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Event Highlights

Discover Ards and North Down through our lively events and experiences programme throughout the year.

Annual events are a highlight in our calendar here in Ards and North Down; flagship days out for locals and visitors who travel afar for our renowned programme, which offer free admission and can incur little to no cost.

Please note all events below are for 2024, and more details on each event can be found during the year as the individual event pages are updated.

United Kingdom Pipe Band Championships

The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association Northern Ireland Branch (RSPBANI) and Ards and North Down Borough Council are pleased host the United Kingdom Pipe Band Championships on Saturday 18 May in the Ward Arras area of Ward Park, off Gransha Road. This free to attend event always makes for a fantastic day out.

The impressive showcase of sound and colour fills the air and is a delight to the eyes. Friendly competition creates a really enjoyable atmosphere for all.

Food and Drink Events

Here in Ards and North Down we can't help but love our food and drink! How can we not, with an abundance of quality local makers and producers who use ingredients from our rich tide and turf, and two local distilleries renowned worldwide for their brews and spirits.

Award winning restaurants and eateries showcase the best of our locally farmed ingredients on plates that tantalise the taste buds.Find out more.

We celebrate this offering with our two Taste Ards and North Down events, one in spring and the other autumn.

Taste Summer, Wednesday 19 – Saturday 30 June
Various events will take place across the borough
Featuring Comber Earlies Food Festival on Saturday 22 June

Taste Autumn, Thursday 5 – Sunday 15 September
Various events will take place across the borough
Featuring Tide and Turf, Portavogie on Saturday 7 September.

More info on both of these Taste events to come.

Keep checking back to our website, follow our facebook page or sign up to our ezine for updates.

Experience Ards and North Down

These events detailed are simply some of the highlights during the year however sprinkled in between is a wealth of independently run events, group tours and private tours of a variety of interests, family fun days and so on.

Every year we put together a programme of Experiences that bring together local businesses to create unique days out for you to enjoy in our place.Our coastline makes for a great adventure playground, treated respectfully of course with safety in mind; our countryside dotted with artists and makers, producers, and historic towns and villages, are a canvas of arts and heritage to be explored.

Highlights of this particular programme, which runs from April to January, can include tours and events held in locations not normally open to the public, on water fun such involving paddleboards and kayaks, opportunities to learn new skills in the way of arts and crafts, a chance to devour some scrumptious delights in our local eateries, serving our local ingredients in the finest way possible sure to have you wanting more.

Find out more about our Experience programme.

Calendar Events

April

Our AND Culture section present the Ards Guitar Festival. A programme of mini events and activities that celebrate guitar music locally and afar. Find out more

May

May Day starts off the events programme with the traditional Merry May Day celebrations in the wonderful boutique town of Holywood, our gateway into the borough from Belfast, working in partnership with the Holywood District Community Council.

The town centre closes its roads to make way for an on street market, food stalls, children's entertainment, live music and of course the dance performance around the May Pole, as well as the Bonny Baby compeitition and the crowning of the May Queen! Children are encouraged to dress up as their favourite characters which always makes for fantastic fun. Local school children, who practice intently in the run up, gather together to dance the traditional steps using ribbons that form a pattern on what is the islands only May Pole, accompanied by live traditional music.

June

The Sea Bangor Festival, held at the city of Bangor seafront over a weekend in June, celebrates our relationship with the sea and our maritime heritage.

Themed entertainment, children's crafts and play, on the water and off water activities, live music (normally accompanied by the chance to dance!),
displays by the RNLI and so much more make this popular event providing nothing but wholesome memories for all the family.

The location of the event serves the additional bonus of plentiful more activity close by in the centre including Pickie Funpark, just a short walk along the promenade around the marina.

Another highlight of June is the Comber Earlies Food Festival, part of our 'Taste Summer' programme. A weekend that celebrates the locally grown and worldwide famous Comber Early potato, whose claim to fame is the PGI status it holds, protected geographical indication (PGI) status, under European law. PGI status recognises the regional importance and distinctive characteristics of the Comber Early potato and means that only new season potatoes harvested from the fields of Comber and the surrounding area can be marketed as new season Comber earlies.

Celebrity chefs such as Jean-Christophe Noveli, Theo Randall and Paula McIntyre have previously joined us in our Demo Kitchen to share their recipes and tips on how to make the most of your Comber Earlies.

