This weekend, today & tonight.

Culture Night Belfast 2017

The biggest evening in Belfast's cultural calendar returns to transform the spaces and places of the city centre and beyond on Friday 22 September with a packed programme of events including tasters, tours, talks, trails, demonstrations, activities and gigs.

All Culture Night events are free. Most events will take place between 1pm - 10pm in Belfast's Cathedral Quarter, but many venues will be opening earlier and closing later.

85,000 people enjoyed Culture Night Belfast in 2016, and this year they're spreading the fun further across the city including at locations such as Belfast City Hall, Belfast Harbour and The Big Fish beside the River Lagan.   

For the full programme of events, visit www.culturenightbelfast.com or view the events guide.

This weekend

Check this out over 370 properties and events free today & tomorrow. See what's open where you are @ www.discovernorthernireland.comehod

Creative Craft Events North Down & Ards

The 16th annual Creative Peninsula event; Northern Ireland’s premier celebration of Art and Craft

This thriving annual event runs from 4 – 13 August 2017 and launches on Friday 4 August with Craft in the Square in Conway Square, Newtownards; a tented village full of Artists and Craftspeople selling and demonstrating their work. Throughout the week there will be Open Studios, Studio Coach Tours, Exhibitions, Workshops, Demonstrations, Art in the Walled Garden and more, all taking place throughout the beautiful and picturesque Ards and North Down Borough.

The region is well known for its many Artists and Makers and during the event visitors will have the opportunity to view their work, purchase or commission a unique piece or have a go in a workshop.

 

So, why not come along and enjoy a week long explosion of creativity!

2 - 31 August Exhibitions

4 August Craft in the Square 

4 - 13 August Creative Peninsula at Project 24 

4 - 13 August Open Studios

5 & 6 August Alfresco Afternoons

5 - 10 August Artist Own Studio Workshops

5 & 11 August Creative Coach Tours 

5 - 12 August Ards Arts Centre Workshops

7 - 9 August Creative Cafes 

9 August Drink and Draw

11 August Arts Night at the Museum 

14 - 24 August Creative Development Seminars

Pick up a brochure to find out all the details. 

The Twilight Summer

The Belfast Council invite you to the Twilight Summer Beach Party on 1st -2nd August @ St George's Market. 

The first-ever summer Twilight Market will be taking place at St George's Market August 1-2. 

Opening from 4pm – 11pm, the summer beach party-themed event will have a real family-fun element with lots of children’s activities and entertainment. 

There’ll also be live music from local artists, more than 100 quirky traders selling funky arts and crafts, food and drink, and of course there’ll be our usual cookery demonstrations from some of the city’s award-winning chefs. 

So come along and enjoy the summer fun! For further details please visit www.belfastcity.gov.uk/twilightbelfast #TwilightBelfast * Please note Twilight Market is strictly over-18s after 9pm*

Family Fun & Exhibitions

Visit Portaferry VIC from July - 24th Sept for free family fun every Saturday. 

Craft, music and so much more in Groomsport at the Cockle Row.

Visit the many tourist information centres for more info   

Bangor Tourist information centre

Or just take in the views & the colours. 

Game of Thrones

Here at Whitethorn Cottages we have our own tales with our experience with GOT and Dracula. With fans having had to wait longer than usual, Game of Thrones® Season 7 is finally upon us. And, with the new season comes a brand new campaign, created in partnership with HBO, that will showcase Northern Ireland once again as Game of Thrones® Territory to millions of fans worldwide. 

Tourism NI has collaborated with Tourism Ireland to create the campaign and it is bigger than ever before – featuring a giant, 77-metre long, Bayeux-style tapestry which tells the story so far from Season 1 to Season 6, bringing to life the trials and tribulations of the show’s characters in its most epic and famous scenes.

The tapestry, woven from one enormous piece of linen supplied by Thomas Ferguson’s in Banbridge, will be exhibited at the Ulster Museum from 22nd July for the duration of the campaign giving fans a chance to re-visit all the key events leading up to Season 7.   

There are 25 filming locations to visit in Northern Ireland. The campaign kicked off on 17th July and will roll out across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube in Northern Ireland and ROI as well as twelve international markets – including Great Britain, the United States, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, India and the UAE.

What's on

The Ulster Flying Club will be running their annual summer fly in with aircraft visiting from all around the UK & Ireland. Members of the public will be welcome to walk around a static aircraft display, or take part with a trial lesson in one of the club's Cessna C172 aircraft. Information is available from our instructors or members for those who wish to obtain a pilot's licence.

Trial Lessons Available

£55.00 - 15 minutes for 3 people (A quick tour of Newtownards)

£99.00 - 30 minutes for 3 people (Fly around the Ards Peninsula or over Belfast City)

Bangor Festival

Open House Festival Bangor is running from the 1st August - 31st August 2017

This is the 5th Open House Festival, the focus is firmly on what's local. Music, arts,food and drink, artists of every genre. 

A third of events are free, 141 events in 42 venues. 

They have even got their own locally sourced beer this year. 

OPEN HOUSE FESTIVAL BREW

We have collaborated with Boundary, a cooperatively owned local brewery to bring you our very own festival brew, available for the whole festival month of August and from festival pubs and restaurants.

 

Stockists include

The Goat’s Toe • Rabbit Rooms

Hop House • Fealty’s • The Salty Dog The Boathouse • Jamaica Inn

Jenny Watts • The Wheathill

The Guillemot • Neill Wines

Donegans • The Ava Winebar 

Golfing in Northern Ireland

Here at Whitethorn Cottages we have 14 excellent golf courses within a 10mile radius and two driving ranges within 3 mins. 

