Fabulous at 50 as town’s festival takes to the stage!
IT’S been a special week for everyone associated with Banbridge Performing Arts Festival.
The 50th anniversary festival got underway on Monday, with the ‘In-School Festival’ which runs for the whole week.
This Monday (November 25), attention turns to the Belmont House Hotel for another five days of top-class competition.
There will be two international adjudicators, Timothy McCarthy and Marcia Carr, in two halls with three different sessions - at 9.30am, 1.30pm and 6.30pm - and over 1,900 performers taking to the stage!
St. Colman’s PS, Dromore, was the first school of nine to be visited, with Festival Director and accredited international adjudicator with the British and International Federation of Festivals, Patricia Mulligan, being the adjudicator.
Banbridge festival is now celebrating 50 years under the guidance and leadership of Frank and Patricia Mulligan.
To celebrate such an achievement, the committee has been working hard to make sure this is a festival that everyone will remember.
Refreshments and cake will be served in the foyer between classes. A booklet of the ‘History of the Festival’ has been produced and is available to buy.
The ‘Champion of Champions’ takes place on Friday afternoon at 2.30pm with Holly (overall winner at St. Colman's) already securing her place, where she will compete against the overall winners of the other schools for the much sought-after trophy and bursary waiting to be won.
All results and photos will be published on Facebook, which can be accessed just simply liking the Banbridge Performing Arts Festival page.
If you would like to help next week during the Open Festival, please feel free to contact Festival President, Frank Mulligan, on Tel/ 07753 745432 or email: [email protected]