There is a surplus of family fun, from potatoe themed crafts, to chilren's fun fair rides, street theatre, live music, an artisan market that showcases our fabulous local makers and producers as well as tractor displays, and more!

Look out for associated events over the weekend including food tours, guided historical walking tours and more.

This festival forms part of our 'Taste summer' programme of events and markets.

August

Every August, the Open House Festival launches a month long programme of arts and culture events ranging from live music sessions, to book clubs, food tours, boat tours and Music in the Park on Sundays in local Ward Park.

In 2022, Open House opened The Court House Bangor, a venue for live music and the arts. Here you will find an all year programme, bringing people together for the best time! Find out more about Open House Festival.

Our own AND Culture produce a fantastic programme of events throughout the year too including workshops and classes, Friday Night Live sessions, theatre, children's crafts and so much more. Find out more about Culture - Ards and North Down.

September

'Taste Autumn' sees us through the end of summer and welcome in the autumn season at the end of August and into September. Tide and Turf Portavogie Food Festival serves as the flagship event to this programme of events and markets that showcase our fine food and drink. The location of this event, in Portavogie, celebrates the world class seafood that arrives to these docks, shipped over the island and afar, from the renowned 'Portavogie prawn' to fresh lobster, mussels and fish catch.

Christmas

In November, we welcome in the festive season to the borough with two council-run family fun events, in Bangor City and in Newtownards, with the Switch On events. These occur normally on the third and fourth Saturdays in the month. Join us for artisan markets, food, entertainment for the little ones and those young at heart, live music and more.

Throughout the borough, the remaining towns and villages choose to welcome in the season their own way. Look out for even more family fun dotted around Ards and North Down in November and December.

Craft workshops, Christmas markets and family shows put the additional sparkle into the festive season in our place.

Find out more about Christmas in Ards and North Down.

Tourism Grant Aided Events

We are also delighted to be supporting a number of local organisations through funding which has contributed to creating a programme of events for all in the community, visitors from inside the borough and outside.

Find out more about Grant-Aided Events.

And there's even more happening in between...

Find out what else the year has in store for you should you visit our part of the Isle, there is something for everyone!

What's on listings

Please note

This serves as a guide to a typical year of events highlights in Ards and North Down, however, details and events subject to change.

There will be a small charge for some activities at events.

Photography and videography may take place at some or all of the above events. Please be sure to inform a member of staff on site if you wish not to feature in stock imagery collected for the promotion of the borough and it's events.

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Gintlíocht

Holywood

Address

Ulster Folk Museum, 153 Bangor Road, Holywood, County Down, BT180EU

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9042 8428

info@nationalmuseumsni.org

Price
Price £11.50 to £24.50 Per Ticket

Type

Type:

Exhibition

An exhibition of contemporary artwork on the theme of heritage skills and crafts at Ulster Folk Museum.

Dates

Price
Price £11.50 to £24.50 Per Ticket

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
4 in a Bar

Portaferry

Address

The Portico of Ards, Steel Dickson Avenue, Portaferry, County Down, BT22 1LE

Telephone
028 4272 8808

verity@porticoards.com

Price
Price £5.00 to £20.00 Per Ticket

Type

Type:

Concert

The award-winning barbershop quartet 4 in a Bar is back with a selection of Irish favourites from the 13th to 21st centuries!
4 in a Bar is Ireland's leading vocal harmony and barbershop quartet singing traditional, classical, pop and barbershop…

Dates

From:
17 May 2024Various Opening Times

Price
Price £5.00 to £20.00 Per Ticket

More Info
Rock School - Juniors

Portaferry

Address

The Portico of Ards, Steel Dickson Avenue, Portaferry, County Down, BT22 1LE

Telephone
028 4272 8808

verity@porticoards.com

Price
Price £40.00 Per Ticket

Type

Type:

Concert

Rock School is back! Now who wants to be a rock star?
Rock School delivered by Ossia Music School
Rock School Juniors is for 7-11 year olds and will take place from 10am to 12.30pm Monday to Friday.
Supported by a Rural Engagement Arts Programme…

Dates

From:

5 Aug 2024to9 Aug 2024Open 10:00 - 12:30

Price
Price £40.00 Per Ticket

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Valentine's Pottery Painting - SOLD OUT

Millise

Address

Eden Pottery, 218a Abbey Road, Millise, County Down, BT22 2DH

Telephone
028 9186 2300

sales@edenpotteryshop.co.uk

Price
Price £62.00 Per Ticket

Type

Type:

Workshop

An exclusive experience at Eden on a Sunday afternoon....

