Eye on NI: What’s coming up in March

Spring has sprung and we’ve been keeping an Eye on NI for things to do.

No doubt this what’s coming up guide will get more added to it in the next few weeks, but for now, here are our highlights for March.

Belfast to mark St Patrick’s Day with extended city-wide celebration.

• Belfast’s popular St Patrick’s Day event will make a welcome return this year – but this time, with a reimagined 11-day citywide celebration from 10-20 March.
• Belfast City Council awarded creative development funding to four organisations to deliver a new-look celebration that is fun and welcoming, and offers a creative line-up of family activity, including:

Find out all the details >> https://thebelfasttimes.com/blogs/the-bfs/stpatricksday22

Unboxed2022: About Us - Derry-Londonderry

• About Us combines multimedia installations and live performance to immerse audiences in the history of the universe, from the Big Bang to the present day.
• At dusk, local landmarks are transformed into vast canvases combining awe-inspiring live projection-mapped animation with poetry, music, and live choirs.
• By day, LED video installations will showcase the creativity of children and young people from schools across Northern Ireland
• 15-21 March
• More info at https://unboxed2022.uk/about-us

The Armagh Fusion Festival

• 24th March - 3rd April 2022
• A major celebration of Armagh’s rich history, heritage and culture, bringing together artistic activity, events throughout the city and neighbouring apple orchards.
• Includes: The Greatest Show – Cirque du Cider –a series of captivating circus shows featuring aerial performances and jaw-dropping circus skills;  the Faces and Places Legendary Guided Walking Tour of the city; a Ceilidh Fusion at The Johnston Building, Bowling and Brunch at Armagh Cider Company; ‘Art after Dark’ which showcases the city’s unique creativity at a variety of legendary venues; and an epic Fire and Light show fused with art and music at Armagh Observatory and Planetarium.
• More at https://visitarmagh.com/festivals/armagh-fusion-festival/

10 years of Titanic Belfast

• The People Who Built Titanic Belfast, a special photography exhibition to mark the 10^th birthday of Northern Ireland’s leading tourist attraction
• Titanic Belfast is also hosting a Birthday Bash with an exciting programme of activity from Thursday 31^st March – Sunday 3^rd April with something for everyone including hot air balloon and kite show displays, live music, face painting and a candlelight display on Titanic Slipways.
• There will also be a series of Titanic Talks covering a variety of topics from the architectural design of Titanic Belfast’s spectacular building to the real-life stories of Titanic descendants.
• For further information on the Titanic Birthday Bash and The People Who Built Titanic Belfastexhibition go to www.titanicbelfast.com

Brilliant Corners – A Festival Of Jazz In Belfast

• Fri 4th – 12^th March
• The Black Box, Hill Street
• The festival returns to its spiritual home of the Black Box after last year’s online festival for 8 days of the finest international and local jazz sounds.
• More info and ticket prices at https://www.brilliantcornersbelfast.com/

The Imagine! Belfast Festival of Ideas & Politics 2022

• Over 185 in-person and online events
• 21st – 27th March
• A week-long programme with an eclectic mix of talks, workshops, theatre, comedy, music, exhibitions, film and tours
• This year the festival has taken the theme of ‘Road Test Your Reality’. How well does your own bubble of reality stack up against the wildly diverse range of viewpoints and perspectives presented in this year’s festival
• More details at wwww.maginebelfast.com

On The Pulse short film festival 

• The 4th Cinemagic ‘On the Pulse’ short film festival returns to venues throughout Belfast in March 2022.
• After a fully digital edition last year the festival is delighted to return to live events and cinema-based screenings in 2022 in The Ulster Museum, Black Box, Queen’s Film Theatre, Odeon Cinemas and Belfast Barge.
• A programme of unmissable films for children, families, schools, young adults and young filmmakers, as well as jury panels and a masterclass and q&a series for aspiring film, television and media creators.
• The film programme offers a cinematic window to the world presenting a diverse range of storytelling, celebrating universal stories of youth and youth perspectives.
• cinemagic.org.uk/4th-on-the-pulse-festival-set-to-inspire-next-generation-filmmakers/

Luminate at the Springfield Dam

• An eight-month cultural programme of events for Forth Meadow Community Greenway commencing with a spectacular free community festival Luminate at the Springfield Dam on Saturday 5th March (6pm - 8.30pm)
• Tickets are free but must be booked in advance via ArtsEkta’s website.

Maiden Voyage Dance - MORF

• Join Maiden Voyage Dance on a ‘suit safari’ in their new show ‘MORF’
• The MAC as part of Belfast Children’s Festival on 5th - 6th March
• For further information and to book tickets (£10 each) for ‘MORF’, visit  https://www.youngatartevents.co.uk/whats-on/morf

Strangford Lough Viking Festival: The Vikings are Coming!

Explore Climate Change at North Down Museum

• North Down Museum in Bangor has launched a new programme of exhibitions and activities examining climate change in Ards and North Down.
• Entitled ‘Climate Change – Local Action’, the programme aims to raise awareness of the climate emergency and how it’s affecting the Borough, as well as highlighting mitigating actions at a local level.
• 8 February - 27 March