Sir George White band prepares for Broughshane Remembrance Festival

This year saw the band take part in major parades including the Junior LOL Diamond Jubilee parade in Antrim; the Carrickfergus Pageant; the ABOD parade in Londonderry; and an enjoyable weekend to the Ayrshire 12th Celebrations in Kilwinning.

The highlight for most of the members, however, had to be the Ulster Covenant parade in Belfast at the end of September. Not only was it an honour to be taking part in the parade but the band also had the honour of leading County Antrim Officers at the head of the County.

The band now turns its attention to their Annual Remembrance Festival being held in Broughshane Community Centre from November 8-11.

As always, they will be joined at the festival by an extensive wartime exhibition put on by the War Years Remembered museum.

A major theme of this year’s display will be the Home Rule period and as 2012 was the 100th Anniversary of the Ulster Covenant, the focal point will be a recreation of Sir Edward Carson signing the Covenant. Anyone attending the festival can even sign their own souvenir copy of the covenant to take home with them.

The exhibition will be open free to the public from 9.30am-9pm on Thursday 8th and from 9.30am -5pm on Friday 9th November.

The mood on Friday night will change to an Evening of Remembrance featuring music provided by Sir George White themselves and also including a religious service which will include an Act of Remembrance. Doors open at 7pm with the event starting at 7.45pm

Saturday 10th November will be the showcase event of the festival with an afternoon concert featuring some of the country’s top bands including Lisburn Young Defenders, Shankill Rd Defenders and Ballyhalbert Flute Band. Ballymena bands also making an appearance will be the Pride of the Maine and Ballykeel Loyal Sons of Ulster.

A new act last year was the inclusion of an Irish Dance Display which was thoroughly enjoyed by all the spectators on the day and the host band look forward to welcoming the dancers once again this year. Doors will open at 1pm on Saturday afternoon.

As the community centre will be the meeting point for the Broughshane RBL parade on Sunday the hall will be open free to any members of the public or parade participants who wish to have a last look around the exhibition.

Finally the members of Sir George White Memorial Flute Band Broughshane would like to thank everybody who supported the band during 2012 and look forward to another successful year in 2013.