Dates

Price
Price £62.00 Per Ticket

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Aspects Festival

Bangor

Address

Various Locations around Bangor, Bangor, County Down, BT20 4BT

Telephone
+44 (0)28 9127 1200

arts@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Festival

This year's Aspects Festival brings to you an exciting mix of events, from memoir to poetry, history to prose, all celebrating reading and writing. Whatever your interest, there are events that will challenge, teach and entertain.

Dates

Price
Free

More Info
William Thompson: Scumbag Millionaire

Portaferry

Address

The Portico of Ards, Portaferry, Portaferry, County Down, BT22 1LE

Telephone
028 4272 8808

verity@porticoards.com

Price
Price £15.00 Per Ticket

Type

Type:

Comedy

What would you do if you became a millionaire overnight? Would you invest it? Save it for a rainy day? Or blow it as quickly as possible?
This is the question that William Thompson (Mudblood Podcast, William of Orangedale, Tea With Meghan) will…

Dates

From:
22 Nov 2024Open 19:30 - 21:30

Price
Price £15.00 Per Ticket

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Cappella Caeciliana: The Magic of Christmas

Portaferry

Address

The Portico of Ards, Steel Dickson Avenue, Portaferry, County Down, BT22 1LE

Telephone
028 4272 8808

Verity@porticoards.com

Price
Price £5.00 to £15.00 Per Ticket

Type

Type:

Concert

Leading Northern Ireland choir Cappella Caeciliana returns to Portico to present a concert celebrating the magic of Christmas.
Under their Musical Director Matthew Quinn they will perform a wide range of seasonal music, mixing old favourites with…

Dates

Price
Price £5.00 to £15.00 Per Ticket

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Réalta

Portaferry

Address

The Portico of Ards, Steel Dickson Avenue, Portaferry, County Down, BT22 1LE

Telephone
028 4272 8808

verity@porticoards.com

Price
Price £20.00 Per Ticket

Type

Type:

Concert

Traditional Irish music by Réalta is joyous, energetic, foot-stomping, unforgettable and unmissable!
Réalta, the dynamic Ulster-based Irish traditional group, have delivered their eagerly anticipated third studio album, Thing Of The Earth. The band…

Dates

Price
Price £20.00 Per Ticket

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Valhalla Street Theatre Drama Workshops

Newtownards

Address

Palmer Memorial Hall, Mark Street, Newtownards, Co Down, BT23 4DT

Telephone
+44(0)7866 257 157

karen.todd@yahoo.co.uk

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Workshop

Valhalla Street Theatre will be throwing open their doors and welcoming people of all abilities and ages (18 yrs +) to join them in a new programme of free drama workshops, lead by professional drama coach Chris Curry.

Dates

Price
Free

More Info
Santa Cruise

Killinchy

Address

Strangford Lough Activity Centre, Whiterock Road, Killinchy, County Down, BT23 6PT

Telephone
07909721898

strangfordloughactivitycentre@hotmail.co.uk

Price
Price £25.00 Per Ticket

Type

Type:

Christmas Events

Join our merry old elf for a hair raising sleigh ride around the islands aboard our fast speed boat – Black Jacket. Hold onto your santa hats as we fly through the waters of Strangford Lough. You will be carol singing all the way, listening to some…

Dates

Price
Price £25.00 Per Ticket

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Bangor Drama Club: The Prof by Michael Ievers

Bangor

Address

Studio 1A, 1A Hamilton Road, Bangor, County Down, BT20 4JP

Telephone
028 9127 0069

Price
Price £13.00 Per Ticket

Type

Type:

Theatre

Bangor Drama Club: The Prof by Michael Ievers
This dynamic new pay tells the story of women through the barricades on the fiftieth anniversary of the Ulster Workers’ strike.

