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13 to 15 Sept 2024Three days jam-packed with activities and events celebrating the abundant built, cultural and natural heritage of Portaferry

Portaferry's Past and its Global Adventurers10amVenueHeadingFriday 13 SeptPortico, Steel Dickson Avenue, PortaferryAn interactive session for children to jump into the pastand explore Portaferry’s unique history using objectsand images from Down Museum. Find out about one ofthe oldest ferry crossings in the world and the far-flungadventures of local people who sailed across farawayseas. Followed by a craft activity.Booking Free. Suitable for school children at key stage 2. Booking for schools only by invitation.3pm An Afternoon with The McCooeysVenue Portico, Steel Dickson Avenue, PortaferryCultural heritage is celebrated with screenings of ‘TheMcCooey’s’ by Portaferry’s famed Joseph Tomelty.Afterwards, his granddaughter Hannah will be inconversation with director Michael Quinn to discussJoe's legacy.Booking All tickets £3. Book at porticoards.com

In the footsteps of Joseph Tomelty5pmStart pointHeadingFriday 13 SeptThe Schoolhouse, 55 Ballyphilip Road, PortaferryA guided tour from local historian Allison Murphyfollowing in the footsteps of the writer and actor JosephTomelty. This short guided tour ends at Joe’s graveside.Booking Free. Suitable for all abilities. Presented by Portaferry and Strangford Trust.7.30pm Seán Donnelly in concertVenuePortico, Steel Dickson Avenue, PortaferryDescribed as 'the real folk voice of Northern Ireland',Seán has been a star of the folk club circuit for manyyears and was given the prestigious 'Keeper of theTradition ' award in 2012.Booking All tickets £15. Book at porticoards.com

How was Strangford Lough formed?10amVenueHeadingSaturday 14 SeptAt the top of Windmill Hill, PortaferryFrom 240 million year old red sandstones at MountStewart to the abundant greywacke islands in the westand The Narrows by Portaferry, Prof Alastair Ruffell(Geological Society of London) explains how thesegeological jigsaw pieces fit together to make StrangfordLough. With astounding views plus live video using rarelyseen images of features below and above the water.Booking Free. 30 mins. Suitable for all. NB in the event ofinclement weather this event will take place at Portico. 10am-2pmArtisan Market with Heritage DemonstrationsStop and smell the freshly baked soda bread!Portaferry’s monthly Market On The Square hasgathered over 30 artisan producers for a heritage-themed market experience full of locally-sourced andhandcrafted specialities. With heritage craftdemonstrations, free entertainment for children andlive traditional music, it’s a celebration ofcraftsmanship, community and culture for everyone.

Drones, Stones and Ancient Bones11amVenueHeadingSaturday 14 SeptPortico, Steel Dickson Avenue, PortaferryArchaeologists Liam McQuillan and Lisa White presenttheir exploration of the 5000 year old megalithic tombat Millin Bay, just outside Portaferry. By using modernscientific research techniques we can get new cluesabout this puzzling monument - where these ancestorscame from, how they died and even what they may havelooked like! You can see artefacts from the cairn inPortico’s Heritage Gallery and visit the cairn afterwards,where the archaeologists will be on site.Booking Free. 60 mins. No tickets required. Suitable for adultsand older children.12.30pmGuided tour at Millin BayVenue Millin Bay Cairn, 7 Quintin Bay Road, Portaferry BT22 1QBBooking Free. Archaeologist Liam will be on site until 2pm. Pleasewear suitable footwear for rough terrain. Note carparking is limited and car sharing if possible advised.

