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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) in conjunction with the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association is delighted to present the United Kingdom Pipe and Drum Major Championships.

The event will take place at Ward Arras area of Ward Park in Bangor, Northern Ireland, on Saturday 18 May 2024, commencing at 10 am and is supported by and Ards and North Down Borough Council. 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, Holywood District Community Council organise Merry May Day with support from Ards and North Down Borough 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.

Number of results: 622

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Somme Museum

Newtownards

Address

233 Bangor Road, Newtownards, County Down, BT23 7PH

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9182 3202

claire@sommeassociation.com

Type

Type:

Visitor Centres & Museums

The Museum examines Ireland's role in the 1st World War with special reference to the cross-community involvement in the 3 local volunteer Divisions: the 10th and 16th (Irish) Divisions and the 36th (Ulster) Division.

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Facilities

Leisure Facilities
- Wifi
To the Trees with Dylan Freeburn

Newtownards

Address

Cairn Wood car park, 21 Craigantlet Rd, Newtownards, County Down, BT23 4TE

Telephone
0300 013 3333 40451

rachael.ludlow-williams@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Sport

We're going on a trail hunt: Autumn series of guided walks in the woods

Dates

From:
26 Nov 2024Open 10:00 - 12:00

Price
Free

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Mews Cottage

Bangor

Address

8B Killaire Avenue, Bangor, Co Down, BT19 1EW

Telephone
07732627200

mewscottage@live.com

Type

Type:

Self-Catering

Looking for somewhere totally different? Why stay in boring when you can stay in a converted boutique accommodation with stunning views over the Irish Sea to Scotland. Bespoke kitchen with granite worktops, dishwasher, washer/dryer, microwave, ...

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Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Facilities

Leisure Facilities
- Wifi
Bangor Castle (City Hall)

Bangor

Address

Castle Park Road, Bangor, County Down, BT20 4TF

Telephone
+44 (0) 300 013 3333

bangorvic@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Historic Sites, Houses, Castles & Buildings

This impressive building was built for the Hon Robert Edward Ward and his family in 1852. It is presently the headquarters of Ards and North Down Borough Council who use the mansions spectacular grand salon as the council chamber.

Price
Free

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Strangford Arms Self Catering

Newtownards

Address

92 Church Street, Newtownards, County Down, BT23 4AL

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9181 4141

info@strangfordhotel.com
Gradings
- Three Star Quality Assurance
Type

Type:

Self-Catering

Located on the same terrace as the Strangford Arms Hotel, this serviced self-catering 2 bedroom house features all modern conveniences, including free WiFi, fully fitted kitchen, living/ dining/ reception area with 32" digital TV, DVD and telephone.
More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Facilities

Leisure Facilities
- Wifi
Seacliff Stays

Bangor

Address

160A Seacliff Road, Bangor, Co Down, BT20 5HA

Telephone
+44 (0) 7923 371153

nfdaccounts@btinternet.com
Gradings
- Four Star Quality Assurance
Type

Type:

Self-Catering

Nestled in the seaside resort of Bangor County Down Northern Ireland, the apartment has uninterrupted views over Belfast lough. You can enjoy all the comforts of home while exploring the wild side of Northern Ireland.
More Info
Facilities

Leisure Facilities
- Wifi
Barnwell Farm Cottages- Flax Cottage

Greyabbey

Address

8 Ballybryan Road, Greyabbey, Co Down, BT22 2RB

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 4278 8488

info@barnwellfarmcottages.co.uk
Gradings
- Four Star Quality Assurance
Type

Type:

Self-Catering

As the name suggests, Flax cottage combines the rustic feel of the farmhouse with the comfort afforded by deluxe furnishings. As well as our 5 farm trails,we have a Bird hide, Badger hide and a panoramic viewing platform. The view takes in…
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Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Facilities

Leisure Facilities
- Wifi
Loughview Brae

Newtownards

Address

7 Newtownards Road, Greyabbey, Newtownards, Co Down, BT22 2QQ

Telephone
+44 (0) 7548632734

loughviewbrae@gmail.com

Type

Type:

Self-Catering

Centrally located in Greyabbey, amazing views, very private house, private access & parking, Orangetree House Wedding Venue less than 5 minute walk, Mount Stewart Estate 5 minute drive, close to beautiful beaches & historic sites great base to stay

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Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Facilities

Leisure Facilities
- Wifi
Blackwood Golf Centre

Bangor

Address

150 Crawfordsburn Road, Bangor, County Down, BT19 1GB

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9185 2706

info@theblackwoodgc.com

Type

Type:

Parkland Golf Course

Premier pay and play golf facility with open Stableford every Friday. Visitors are always most welcome to come along and play the course..

