Fireworks fly in the final week of festival

THERE are still plenty of artistic activities on offer throughout the final week of the Banbridge District Community Arts Festival.

Totally Portable Pottery is a wonderful workshop for all budding adult potters where they can roll up their sleeves and try their hand at slab building, coiling and modeling in clay. The workshop takes place on Tuesday, 23 October, from 7 – 9pm at 50b Bridge Street, Banbridge (below Diamond Dolls). Contact Banbridge District Council on T: 4066 0605 to book your place priced £5.

On Wednesday, 24 October, renowned artist Grahame Booth delivers a watercolour workshop in the Library Room of Banbridge Old Technical Building from 7– 9.30pm. Grahame will demonstrate the techniques that are crucial to successful landscape watercolour painting. This will be followed by the chance to create your very own masterpiece. Places are £5 and can be booked on T: 4066 0605.

Declan Forde will be inviting us ‘Around the Hearth’ to entertain us with stories and tales in Dromore Library on Wednesday, 24 October, from 7pm – 8pm. Declan has performed his stories all over Ireland and has had his work broadcast on RTE, BBC and Downtown Radio. Admission is free, For further information contact Dromore Library, Tel: 9269 2280.

Mid Week Music with Ivan Black and the Banbridge Ladies Community Choir, comes to the Old Town Hall, Banbridge on Thursday, 25 October, at 7.30pm. Featuring an extravaganza of music, laughter and fun, tickets are priced £5 and are available from the Old Town Hall, Banbridge, T: 4062 0232.

The annual Halloween Fireworks Spectacular will be taking place at the Outlet, Bridgewater Park, Banbridge, on Friday, 26 October, from 6.30pm. Come along for a fun filled, family friendly, creepy carnival with a firework finale guaranteed to light up the district.

The Bronte Society will deliver their Irish Section Public Lecture at Ballyward Church of Ireland Hall, Castlewellan Road, Ballyward on Saturday, 27 October, at 2.30pm. Entitled The Gothic in 19th Century Ireland, the lecture is presented by Dr Eamonn Hughes. Admission is £2.

The festival finally comes to a close with a day of fun for all the family on Saturday, 27 October, as Banbridge Town Centre will be awash with colourful clowning and street entertainment from 12 noon.

Solitude Park will also be a bustle creative hub as Craft in the Park opens for business at 10.30am. Offering a wide range of arts and crafts by a collection of crafts people from across Northern Ireland and further afield, this is the prime opportunity to pick up that perfect Christmas gift.

From 11.30am the park will also play host to the Wheelworks ArtCart and it’s free Live Electronic Music Drop In workshops for children aged 7+.

There will be plenty more activities to entertain children of all ages, and the grown-ups too, in what promises to be a glorious grand finale for what is no doubt another amazing Arts Fest.