Preview // 10 Awesome Things To Do In Northern Ireland This Week (19 – 25 November)

The awesome guys at the tourist board know there are stacks of fun things to do across NI, from family days out to gigs and cultural events every week. So here are their top 10 exciting things taking place this week (19 – 25 November)

1. The Guildhall Craft & Artisan Food Fair, Derry~Londonderry, 23 – 25 November. Offering a unique Christmas shopping experience with over 40 crafters to choose from, ranging from ceramics, leather, glass, and jewelry. With a dedicated Food Fayre located within the ground floor of the Guildhall, this event has something for everyone. 
2. Kirkistown Point to Point, Portavogie, 24 November. Kirkistown point-to-point is the perfect day out for all the family, where you will get to witness the future stars of the racing industry make their introduction into competitive racing.
3. Armagh Georgian Festival, Armagh, 22 – 25 November. Historic buildings open their doors allowing visitors a true insight into life in Armagh City during the Georgian era. This festival includes a Georgian banquet, Georgian costumed figures, street entertainment and festive market stalls, carriage rides, live music, talks, and tours.
4. Pete Tong Presents Ibiza Classics, Belfast, 25 November. This union of classical music and iconic dance tracks is another bold, brilliant move from one of the most influential figures in dance music performed at the SSE Arena.
5. Elf The Musical, Belfast, 23 – 24 November. Elf The Musical is the hilarious tale of Buddy, a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported back to the North Pole. Elf The Musical, performed at the Waterfront, is packed full of songs that will have you humming all through Christmas.
6. Foyle Film Festival, Derry~Londonderry, 16 – 25 November. Showcasing a range of contemporary, classic, cultural and new cinema, the Foyle Film Festival presents a fantastic line-up to suit any film fan. For the full line-up, visit FoyleFilmFestival.org.
7. Studio Symphony Orchestra Christmas Concert, Lisburn, 24 November. The Studio Symphony Orchestra returns to the Lagan Valley Island for a Christmas concert guaranteed to get everyone in the festive spirit. This will be a special fun concert, as the orchestra performs a beautiful selection of music with a seasonal theme, from popular Christmas favourites to much-loved orchestral music.
8. NCAA Friendship Four Ice Hockey Tournament, Belfast, 23 – 24 November. The Friendship Four tournament is a unique opportunity to watch the only NCAA College Hockey tournament to be held outside of the United States. This four-game tournament will feature elite athletes from Boston University, Yale University, The University of Connecticut and Union College all competing to lift the Belpot trophy for their University at the SSE Arena.
9. Cookstown Christmas Lights Switch On, Cookstown, 23 November. With several trees and lights decked along its long main street, combined with stunning views of the Sperrin Mountains in the distance, Cookstown’s Christmas lights are some of the prettiest in Northern Ireland and are truly a sight to behold. With a range of activities for the kids, local vendors supplying tasty food and an appearance from Santa Claus himself, this promises to be a fun night for all the family.
10. Jimmy Buckley – Live in Concert, Coleraine, 21 November. Jimmy possesses a very rare talent, not only as a phenomenal singer but also as a hilarious mimic of other major stars. Jimmy’s show contains a wide variety of material, Country, Big Ballads and tribute medleys to the greats of country music such as Hank Williams & Charlie Pride performed at the Riverside Theatre.