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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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Visit Santa at Ulster Folk Museum

Holywood

Address

Ulster Folk Museum, 153 Bangor Rd, Cultra, Holywood, County Down, BT18 0EU

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9042 8428

info@nationalmuseumsni.org

Price
Price from: £33.50 Per Ticket

Type

Type:

Christmas Events

Nestled in the RIC Station at the Ulster Folk Museum, a jolly fellow with rosy cheeks and a snow white beard has been spotted toasting his toes by the fire.

Dates

From:
30 Nov 2024Open 11:00 - 16:00
From:
20 Dec 2024Open 11:00 - 16:00

Price
Price from: £33.50 Per Ticket

More Info
Strangford Lough Viking Festival - Viking Tented Village Portaferry

(on the green area after Exploris), Portaferry

Address

The Viking Encampment, The Ropewalk, off Castle Street, (on the green area after Exploris), Portaferry, County Down, BT22 1NZ

Telephone
028 9182 6846

Type

Type:

Festival

Viking reenactors will be in Portaferry and will tell the shared Viking story of the two villages to visitors. A full-size replica longship will be on display.

Dates

More Info
Electric Picnic

Killinchy

Address

Sketrick Island, Whiterock, Killinchy, County Down, BT23 6QH

Telephone
07909721898

strangfordloughactivitycentre@hotmail.co.uk

Price
Price from: £60.00 Per Ticket

Type

Type:

Tour

Take a guided electric bike around the shoreline of stunning Strangford Lough, with a stop for an artisan picnic en route.

Dates

Price
Price from: £60.00 Per Ticket

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Spring Foraging Workshop

Holywood

Address

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

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9042 8428

info@nationalmuseumsni.org

Price
Price from: £30.00 Per Ticket

Type

Type:

Workshop

Forage for seasonal plants, trees and fruit on this Spring walk around the Ulster Folk Museum with food and foraging expert Clare McQuillan.

Dates

Price
Price from: £30.00 Per Ticket

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Ultimate SUP NI

Donaghadee

Address

114 Killaughey Road, Donaghadee, County Down, BT21 0BE

Telephone
+44 (0) 7717 777 995

ultimatesupni@gmail.com

Type

Type:

Canoeing

Ultimate SUP NI provides efoiling lessons and experiences along side its very popular Paddle Boarding (SUP) school.

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- Car parking
- On site parking
- Parking (free)
Strangford Lough Viking Festival - Coppersmithing Workshop With Lake and Oak, Sat 10am

(on the green area after Exploris), Portaferry

Address

The Viking Tented Village, The Ropewalk, off Castle Street, (on the green area after Exploris), Portaferry, County Down, BT22 1NZ

Telephone
028 9182 6846

Price
Price from: £20.00 Per Ticket

Type

Type:

Workshop

Make your own leaf pendant, Viking brooch or a cuff.

Dates

Price
Price from: £20.00 Per Ticket

More Info
The Livingston Centre

Killinchy

Address

Church Hill Road, Killinchy, County Down, BT23 6PP

Telephone
02897541249

killinchyparishcic@gmail.com

Price
Price from: £5.00 Activity

Type

Type:

Cultural Centre

The Livingston Centre at Killinchy Parish Church is a local heritage centre. It tells the transatlantic story of the Livingston family. The Livingston family became one of the most influential families in American history and includes Presidents, a…

Price
Price from: £5.00 Activity

More Info
Facilities

Establishment Features
- Wi-fi available
Cultra Motorsport Festival

Holywood

Address

Ulster Transport Museum, 153 Bangor Road, Cultra, Holywood, County Down, BT18 0EU

Telephone
+ 44 (0) 28 9042 8428

info@nationalmuseumsni.org

Price
Price from: £15.00 to £31.50 Per Ticket

Type

Type:

Family Fun

The Cultra Motorsport Festival is back, this time taking in the Ulster Transport Museum experience, with the famous Cultra hill climb taking place on the grounds of the Ulster Folk Museum right beside us, on the other side of the railway tracks!

Dates

Price
Price from: £15.00 to £31.50 Per Ticket

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
DV Diving

Carrowdore

Address

138 Mountstewart Road, Carrowdore, County Down, BT22 2ES

Telephone
+44028 9186 1686

info@dvdiving.co.uk

Type

Type:

Diving & SubAqua

DV Diving is a PADI Five Star Dive Centre, TDI Facility, RYA Training Centre and HSE recognised scuba assessment centre based at Strangford Lough, County Down, Northern Ireland.

More Info
Great Uncle Arthur's Astonishing Adventures

Comber

Address

WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre, 78 Ballydrain Road, Comber, County Down, BT23 6EA

Telephone
028 9187 4146

info.castleespie@wwt.org.uk

Type

Type:

Family Fun

Adventure into the hidden world of wildlife with the help of Uncle Arthur's mysterious journal and unusual inventions. And get ready to experience nature in a whole new way!

