to do in Northern Ireland next week (April 18-24).

• On the Trail of the Martel: Caving Expedition, Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, April 23. Explore ‘real’ caving deep inside the Marble Arch Caves System through ‘wild’ caves beyond the well-lit caverns of the showcave. Meander through wild cave passages, climb through boulder chambers and squeeze through the famous flyover. A certificate of achievement is awarded to everyone who successfully completes the expedition. Join Geopark staff and find out more about this fascinating environment under our feet. This event is not suitable for individuals under 18 years old and those individuals with physical disabilities.

• Woodland and Whiskey Tour, Mount Stewart & Echlinville Distillery, Newtownards, Co. Down, April 23. Explore the unexplored, combining a guided walk along emerging new trails in the estate farmland at Mount Stewart, with a fascinating visit to the recently opened Echlinville Distillery to see the fine art of whiskey making and perhaps taste a golden drop.  Suitable outdoor clothing and footwear is recommended. Tour departs from Ards Visitor Information Centre at 10am.

• Damhead Railway, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, until April 23. Damhead Railway is a charming miniature railway featuring a steam or diesel train ride. The track is located two miles from Coleraine just off the main A26 road to Ballymoney. Both adults and children are able to use the train and picnic facilities are available on the site with indoor facilities available for the wet days. Come along and enjoy the ride!

• Queen’s University Campus Food and Drink Market, Elmwood Hall, Belfast, April 21. This market is being run in conjunction with the Students’ Union as part of the Culture Week celebrations, but will also support the NI Year of Food and Drink 2016, offering a taste of home and raising the profile of local producers and their products.

• Glens of Antrim Challenge Walk, Glenariff Forest Park, Ballymena, Co. Antrim, April 24. Join Cancer Focus NI and discover the scenic beauty and diversity of the Glens of Antrim. Three walks are available of varying length and difficulty, each starting and finishing at the same place. Mountain guides will be provided by East Coast Adventure, who will navigate you and provide information on the area and scenery throughout the walk. £20 registration fee applies.

• Riverbank Productions Presents Alice in Wonderland, The Square Box, Dungannon, Co. Tyrone, April 22. Expect brand-new catchy sing-along songs, composed especially with children in mind, fabulous puppets and lots of surprises in this exciting adaptation of Alice in Wonderland, featuring all of the classic characters portrayed by a cast of four talented actors. Shows begin at 10am and 7pm, suitable for ages 5-9.

• Newry’s Food Festival, Newry Variety Market, Newry, Co. Down, April 22. Your taste buds are guaranteed to be satisfied at Newry’s Food Festival with over 30 food producers, restaurants and eateries taking part. In the heart of the city, the festival will consist of a marketplace featuring local suppliers, a pop-up restaurant area, a chef demonstration area and live music.

• The Belfast Tempest, T13, Titanic Quarter, Belfast, April 20-23. To celebrate Shakespeare’s 400th Anniversary, Terra Nova Productions is re-imagining Shakespeare as part of a global celebration. The Belfast Tempest will feature 200 citizens who will join a professional international team in a show that will fill the T13 warehouse on Queen’s Island with music, choirs, drama, carnival, magic and romance.

• Belfast Craft Beer Festival, Custom House Square, Belfast, April 21-23. Belfast’s largest celebration of Irish craft brewing is coming to town! The festival will feature the best Irish craft beer, cider makers and distillers showcasing their finest, all in one place over a massive three day festival.  With live music, silent disco, fabulous artisan food, 150 + beers, ciders, whiskeys and a few cocktails, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

• Gordan Osràm’s Funeral, Shambles Market, Armagh, Co. Armagh, April 20-21. Accidental Theatre invites you to a performance retrospective tracing the path of artist Osràm’s life and work, featuring videos, interventions and interactive exhibits. As the night unfolds, Osràm’s darker motives build intrigue to a fever pitch, and a personal question faces everyone present: What memory of ourselves do we wish to leave behind? Show begins at 7pm.

Please note some of the events require pre-booking. For more details on these and other events click on www.discovernorthernireland.com/events, visit your local tourist information centre or log onto www.facebook.com/discovernorthernireland.

Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council continue to present high quality visual arts with a new touring exhibition stopping off at The Oriel Gallery.

The World Illustration Awards will be on display at the Oriel Gallery, Clotworthy House from Monday 18 April until Saturday 28 May 2016.

The World Illustrations Awards have been hosted annually since 2012 by Somerset House, a major arts and cultural centre in the heart of London, whose year round programme of contemporary visual art events and exhibitions attracts over 2 million visitors. This touring exhibition presents highlights from the year’s shortlist of contemporary illustrations, entered by emerging and established talent from around the globe.

This stunning exhibition includes illustration from across the world, recognising the exceptional work produced by illustrators internationally and promoting illustration as an essential contributor to global visual culture.  Exhibiting work by artists from the UK to USA and South Korea to France and covers a wide breadth of practice, including books, design and editorial to reflect the diverse disciplines within the industry.

The exhibition will feature award-winning work from eight competition categories: Advertising, Books, Children’s Books, Design, Editorial & Social Comment, Public Realm, Research & Knowledge Communication and Self- initiated.

