Countdown to Gig’n The Bann

This festival has become one of the major events on the Summer Festival Calendar having built a reputation for offering a most impressive line-up of top performers spanning Traditional, Scottish and Folk Music circles.

The ethos of the festival is to bring together musical traditions across all cultural divides and the direction pursued in recent years has been to incorporate the Ulster Scots tradition alongside Traditional Irish music.

This has greatly enhanced audience participation in a diverse range of events. It has also meant that people from different sides of the community have become exposed to music, song and dance that they may not have been familiar with before.

The Festival programme for 2011 will again include the usual mix of Concerts, Traditional Music Sessions and the Bard’n The Bann competition which features local writers and now in its fifth year continues to grow as an integral part of the festival.

There is also the opportunity to hear world class pipe bands at the Pipe’n The Bann event which is usually one of the highlights of the festival.

The main festival concerts are held in ‘The Old Shirt Factory’, a really unique venue.

As the title suggests this is a disused shirt factory, which is now a listed, building due to its historical importance in the village.

The factory is converted into a 600 seat capacity concert hall with a first class light and sound system.

Each year the festival continues to grow and the organising committee strive to bring the top performers to an audience that rarely would have an opportunity to see these artists perform live.

The organising committee hope that the 2011 Gig’n The Bann Festival Programme will be even more entertaining than previous years so if you feel you would like to experience the unique welcome afforded to all visitors who spend the weekend in the village check out the rest Gig’n the Bann website - www.gignthebann.com- for full events listings and festival updates.

What’s on and when..

Thursday, September 1

Run’n the Bann - 7pm, admission £6, registration from 6pm to 7pm at North 71, Pat’s Bar. Please download a registration form from the Gig’n the Bann website and complete it prior to your arrival at registration. Anyone wishing to write a cheque should make it payable to the ‘Community Rescue Service’. All Proceeds from the run will go to support the work of the Community Rescue Service, Portglenone Unit.

5K Walk - a 5K walk will also follow behind the run. Entry fees are £3 per person or £6 per family with proceeds going towards the Green Gym. The Green Gym is an initiative of the Portglenone Enterprise Group that allows people of all ages with learning disabilities to increase their physical activity levels by becoming involved with gardening and conservation projects in the local community.

Friday, September 2

Concert for Primary Schools

Wee Bard’n the Bann - admission £5 - this also permits entry to Bard’n the Bann - Church Of Ireland Parish Centre, 7pm.

Bard’n the Bann - Church Of Ireland Parish Centre, 8.30pm

Junior ‘Celtic’ Disco - Portglenone Community Centre, 8-10pm, admission £3.

The Big Celtic Hooley at the Wild Duck Riverside Suite, 9.30pm, featuring Chasin Hooley and Skerryvore. Admission £8.

Saturday, September 3

Splash’n The Bann, Marina, Portglenone Community Centre 9.30am to 12noon.

Pipe’n The Bann, Wild Duck Riverside Suite, 1pm to 4pm, admission free.

Courtyard Sessions, The Courtyard behind the Acoustic Cafe, 1pm to 4pm, admission free.

Main Concert, Wild Duck Riverside Suite 8.30pm, featuring At First Light, PJ McDonald and Brid Harper, Guidewires,

admission £15. Please note that this is strictly a fully seated concert. Tickets can be reserved by emailing [email protected]

Over 18s Trad Disco with DJ Paddy Callaghan, Roger Casements Social Club, 11pm, admission £5.

Sunday, September 4

Set Dancing & Sean-Nós Dance Workshop, Roger Casements Social Club, 12noon to 2pm, admission £5.

Family Fun, Bank Square from 1pm to 5pm, with inflatables provided by Born to Bounce, Portglenone.

Praise’n the Bann, Bank Square, 6pm.

Ann O’Brien Tribute Stage - Young Musician of the Bann’, Wild Duck Riverside Suite, 7.30pm, admission £6.

There will also be Festival Session in The Wild Duck, Crosskeys Inn, Village Inn, Roger Casements Social Club, Greenlough Bar, Diamond Bar.