Fun for all the family as Cairncastle Ulster-Scots prepare to host Bluegrass & Folk Fest

The festival kicks off this year with a musical Bus Tour leaving Cairncastle at 9am on Wednesday, July 24, visiting of some of the County Down Ulster-Scots sites, and returning at 6pm. Price for the trip is £20 including three-course meal. It will be followed by Scottish dancing from 7.30pm to 9.30pm in Cairncastle Presbyterian church hall, admission free.

Workshops on Bluegrass music & languages will take place on July 25 from 2pm to 4pm in marquee, admission free.

They will be followed by a cross-community Bluegrass musical evening from 7.30pm to 11.30pm comprising Broken Strings, from Belfast, a formidable quartet and having a deep love for Bluegrass music, The Down & Out Bluegrass Band, one of Ireland’s finest bluegrass bands & Watery Hill Boys from Drogheda, playing their dynamic and tuneful version of old-Timy & Bluegrass music and Cairncastle school of Highland dancing, admission £8.

Two workshops take place on July 26, with Highland dance from 10am to 4pm, costing £5 including lunch, and Ulster-Scots history from 2pm to 4pm, admission free.

They will be followed by a cross-community Ulster-Scots musical evening from 7.30pm to 11.30pm comprising Cairncastle’s well known local folk band The Grousebeaters, the Lyttle Family Folk Band from Armagh, On The Wagon from Crieff, Scotland and BRight Lights School of Highland Dancing from Belfast, admission £8.

The festival will continue on July 27 will with the commencement of a family fun day from 1pm to 4pm, the event will commence with the McDonald Memorial Pipe Band parading. The event includes: highland games comprising wellie throw, caber toss, tug of war, throwing the haggis, stone throw, catch the haggis & barrel rolling, target archery, bouncy castle, face painting, mobile rock climbing wall, balloon modeller, 45ft obstacle course & bungee run.

The fun day will be complemented by a pageantry of the Williamite period, display of Indian dancers, display of African drummers, presentation on the flute and a variety of workshops including composing song & music, fiddle manufacture, history of the accordion, storytelling, music session & irish history. Admission free.

The festival will continue on Saturday evening from 7.30pm to 11.30pm with a musical evening, comprising up t0 40 musicians, including Ards Trad, George Murphy Group, Keep Er Lit and many more. Admission £8.

The festival will close on Sunday with a non-denominational Ulster-Scots praise service from 2.30pm to 4pm, featuring The Low Country Boys.

For further information please visit www.cairncastleulsterscots.co.uk or email [email protected] or phone Bobby on 0777 44 01 935. Please note, programme is subject to change; outside catering will be on site providing a three-course meal costing £8.95 from 5pm-7pm each evening. To book contact Kathryn on 07912075499.