Dates

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Christmas at Mount Stewart

Newtownards

Address

Mount Stewart, Newtownards, County Down, BT22 2AD

Telephone
02842788387

mountstewart@nationaltrust.org.uk

Type

Type:

Christmas Events

Step into the magic of Christmas at Mount Stewart, where a season of festive delights awaits!

Dates

From:

28 Nov 2024to5 Jan 2025Open 10:00 - 16:00

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Strangford Lough Viking Festival - Where Celtic and Viking Art Meet - Part 2

Portaferry

Address

The Narrows, 8 Shore Road, Portaferry, County Down, BT22 1PB

Telephone
028 9182 6846

Type

Type:

Talks/Lectures

Two of Europe's leading exponents of Celtic knotwork meet to discuss their work. A rare opportunity to meet this quality of practitioner face to face. This is a two part event, part 1 takes place in Strangford on 25 March.
Sean Parry and Sean…

Dates

More Info
Pure Day Spa

Newtownards

Address

48a Ballybunden Road, Killinchy, Newtownards, County Down, BT23 6RF

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9754 3000

info@puredayspa.com

Type

Type:

Spa and Well-being

Pure Day Spa is situated in the naturally tranquil countryside of Killinchy, Co. Down. As you step inside you will be enveloped in a calming atmosphere which will make your stress float away, your spirit free, and your body relaxed.

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Behind the Scenes: Transport Store Tour

Belfast

Address

Heron Road, Belfast, County Antrim, BT3 9LE

Telephone
+44 (0)28 9042 8428

info@nationalmuseumsni.org

Price
Price from: £10.00 to £21.10 Per Ticket

Type

Type:

Tour

Want to get behind the scenes of NI's Transport and Industry Store? See inside this treasure trove of thousands of automotive, aeronautic and industrial collections that highlight our history of invention in this part of the world.

Dates

Price
Price from: £10.00 to £21.10 Per Ticket

More Info
Strangford Lough Viking Festival - Historical Walking Tour, Fri 11am

Portaferry

Address

Portaferry Hotel, 10 The Strand, Portaferry, County Down, BT22 1PE

Telephone
028 9182 6846

Price
Price from: £3.00 Per Ticket

Type

Type:

Tour

A walking tour of Portaferry led by the knowledgeable Brigid Watson of Sustainable Journeys Ireland, with a Viking and natural history emphasis.

Dates

Price
Price from: £3.00 Per Ticket

More Info
Sea La Vie

Bangor

Address

73 Victoria Road, Bangor, Co Down, BT20 5ER

Telephone
+44 (0) 7387 261123

p.bishop@cecoproducts.com

Type

Type:

Self-Catering

A beautiful 100 year old semi detached house in the heart of the City of Bangor. Sea La Vie offers comfort and luxury, Pauline (your host) looks forward to welcoming you.
Special Offers
- Stay 2 Nights get a 3rd night free.
  From £130 per night
  Enjoy the third night in Sea La Vie ‘on us’ with this offer – pay for two nights and the third is free, that’s a three night stay for £260. Go on, get it booked!
  Call to book
  More offers like this - Self Catering Offers
More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
The Walled Garden Helen's Bay

Helen's Bay

Address

The Walled Garden, 47 Craigdarragh Road, Helen's Bay, County Down, BT19 1UB

Telephone
+44 (0) 7704 456 109

info@thewalledgardenhelensbay.com

Type

Type:

Garden

The Walled Garden,Helen's Bay, was built in 1886 by Belfast cotton and muslin manufacturer,Thomas Workman, to supply fresh fruit and vegetables for his household in nearby, Lanyon designed, Craigdarragh House.
We bought this "secret" kitchen…

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Victoria Road

Newtownards

Address

A2B Victoria Road, Newtownards, Co Down, BT23 7EE

Telephone
+44 (0) 7809 736718

moyamce@googlemail.com

Type

Type:

Self-Catering

More Info
Park Drive Terrace

Holywood

Address

14 Park Drive, Holywood, Co Down, BT18 9LW

Telephone
+44 (0)7748 466 512

peterrobinson750@gmail.com

Type

Type:

Self-Catering

Holywood Town House in Town Centre

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- Parking (free)
Santa Cruise

Killinchy

Address

Strangford Lough Activity Centre, Whiterock, Killinchy, County Down, BT23 6QH

Telephone
+44 (0) 7909 721 898

strangfordloughactivitycentre@hotmail.co.uk

Price
Price from: £35.00 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.

Dates

From:

30 Nov 2024to22 Dec 2024Various Opening Times

Price
Price from: £35.00 Per Ticket

More Info
Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Dogs Welcome Inside
Facilities

Catering
- Licensed
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- Car parking
- On site parking
Facilities

Catering
- Restaurant on Premises