NW Countryside festival welcomed by Limavady Mayor

This follows a lengthy period of negotiations with both Limavady Borough Council and the owners of the former Shackleton army base - the Office of First and Deputy First Ministers at Stormont.

The site of the former Shackleton Barracks, will be the venue for the two-day festival over the weekend of Saturday, August 16 and Sunday 17, that is expected to attract thousands of visitors to the region. Organisers say that the new North West Countryside Festival will be modelled on the successful N.I Countryside Festival that has been running in the Lisburn City Council area for more than a decade and which has established itself as the biggest event of its kind anywhere in Ireland.

The Mayor of Limavady Borough Council, Alderman Alan Robinson said “The organisers of the festival presented to Council a few months ago and Council were very impressed with what is going to be on offer as there will be something for everyone to enjoy with arts/crafts, stalls and children’s activities. I am very pleased and excited.”

A spokesman for festival organisers said: “Already organised at this stage are more than 160 trade stalls from all parts of Ireland and Great Britain who have committed to the new event. They offer country clothing, cars and 4x4 vehicles, fishing and shooting equipment, crafts, ceramics and wooden products, food and wines, ladies fashion, children’s entertainment, gardening products and much more besides. Many of the exhibitors are familiar with the Lisburn event and are keen to travel to the North West with the organisers.”

More exhibitors from the North West Region are now expected to book stands as news of the festival becomes known locally. In addition to traditional country sports events; such as clay pigeon shooting, archery, air rifle shooting, fishing, falconry, gundogs, equestrian and terrier and lurcher events there will be a food fair featuring local, artisan food producers and a crafts fair with crafters from the region attending.

Festivals organisers also say that they are not planning for this event to be a ‘one off’, giving the indication of long-term planning and ambition for this new event in the North West.

“We have identified a gap in the marketplace for such an event in the North West region and we’re hoping to be back year after year”, the spokesman said. “For a number of years we have been considering a second event in Northern Ireland and now that the opportunity for using the Shackleton Park site at Ballykelly has arisen, we see this as an ideal and a central venue for this new North West Countryside Festival. This will be a total countryside occasion for all the family and with the under 12s going free and car parking also free, it will also be a very inexpensive family day out!”