26 January 2023 - Flipbook - Page 37
FARM WEEK
FARMFAMILY
NOVEMBER 09 2017
37
Family fun aplenty at Christmas Lights Switch-On
F
AMILY fun aplenty is
guaranteed at this year’s
Christmas Lights Switch-On in
Belfast, which takes place on
Saturday, November 18.
Speaking about this year’s
entertainment programme, Lord
Mayor Nuala McAllister said: “I’m
looking forward to being joined
by children’s television favourites
Bing And Flop and The Twirlywoos,
as well as Pete Snodden and the
Cool FM team, Derek and Jen from
LEFT: The Lord Mayor of Belfast,
Councillor Nuala McAllister, and her
niece Meadbh join Cool FM breakfast
show presenters Rebecca McKinney,
Pete Snodden and Paula Ross, and
Cavehill Primary School pupils Anna
Adams and Finn Bryan in looking
forward to the Christmas Lights
Switch-On, which takes place on
Saturday,November 18.
Milkshake Live, the choir of Cavehill
Primary School – and, of course,
Santa Claus himself!
“It’s a great line-up of family
entertainment, for the young and
the young at heart, and it promises
to be a great night for everyone
to enjoy the official start to
Christmas.”
Cool FM presenter Pete Snodden,
who will act as compere on the
evening, said: “We are honoured to
be involved in Belfast City Council’s
Christmas Lights Switch-On.
Packed with family fun and great
entertainment, Rebecca, Paulo and
I are all looking forward to launching
the Christmas celebrations in
Belfast.”
Stephen Orr, Principal of Cavehill
Primary School, which was
personally selected by the Lord
Mayor to perform at the event,
added: “We are thrilled to have
been invited to participate in this
very special event to start the
Christmas celebrations in Belfast
and look forward to the night with
great excitement and perhaps a few
nerves!”
The event will start at 6.30pm,
and last for around an hour. There
will be road closures in effect in
the city centre from earlier in the
afternoon.
For full details on the Christmas
Lights Switch-On, please visit www.
belfastcity.gov.uk/events
The annual Belfast Christmas
Market will also open in the City Hall
grounds on Saturday, November 18,
starting at noon. The market will
continue until Saturday, December
23, at 6pm.
Santa’s post box will once again
be at his grotto within the market
until December 19 for children to
post letters to the North Pole with
a reply for those who add a return
address.
Cooking up a storm for Causeway Coast
and Glens Restaurant Week
C
HEFS across the Causeway
Coast and Glens are
preparing to cook up a storm
during Restaurant Week.
Following its inaugural
success last year, the event returns
from November 11-19, offering
nine-days of fabulous food and drink
experiences.
With a range of quality restaurants,
food tours, artisan markets and local
producers, the Causeway Coast and
Glens has all the right ingredients. A
Game of Thrones inspired menu, a
lesson in paella-making and guided
whiskey tasting are just some of this
year’s highlights.
The event was officially launched
in the apt surroundings of Dunluce
Castle by the Mayor of Causeway
Coast and Glens Borough Council Joan
Baird OBE, and representatives from
the borough’s hospitality sector.
Speaking afterwards, the Mayor said:
“Dunluce Castle is home to arguably
our area’s most famous kitchen, which
according to myth fell into the sea
during a storm hundreds of year ago.
“With its combination of history,
legend and a stunning cliff-edge
location, I was delighted to join with
some of our local chefs and tourism
operators to launch Restaurant Week
against this iconic backdrop.
“Chefs will be working hard in
kitchens right across the borough to
create memorable dining experiences
and I’m delighted to see the Causeway
Coast and Glens establishing itself as
a ‘must-visit’ foodie destination.”
Kerrie McGonigle, Causeway
Coast and Glens Borough Council’s
Destination Manager, said:
“Restaurant Week aims to celebrate
our fabulous foodie scene, and
our trade partners have come up
with an exciting range of theme
nights, speciality menus and tasting
sessions.
“We’re delighted to be working in
partnership with them as we showcase
the best of local produce and exciting
culinary experiences. All of this
combined with our warm welcome and
stunning scenery means there has
never been a better time to visit.”
If this isn’t enough to whet your
appetite, Restaurant Week will
coincide with Atlantic Sessions.
Winner of the Tourism Innovation
award at the Northern Ireland Tourism
Awards earlier this year, the music
festival offers intimate gigs from
an unrivalled line-up of performers.
It runs in venues across Portrush,
Portstewart and Portballintrae
from November 16-19. Go to www.
atlanticsessions.com for full details.
To keep up to date with the
latest news about Restaurant
Week, including information
about accommodation and visitor
attractions across the Causeway
Coast and Glens, go to www.
visitcausewaycoastandglens.com,
follow on Twitter @VisitCauseway or
find us on Facebook at Visit Causeway
Coast and Glens.
ABOVE: Trudy Brolly from Ocho Tapas in Portrush
pictured in the kitchen courtyard area of Dunluce
Castle with Mayor Joan Baird and Nicola Neill from
Blackrock House Bed & Breakfast in Portrush, Lee
Gibson, The Whiskey Lad, and Pol Shields, Head Chef
at the Marine Hotel in Ballycastle.
LEFT: Nicola Neill from Blackrock House Bed and
Breakfast in Portrush with Lee Gibson, The Whiskey
Lad.
Picture: Steven McAuley/McAuley MultiMedia
Primrose’s Playhouse nursery opens
P
ORTGLENONE nursery
Primrose’s Playhouse
celebrated its official
opening with a fun day
last week.
The state-of-the-art nursery
was officially opened by owner
Christine Kelly, the new nursery
staff and popular Paw Patrol
characters Marshall and Skye.
The fun day saw more than
50 children and parents enjoy
fun activities, including face
painting, the bouncy castle
as well as meeting the new
LEFT: Paw Patrol characters
Marshall and Skye join Primrose’s
Playhouse owner Christine Kelly
and staff at the opening of the new
nursery in Porglenone.
childcare staff.
Located on the Gortgole
Road, Portglenone, the nursery
is opposite the picturesque
marina, the newly renovated
play park and community centre.
The new business has created
new jobs and provides childcare
for up to 35 children, aged six
months to four years old and
there is scope to develop the
building for older age groups in
the future.
Christine said: “We’ve
completely transformed and
modernised the old, derelict
house and renewed it into a
modern nursery with a warm
home-from-home look and feel.
“We have three large
accessible playrooms full of
educational and fun toys, a
sleep room and an outdoor
learning area.”
She continued: “We’re
thrilled to provide a much
needed childcare facility in
our hometown for the local
community. We’ve received
really positive feedback and we
would like to thank everyone
who came along to our launch
day.”
Primrose’s Playhouse offers a
play-based curriculum to support
the development of children’s
essential skills, based on the
Early Years Foundation Stage.
The nursery is open MondayFriday, 7am-6pm, and accepting
enrolments.
o For more information,
contact 028 2582 0355.