Ards Half Marathon 30th June

The 10th Ards Half Marathon and Walk which takes place on Friday 30 June 2017 starting at 6:30pm. You should find all the information you need about the event on these pages. If you do have a question please feel free to contact:

Ards and North Down Borough Council

Sports Development

Londonderry Park, Portaferry Road, Newtownards Co Down BT23 8SG

Telephone: 0300 013 3333 ext:40326/40327

A number of roads throughout Newtownards and Comber will be affected due to the marathon and walk. Information is listed below:

Newtownards Town

William Street

A one way system will operate from Hardford Link toward Regent Street between 5.00pm and 6.00pm. William Street will be closed to all through traffic from Hardford Link to the Corry Street junction between 6pm and 11pm.Through traffic may still enter William Street from Regent Street, however it will be diverted along Corry Street or West Street. Motorists are advised to avoid the area where possible as delays are expected. On the direction of the PSNI, roads may open earlier if safe to do so.

 

Regent Street, Francis Street, Kennel Lane, Movilla Street, High Street, South Street Circular Road, Mill Street

No road closures. Traffic will be held to allow runners through. Please expect delays between 6.30pm and 7.10pm. Motorists are asked to reduce their speed and drive with caution on these roads.

Mill Street, Frederick Street

Traffic will be allowed to filter through but please expect delays between 7.30pm and 10pm.

 

Newtownards Rural Areas

Scrabo Road

Scrabo Road will be closed to traffic from Marcella Park to the Moate Road junction between 6.30pm and 10pm.

 

Killynether Road, Ballyrainey Road

No road closures. Traffic will be escorted by the PSNI on the Ballyrainey Road between 6.40pm and 8pm. Killynether Road traffic will be allowed to filter through. Please expect delays on both roads. Motorists are asked to reduce their speed and drive with caution on these roads.

Unicarval Road

Unicarval Road will be closed to traffic between 6.55pm and 8.15pm.

Ballyhenry Road, Ballyalton Road

No road closures. Please expect delays between 7pm and 8.30pm. Motorists are asked to reduce their speed and drive with caution on these roads.

Moate Road

A one way system will operate up the road from the dual carriageway to Scrabo Road between 7.15pm and 9.30pm.

Comber Town

Darragh Road

Darragh Road will be closed to traffic between 7pm and approximately 8.30pm from the Ballyhenry Road junction to the mini roundabout at Dermott Road. There will be no road closures from the mini roundabout to Lower Crescent. Motorists are asked to reduce their speed and drive with caution on these roads.

Lower Crescent

A one way system from Darragh Road onto Lower Crescent will operate between approximately 7.10pm and 8.45pm.

Newtownards Road, Newtownards Dual Carriageway

There will be no left turn off the dual carriageway onto Ballyhenry Road and no right turn from Ringcreevey Road between 5.30pm and 9pm. Otherwise, traffic will be

allowed to filter through. Please expect delays between 7.15pm and 9pm. Motorists are asked to reduce their speed and drive with caution on these roads.

Email: ardshalfmarathon@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk

Scrabo Tower

Scarbo Tower is just in the skyline of the cottages and you can see it everyday in a different light with a different background. Today and over the weekend you can see inside it.  Starting today from 10am - 4pm tomorrow & Sunday visit the iconic landmark. 

Belsonic

BELSONIC celebrates it's 10th Anniversary this year at a new location, the idyllic setting at Ormeau Park, Belfast. Tickets still available at ticket master. Lots going on in Belfast. 

What's on this month

Queen’s Quay and Titanic Quarter

Celebrating the city’s unique maritime heritage, you can expect plenty of exciting free entertainment for all ages. Enjoy visiting ships, live music, Q Radio roadshow, arts and crafts, amazing street theatre and lots more free family fun.

It’s so easy to get around with a free Maritime Festival shuttle bus, operated by Translink, running between the City Centre and Queen’s Quay, or hop on board the Wee Tram to take you down to Titanic Quarter.

 

Titanic Quarter Entertainment

Join us for an action packed weekend celebrating our waterfront heritage & seafaring traditions at the Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival 2017. From a Big Titanic Pop-up Picnic to a seafood street food market, from wooden boats to model boats, nautical walking tours to Port to Starboard talks. Our festival invites visitors to explore a spectacular heritage site and enjoy music, games, interactive exhibits, roving performers and lots more.Queen’s Quay and Titanic Quarter

Celebrating the city’s unique maritime heritage, you can expect plenty of exciting free entertainment for all ages. Enjoy visiting ships, live music, Q Radio roadshow, arts and crafts, amazing street theatre and lots more free family fun.

It’s so easy to get around with a free Maritime Festival shuttle bus, operated by Translink, running between the City Centre and Queen’s Quay, or hop on board the Wee Tram to take you down to Titanic Quarter.

 

Titanic Quarter Entertainment

Join us for an action packed weekend celebrating our waterfront heritage & seafaring traditions at the Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival 2017. From a Big Titanic Pop-up Picnic to a seafood street food market, from wooden boats to model boats, nautical walking tours to Port to Starboard talks. Our festival invites visitors to explore a spectacular heritage site and enjoy music, games, interactive exhibits, roving performers and lots more.

Jazz @ Mount Stewart

Looks like we are getting another spell of lovely weather, why not come along this Sunday, bring your picnic or grab a Burger from Parkgate Organic Farm and settle down on the lawn with your family and friends to enjoy an afternoon of jazz in the beautiful gardens at Mount Stewart.

28th May 2pm - 6.30pm 10 minutes from our cottages. 

What's on this week.

From the 25th - 29th May we have the Continental market in front of the City Hall  from 10am to 10pm. Why not visit?

PS the Sun is to shine this weekend, enjoy.