Lough Legends: Enchanting Tales 11.30amVenueHeadingSaturday 14 SeptPortaferry Library, 47 High Street, Portaferry BT22 1 QUIgnite your child’s imagination with this intriguingsession from ‘Tumbling Paddy’ storyteller SineadMcAleavey. Let the fascinating rich tapestry of locallegends and folklore come to life with this experiencedperformer. Booking Free. 60 mins. Suitable for young families..11am-1pmCoastal Rowing Taster SessionsVenue Cook Street pontoon, Shore Road, Portaferry Are you looking for an adventure that combines fitness,fun and breath-taking scenery? Look no further than ourCoastal Rowing Taster Sessions on Strangford Lough –who knows, the dolphins may be out!Each boat will have an experienced cox and twoexperienced crew members with two new rowers.Lifejackets will be supplied and a safety boataccompanies all trips. Bring warm clothing and suitablefootwear. This event is organised by Strangford CoastalRowing Club and subject to favourable weather. Booking Free. each session lasts approx 20 mins. Rowers must be over 12 years of age.

Seals, Seabirds and Spectacular Scenery - a guided boat tour 2pmVenueHeadingSaturday 14 SeptEmbark at the ferry quay, PortaferryJoin local historian and sailor James Elliott on thebeautiful St Brendan for a guided tour of StrangfordLough. From whirlpools to shipwrecks to guillemots andBrent Geese, the lough has an abundance of heritage.With stunning coastline views, endless Instagram-ablemoments and maybe even a dolphin or two!Booking £15. 2 hrs. Book: info@portaferryandstrangfordtrust.org2pmTour & Tipple at Echlinville DistilleryVenue Echlinville, 62 Gransha Road, Kircubbin BT22 1AJExperience excellence with a tour and tasting at TheEchlinville Distillery, home of some of Ireland's best-knows whiskeys, gins and poitin. View the beautifulcopper stills and enjoy the earthy aromas of thewhiskey maturation warehouse and relax and enjoytwo drinks of your choice in the bar. Whiskey, gin orpoitin – the choice is yours. Then visit our distilleryshop and enjoy a stroll through the historic EchlinvilleEstate along our new visitor walkways.Booking £23. Over 18s only. Booking essential: echlinville.com

Second tour added! SUNDAY 4PMLimited places remaining -book at porticoards.comThink you know Portaferry? A guided tour4pmVenueHeadingSaturday 14 SeptStarts at Portico, Steel Dickson Avenue, PortaferrryThere’s fascinating architectural heritage in Portaferry -if only those walls could talk! The next best thing is localtour guide Seamus Dorrian showing you the town’s mostinteresting buildings with snippets of social history andtitbits of torrid tales. From shipbuilding glory days to theenlightening arrival of electricity! This tour will take 1.5hours and finish with a wee tipple in a local hostelry. Booking £10 including free tipple. 1.5hrs. Book: porticoards.com2.30pmSeaweed's Journey & Cyanotype CreationsVenue Queens Marine Lab, opp ferry terminal, PortaferrySeaweed has a fascinating history and a promisingfuture with its uses ranging from food and medicine tosustainable aquaculture and even building materials.After learning how seaweed has been an integral partof coastal cultures around the world, this workshopoffers a creative way to engage with seaweed usingcyanotype, a photographic printing process thatproduces a cyan-blue print making for an enrichingexperience at the marine lab.Booking Free. Children must be over 8 years and accompaniedby an adult. 1.5 hrs. First come first served.

HeadingSaturday 14 Sept£15. Book: porticoards.com7.30pmSpring BreakVenue Portico, Steel Dickson Avenue, PortaferryDon't Stop Believin' in the Power of Love and Fight ForYour Right To Party! Girls Just Wanna Have Fun at aSpring Break night out so if you Wanna Dance WithSomebody then, Sweet Child O' Mine, Like A Prayer,we'll take you there! Leg warmers, neon outfits andpermed hair... It's a 1980s heritage party!These guys went down a STORM last year! Book early! Booking