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Curlew Cottage

Newtownards

Address

25 Bar Hall Road, Portaferry, Newtownards, Co Down, BT22 1RQ

Telephone
+44 (0) 7801 090 059

sarahmackie@hotmail.co.uk

Type

Type:

Self-Catering

Portaferry, the local fishing village is only 3½ miles away. It has numerous cafés, dining options, pubs, galleries, and a marina, and Northern Ireland’s only public Aquarium and seal sanctuary are located here.

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Balloo House

Killinchy

Address

Balloo House, 1 Comber Road, Killinchy, County Down, BT23 6PA

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9754 1210

info@balloohouse.com

Type

Type:

Restaurant

Balloo House is a beautiful country pub and restaurant that successfully combines history, tradition and comfort with a forward thinking attitude and passion for excellence in food.

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Sustainable Journeys Ireland

Portaferry

Address

Slanes Point, 38 Ardminnan Road, Portaferry, County Down, BT22 1QJ

Telephone
+44 (0) 7763 898 074

brigid@sustainablejourneysireland.com

Type

Type:

Sightseeing

Slow down, connect with nature, Irish culture and local people on a guided, coastal walk or coach tour with local, specialist tour guide, Brigid Watson.
You will journey to areas off the beaten track to places which most tourists never see and…

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Arco String Quartet

West Street, Bangor

Address

Bangor Castle (City Hall), Castle Park Road, West Street, Bangor, County Down, BT20 4TF

Telephone
028 9181 0803

arts@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk

Price
Price from: £15.00 Per Ticket

Type

Type:

Christmas Events

Get into the Festive spirit with a night of Christmas classics, originals and the odd carol all performed by Arco String Quartet and a guest vocalist.

Dates

From:
7 Dec 2024Open 20:00 - 21:00

Price
Price from: £15.00 Per Ticket

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Derry Churches

Portaferry

Address

11 Cloughey Road, Portaferry, County Down, BT22 1NG

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9082 3207

scmenquiries@communities-ni.gov.uk

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Churches & Sacred Sites

These ruined churches are situated one and a half miles north east of Portaferry on the Tullymally Road, east of the A2 to Cloughey and are signposted from Portaferry.

Price
Free

More Info
The Old Post Office Tea Rooms - Pantry - Gift Shop

Newtownards

Address

191 Killinchy Road, Comber, Newtownards, County Down, BT23 6AA

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9754 3335

info@opocafe.co.uk

Type

Type:

Café

Opened in 2004 The Old Post Office Tea Rooms are situated on the picturesque shores of Strangford Lough in the village of Lisbane, County Down, between Comber and Downpatrick. This grade B listed thatched building dates back to the 1840s.

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Rockport School

Holywood

Address

Rockport School, Craigavad, Holywood, Co Down, BT18 0DD

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9042 8372

schooloffice@rockportschool.com

Type

Type:

Campus

Local attractions nearby include Ulster Folk and Transport Museum and Titanic Belfast. Good variety of restaurants nearby in Holywood, Bangor and Belfast, all easily accessible by car and train.

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Facilities

Leisure Facilities
- Wifi
2 Harbour View

Donaghadee

Address

Apt 2 Harbour View, Bow Street, Donaghadee, Co Down, BT21 0HD

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9188 3940

mac.973@btinternet.com

Type

Type:

Self-Catering

Recently refurbished to a high standard Harbour View luxury apartment offers everything required for a comfortable self catering stay. Situated in the heart of Donaghadee close to all amenities the two bed, two bath apartment is the perfect place.

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Facilities

Leisure Facilities
- Wifi
Ardkeen House

Newtownards

Address

2 Loughdoo Road, Ardkeen, Portaferry, Newtownards, Co Down, BT22 1HJ

Telephone
07546002159

jennifer@ardkeenhouse.com

Type

Type:

Bed & Breakfast

Ardkeen House Bed & Breakfast is situated on the main Portaferry to Newtownards road in County Down, Northern Ireland. Located on an elevated site enjoying breath-taking views over Strangford Lough.
Jennifer and Phil welcome you to this relaxed ...

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Facilities

Room / Unit Features
- TV In Bedrooms
Facilities

Leisure Facilities
- Wifi
Movilla Abbey

Newtownards

Address

Movilla Road, Newtownards, County Down, BT23 8EZ

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9082 3207

scmenquiries@communities-ni.gov.uk

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Abbey / Priory

Movilla Abbey, Methodist and Church of Ireland.
As important as Bangor, Movilla was associated with Saint Finian of the 6th-century. As with many early monasteries, it was refounded as an Augustinian abbey in the Norman 12th century.

Price
Free

More Info
Rollo Gillespie Monument

Comber

Address

Comber Square, Comber, County Down, BT23 5DX

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9182 6846

ardsvic@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Historial figure

Situated in The Square in Comber, it was erected in 1845 to commemorate the bravery of Major General Robert 'Rollo' Gillespie born in the town in 1766. A list of his battles can be found on the sides of the pillar.

Price
Free

More Info
Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Free (parking charges may apply)