For further information please contact Clotworthy House on 028 9448 1338 or by email Clotworthy.reception@antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk

Down

This Saturday step into Winterfell  for the Game Of Thrones Archery Experience!  Take aim where young Bran was taught archery by Jon Snow. Have a go at archery in the very place where the BAFTA award winning TV show was filmed – in the courtyard aka ‘Winterfell’.  Stand in the recreated Game of Thrones archery film set, dress in a Game Of Thrones like costume to look the part and get ready to take aim. Suitable for 8 years+ for an open Bran session (50 mins) and 4 years+ for a private Ned session (1hr).  (Under 18’s must be accompanied by an adult).

Armagh

The Market Place Theatre Armagh is the venue this Friday 15th for ‘And Finally Phil Collins’.  Recognised throughout the industry as the market leaders and definitive Phil Collins & Genesis tribute show, and now in their eighth year together this truly amazing eleven piece band which includes the ‘And Finally Horns’ faithfully re-create all the classic hits from the Phil Collins and Genesis timeless back catalogue.

Fermanagh

Enjoy some Beer, Cider and Crisps this Saturday 16th April at Castle Archdale.  Not just any old beer and cider and not just any old crisps. As part of the NI Year of Food and Drink, Brewing and Distilling month, MacIvors’ Cider and Pokertree Brewing Company will offer tasting of their respective products and Mr Tayto will be handing out crisps all round.

Tyrone

The Brass Band League Championships take place this Saturday 16th April at the Alley Theatre Strabane. Over 21 bands are set to perform on stage, in 4 section groups.  Enjoy the Spring sunshine and join hundreds of bandsmen and women enjoying their now annual festival day in Strabane in the award winning Alley.  A must see for all lovers of brass music.

Derry/Londonderry

See Philomena Begley with Ray Lynam this Thursday 14^th April at the Millennium Forum.  Known as the Queen of Irish Country music, Philomena Begley has made a firm imprint on the Irish, British and European markets. Begley has regularly toured with Ray Lynam since 1975 and they have recorded many duets together, their most popular songs being “My Elusive Dreams”, “You’re the one I can’t live without” and “She sang the melody”.

Antrim

Visit the Giant’s Causeway this Sunday on World Heritage Open Day. In 1986 the Giant’s Causeway was designated Northern Ireland’s first World Heritage Site by UNESCO. In honour of 30 years of this status, join us for an anniversary celebration. Plant wildflowers, go on a guided walking tour or grab an audio guide and explore at your own pace.

Belfast

Bring along your youngest scientists for W5’s next Little Sparks toddler sessions on Wednesday 13 April! Visit W5’s under 8s area, the town of Discovery, and take part in a 25 minute ‘Farmyard Fun!’ workshop as part of your visit!  Children are born natural scientists so why not bring them to W5 to let them imagine, explore, play and have fun? The town of Discovery is a place where children can learn about themselves and the world around them. Get hands-on with its interactive exhibits, play animal sounds in the farmyard, paddle in a virtual rock pool at the beach or flick through digital storybooks in the castle.

Add your events free at www.whatsonni.com. Follow us on twitter @whatsonNI and on facebook at fb.com/www.whatsonni.com for news, competitions and what’s on near you.

Northern Ireland’s leading ferry company Stena Line, is giving Belfast Giants fans the opportunity to get up close and personal with their sporting heroes on April 16 on a fun filled Stena Line Belfast Giants Cruise.

Ice hockey enthusiasts will have the chance to mingle with the players, get their autographs and have photos taken and each passenger will also receive a £5 shopping voucher*.  Not only that but Stena Line has organised lots of fun activities such as face painting for younger fans and a brain-busting Belfast Giants quiz.

Stena Line’s Head of PR and Communications, Diane Poole OBE, said:  “Stena Line Belfast Giants has a massive following here in Belfast and further afield around Northern Ireland and their popularity just keeps growing year after year.

“Stena Line regularly transports the players, and their loyal fans to away games in the UK throughout the season as well as visiting teams who come to Belfast for their matches, so we have a real affection for the sport and for the players.

“I would encourage anyone who has not yet experienced a match to go along with friends or family and feel the exciting and exhilarating atmosphere for themselves. We guarantee you’ll be hooked!” added Diane.

When you travel with Stena Line, the fun starts as soon as you get onboard with a great kid’s play area, free WiFi, fabulous dining options, up to 50% off hundreds of quality lines when compared to the high street, lots of places to explore and unwind in, great eateries and bars and even areas on deck for a relaxing stroll.

Prices for the cruise are £5 per infant, £15 per child and £21 per adult.  Those travelling on the return cruise will depart Belfast at 11.30 and arrive in Cairnryan at 13.52; they will remain on the ship before departing Cairnryan at 15.30 and arriving back in Belfast at 17.45.

To book your place on the cruise click on www.stenaline.co.uk/ferries-to-britain/day-trips/belfast-cairnryan-belfast-giants or call 08447 70 70 70.

For more information on the Stena Line Belfast Giants go to www.belfastgiants.com

*£5 money off shopping voucher can be used when you spend £25 in our onboard shop. Only one voucher per transaction. Excludes alcohol and promotional items.