HeadingSunday 15 Sept10am-2pmArtisan Market with Heritage DemonstrationsStop and smell the freshly baked soda bread!Portaferry’s monthly Market On The Square hasgathered over 30 artisan producers for a heritage-themed market experience full of locally-sourced andhandcrafted specialities. With heritage craftdemonstrations, free entertainment for children andlive traditional music, it’s a celebration ofcraftsmanship, community and culture for everyone.11am-1pmCoastal Rowing Taster SessionsAre you looking for an adventure that combines fitness,fun and breath-taking scenery? Look no further than ourCoastal Rowing Taster Sessions on Strangford Lough –who knows, the dolphins may be out!Each boat has experienced cox and crew members withtwo new rowers. Lifejackets are supplied and a safetyboat accompanies all trips. Bring warm clothing andsuitable footwear. This event is organised by StrangfordCoastal Rowing Club and subject to favourable weather. Cook Street pontoon, Shore Road, Portaferry VenueBooking Free. each session lasts approx 20 mins. Rowers must be over 12 years of age.

Sunday 15 Sept12 & 2pmVenueJoin Council Heritage Officer Moira O'Rourke for a tour ofTemplecranny Graveyard. Part of the historic core ofPortaferry town, within it lies the ruins of the earlierparish church (c. 1700), though graveyard may be mucholder and possibly pre-Norman. This guided tour willexplore the Christian heritage of this site and that of thewider Ards Peninsula.Booking Templecranny - guided tourTemplecranny, 52 Church Street, PortaferryFree. 45mins.11-3pmPortaferry Castle - Living History ActorsVenue Portaferry Castle, opposite ferry terminalFind out about the history of Portaferry Castle byengaging with the living history actors provided by theHistoric Environment Division.Booking Free.Saturday& Sunday11-3pm

Sunday 15 Sept2pmVenueJoin local historian and sailor James Elliott on thebeautiful St Brendan for a guided tour of StrangfordLough. From whirlpools to shipwrecks to guillemots andBrent Geese, the lough has an abundance of heritage.With stunning coastline views, endless Instagram-ablemoments and maybe even a dolphin or two!Booking Seals, Seabirds and Spectacular Scenery - a guided boat tour Embark at the ferry quay, Portaferry£15. 2 hrs. Book: info@portaferryandstrangfordtrust.orgThe Kilkennys3pmVenue Portico, Steel Dickson Avenue, PortaferryPicking up the mantle of The Dubliners and The ClancyBrothers, The Kilkennys preserve their status for re-introducing Irish folk and ballads to a young audiencewhile capturing the hearts of the more seasonedtraditional music lover, delivering toe tapping, handclapping, energetic entertainment.Booking £22. Book: porticoards.com

Sunday 15 Sept£25 including food and drink. Booking essential.Email David at strangfordlough@gmail.comOr phone Celia on 07725 646 333Wild About ForagingStarts National Trust car Park, Kearney Village BT22 1QPBooking 3.30pmWildlife expert David Thompson and wild chef CeliaSpouncer will guide you along the shore at Kearneysharing their knowledge and skills of foraging. Find outabout recipes for foraged food and eat wild at theshore. Enjoy a wild foraged picnic on the shinglesincluding freshly cooked seafood, homemade breadsand frittata and Irish panna cotta.

Loft Liaisons byThe Loft ArtistsPortico, Steel Dickson AvePortaferry BT22 1LESat 10am-5pmSun 11.30am - 2.30pmFreeExhibitionsShipwrecks & SavioursThe RopewalkMaritime Heritage Centre(Just after Exploris)Sat & SunNoon - 4pmFreeArts and Soulby The Crafty CrewThe Recreation Hub40 Shore Road BT22 1JZ 1Sat & SunNoon - 4pmFree

Urban Biodiversityby Strangford Lough and Lecale Partnershipat Portico, Steel Dickson AvePortaferry BT22 1LESat 10am-4pmFreeExhibitions & ActivitiesTrue Harvest SeedsatPortico, Steel Dickson AvePortaferry BT22 1LESat 10am-4pmFreeMake your own nest box The Mens Shed & SLLPatPortico, Steel Dickson AvePortaferry BT22 1LESat 10am-4pmFree