As the brilliant Open House Festival ends, Bangor is gearing up for another fantastic arts festival!
With best-selling authors, poetry, music, resources for writers, food, exhibitions and family events, Ards and North Down Borough Council’s Aspects Festival 2019 has a packed programme of events which celebrate every aspect of Irish writing. Taking place from 20 September – 6 October, the eclectic line-up has something for everyone.
Renowned poet and national treasure Michael Longley will open the Festival on 26 September with an appearance in Bangor Castle. Join Michael in the beautiful chamber room, for an evening of conversation and readings from his latest work; A Stream’s Tattle.
Aspects is delighted to present author, broadcaster and film-maker Polly Devlin. Her list of interviewees as Features Editor for Vogue reads as a who’s who of the 1960s – Bob Dylan, John Lennon and Janis Joplin to name but a few! Polly will be discussing her latest book Writing Home at Bangor Castle on 29 September. Don’t miss Carlo Gébler and Gavin Weston also in Bangor Castle on the same date, as they present Aesop’s Fables – a witty illustrated version of the world’s greatest collection of fables, allegedly written by a slave in the 5th century BC. Or catch James Mustich at North Down Museum on 3 October, in conversation about his 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life Changing List which puts a thousand great books at readers’ fingertips. Find out if he really read them all!
Food for Thought at Clandeboye Courtyard on Saturday 5 and Sunday 5 October will be a weekend of public talks, discussions, readings, launches and food! The Clandeboye Reading Party brings together staff and students from Queen’s University Belfast and Trinity College Dublin, the local community and Aspects’ audience for the fourth year. The programme includes Lightning Talks, a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party with Lady Dufferin, florist to royalty Shane Connolly and lots more!
Join the incredibly talented duo The Darkling Air on Sunday 6 October as they launch their new album at the Festival Finale event in Clandeboye Courtyard. The Darkling Air are Rachel McCarthy and Michael Keeney joined by their long-time collaborators Arco String Quartet. This will be the first performance of their new album Ancestory.
Other Festival highlights include Barry Fall’s This World is Magic exhibition at Bangor Carnegie Library from 10 September – 5 October. Artists Owen Crawford and Helen Hanse will be exhibiting their sculptures in stone and wood at a special exhibition Gathering Silence in Bangor Castle’s Walled Garden from 8 September – 6 October.
Speaking about the Festival, Ards and North Down Borough Council’s, Arts Officer and Aspects Festival Director, Patricia Hamilton said: “This year’s varied programme offers a lot and I’m particularly looking forward to Michael Longley’s reading. His sold-out event in 2015 is still one of my highlights over the years. The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party will be great fun with wonderful food alongside Lady Dufferin and special guests in the banqueting hall at Clandeboye. There are so many great writers it’s hard to choose but Carlo Gébler and Gavin Weston on Sunday 29 September and the Ian Sansom with Gail McConnell and Stephen Sexton on Friday 4 October shouldn’t be missed. Check out the programme and get involved!”
For more information on the full programme and to book tickets, visit aspectsfestival.com or phone 028 9127 1200