Dates

From:

26 June 2024to29 June 2024

Price
Price £13.00 Per Ticket

More Info
THE BJORN IDENTITY

Portaferry

Address

The Portico of Ards, Portaferry, Portaferry, County Down, BT22 1LE

Telephone
028 4272 8808

verity@porticoards.com

Price
Price £23.50 Per Ticket

Type

Type:

Concert

World-class, International Tribute to ABBA
Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Waterloo!
Musicon Entertainment Presents: The Bjorn Identity
The Bjorn Identity hailing from Northern Ireland, have become one of the most sought-after tribute shows in…

Dates

From:
16 Nov 2024Open 19:30 - 22:00

Price
Price £23.50 Per Ticket

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
A celebration of Christmas in Words and Music

Newtownards

Address

Queens Hall, Derrygonnelly, Newtownards, Co Down, BT23 4EN

Telephone
+447920828608

ardschoral@gmail.com

Price
Price £15.00 Per Ticket

Type

Type:

Concert

A Celebration of Christmas

Dates

Price
Price £15.00 Per Ticket

More Info
Mother's Day Afternoon Tea at Cultra Manor

Holywood

Address

Cultra Manor, Ulster Folk Museum, Holywood, County Down, BT180EU

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9042 8428

info@nmni.com

Price
Price £12.00 to £35.00 Per Ticket

Type

Type:

Food & Drink

Celebrate Mother's Day with an Afternoon Tea to remember at Cultra Manor.

Dates

Price
Price £12.00 to £35.00 Per Ticket

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Galentine's Afternoon Tea & Movie

Crawfordsburn, Bangor

Address

The Old Inn, 15-25 Main Street, Crawfordsburn, Bangor, Co Down, BT19 1JH

Telephone
+44 (0)28 9185 3255

reservations@theoldinn.com

Price
Price £35.00 Per Ticket

Type

Type:

Food & Drink

Afternoon Tea & Mamma Mia movie

Dates

Price
Price £35.00 Per Ticket

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Snapshots: Vintage Photography Workshops

Bangor

Address

Boom! Studios, 80a Main Street, Bangor, County Down, BT20 4AE

Telephone
07717 007 372

Price
Price £55.00 Per Ticket

Type

Type:

Workshop

Take photographs like your grandparents. Use a genuine vintage camera with real film and take home prints of your handiwork.

Dates

Price
Price £55.00 Per Ticket

More Info
The Legend of Luke Kelly - April 2023

Portaferry

Address

The Portico of Ards, Steel Dickson Avenue, Portaferry, County Down, BT22 1LE

Telephone
028 4272 8808

verity@porticoards.com

Price
Price £22.50 Per Ticket

Type

Type:

Concert

David Hull Promotions presents... The Legend of Luke Kelly - celebrating the memory and music of a true Irish Musical Legend.

Dates

Price
Price £22.50 Per Ticket

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Lurig Drama Group presents "Ottilie" by Philip Johnston

Bangor

Address

Studio 1a, 1a Hamilton Road, Bangor, County Down, BT20 4JP

Telephone
+44 (0)28 9127 0069

bangorvic@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk

Price
Price £10.00 Per Ticket

Type

Type:

Theatre

Ottilie Patterson, born in Comber, County Down, has been called the greatest of all British Blues singers and achieved international success singing with the Chris Barber Band. She shared the stage with many of the greats of Blues and Jazz…

Dates

Price
Price £10.00 Per Ticket

More Info
Weave a Colourful Wallhanging

6 Loughdoo Road, Ardkeen

Address

Kiri Cottage Crafts, Ardkeen, 6 Loughdoo Road, Ardkeen, County Down, BT22 1HJ

Telephone
07968342928

c4seychris@aol.com

Price
Price £30.00 Per Ticket

Type

Type:

Workshop

Learn to use a peg loom to create a colourful wall hanging

Dates

From:
19 June 2024Open 10:00 - 13:00

Price
Price £30.00 Per Ticket

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Santa Experience at Ballycopeland Windmill

Moss Road, Newtownards

Address

Ballycopeland Windmill, Windmill Road, Moss Road, Newtownards, County Down, BT22 2DS

Telephone
07917 276 309

ballycopeland@usel.co.uk

Price
Price £5.00 to £15.00 Per Ticket

Type

Type:

Christmas Events

Santa Experience

Dates

Price
Price £5.00 to £15.00 Per Ticket

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking