Hillsborough Christmas Market is back for its second year on Friday (13 December).
Join in for festive seasonal cheer as you stroll through the stalls along the magical Dark Walk at Hillsborough Fort as twilight sets in. The market will be filled with the sounds, sights and tastes of Christmas with an eclectic mix of food, arts and crafts.
There will be choirs and musical talent and interactive seasonal crafts with Santa’s elves. Santa just might find time in his busy schedule to be there.
Shops will be trading late and the bars and restaurants will also open their doors.
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TV presenter, naturalist, conservationist, award-winning photographer and author Chris Packham’s new show will be staged at the Whitla Hall on Sunday, February 23.
He will be telling tales from the frontline. Funny and inspiring, the show is packed with fascinating information.
Chris is recognised for his outstanding work in television broadcasting, particularly the BBC Springwatch, Autumnwatch and Winterwatch series and his recent award-winning documentary, Chris Packham: Asperger’s and Me.
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Last week we talked about the Christmas panto, but here is another show to get people talking. It’s Xmas For Dummies and it’s on at the Grand Opera House in Belfast and it runs from December 10 to 22.
Following the success of last year’s sell-out hit On The Shelf, Tara Lynne O’Neill (Derry Girls) and Chris Robinson are back with another darkly comic antidote to all the usual Christmas schmaltz. It’s Christmas Eve and Tracey is working late to get the shop window ready for the Boxing Day sales. Suddenly, finding herself locked in, Tracey, is all alone … or is she?
Xmas for Dummies is the 80s movie Mannequin set in Castle Street – with cheaper actors.
This is a Baby Grand Studio event.
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Scouting For Girls are at the Limelight on Monday, December 16 and Hermitage Green take to the stage on Friday, December 20. The Limelight New Year’s Eve ball is on at the venue on December 31. There are plenty of gigs taking place at the Limelight so check out what on, online.
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Specially for adults, for the first time ever at the Waterfront Hall, panto is being turned on its head, for a Belfast late-night/adult-only experience. In The Baltic Princess, Dame Elsie is on the prowl for a man and no-one is safe. Not even the audience.
That show takes place up until December 29.
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The Riverside Theatre Coleraine, in association with Mr Hullabaloo presents Jack & The Beanstalk. Combining spectacular sets with lavish costumes and a fabulous cast this show is guaranteed to have you dancing and laughing along especially with everyone’s favourite dancing pantomime cow Daisy. The show runs until Saturday.
Also on Thursday, morning at the Riverside in Coleraine, there is a costume/make-up workshop this Thursday (12 December) from 10.30am to 12.30pm. Tickets are £5 and this is one of a series of workshops for adults at Riverside exploring all aspects of theatre making arts. It’s delivered by Costume and Production Designer Lorna Gough.
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Richard Hayward’s East Antrim Exhibition runs until Tuesday 31 December at Larne Museum And Arts Centre from 10am to 4.30pm, Monday to Saturday. In association with Paul Clements, travel writer, broadcaster and former BBC journalist, this exhibition looks at the life of Richard Hayward (1892-1964).
Hayward, a popular actor, singer, writer and broadcaster, was born in Southport but was raised in Larne where he lived at Chelmsford Place.
As a pioneering filmmaker, he appeared in the film The Luck of the Irish, filmed in Glynn in 1935.
Part of the fabric of life for many people and known all over Ireland, few writers are more closely associated with Larne and East Antrim than Richard Hayward.
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Also at Larne Museum and Arts Centre is a lecture – Workhouse by Simon Gallaher
It takes place on Saturday (14 December) from 3pm to 4pm. Tickets are free but must be booked in advance. This talk explores the history of the Poor Law workhouse in Larne during the nineteenth century.
The lecture focuses upon children’s experiences of this institution and includes advice on how to use workhouse records for family and local history.
This is a free event however, places are limited.
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Looking ahead to January and the Big Garden Birdwatch takes place on Saturday 25 January at the Ecos Nature Park, Ballymena from 10am to noon.
As part of the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch participants can count all the birds at Ecos Nature Park, then make a bird box to take away.
Participants can meet at the ECOS drawbridge.
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Gig guide
- Primal Scream: Ulster Hall, Tuesday 10 December – SOLD OUT
- Sam Fender: Ulster Hall, Tuesday 17 December – SOLD OUT
- Whitney: Queen Of The Night: Waterfront Hall, Thursday 16 January
- Supergrass: Ulster Hall, Monday 17 February– VERY LIMITED AVAILS, CALL ULSTER HALL BOX-OFFICE
- The Script: The SSE Arena, Tuesday 3 March – SOLD OUT
- Cirque: Crystal: SSE Arena, Wed 25 – Sun 29 March
- Elbow: Waterfront Hall, Sun 29 March
- David Gray:The SSE Arena, Tuesday 31 March – VERY LIMITED AVAILS, Visit https://www.ssearenabelfast.com/whats-on/david-gray
- PAUL HEATON & JACQUI ABBOTT: Saturday 11 APRIL – BELFAST, ULSTER HALL – SOLD OUT
- Milton Jones: Millennium Forum, Friday 24 April+ Ulster Hall, Sunday 26 April
- Tina Turner: What’s Love Got To Do With It: Waterfront Hall, Saturday 12 September
- Hairy Bikers:Waterfront Hall, Friday 25 September
- Status Quo: Waterfront Hall, Monday 5 October
- Jools Holland: Waterfront Hall, Thursday 22 October
- Deacon Blue: Ulster Hall, Monday 2 November
- Ant Middleton: WaterfrontHall, Tuesday 17 November
- Gabrielle: Ulster Hall, Sunday 29 November
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Cinema
21 Bridges
The Addam’s Family
Charlie’s Angels
Frozen 2
Knives Out
Last Christmas
Le Mans 66
Abominable
Blue Story
Doctor Sleep
The Good Liar
