The Virtual Game Fair is showcasing the best of Northern Ireland across the world.
NI’s traders, guest houses and hotels look forward each year to the weekend of the Shane’s Castle Game for the trade and sheer buzz it creates in the wider area.
With fantastic interest in the fair this year from trade and public from all over Ireland and the UK, the weekend looked like being the busiest ever for the area.
But with Covid-19 continuing to plague the country, plans for the fair this year had to be revised. The reluctant decision had to be taken to postpone the popular event until the 26th & 27th June 2020 when the website goes live.
However, the Great Game Fairs of Ireland team had an innovative contingency plan in place!
Based on their 40 years experience of delivering award winning game fairs and country sports’ magazines they designed and built THE VIRTUAL GAME FAIR and this will ‘open’ on the 29-30 August 2020 at: www.thevirtualgamefair.com
The organising team have put the attractions and accommodation of NI right at the heart of this fair and with the virtual fair running right through 2020 and 2021 and being promoted to a worldwide audience, the organisers are confident that the Great Game Fairs of Ireland team will deliver once again for NI and their host area.
Albert Titterington, fair director, said: “Our VIRTUAL GAME FAIR 2020 will open for business at:
on the 29th & 30th August 2020. The Virtual Game Fair will then run 24/7 throughout 2020 and 2021 with an exciting mix of exhibitors, competitions and bargains galore.
“As this virtual fair is designed to replace not only the Irish Game Fair but all of the other Game Fairs cancelled throughout the UK and further afield, it will provide a unique opportunity for NI traders to present their wares to a worldwide marketplace.
“And it is also an opportunity for NI to showcase the attractions of this unique area to a worldwide audience.
“With the huge international readership of our sister publication Irish Country Sports & Country Life standing at 100,000 and the thousands of avid Facebook supporters from around the world, we have a huge base to draw upon and I am confident that THE VIRTUAL GAME FAIR will achieve a record attendance.”
The slogan for this alternative event is: ‘The Game Fair you can visit every day’
Visit: www.thevirtualgamefair.com
on the 29th & 30th August 2020 for more exciting details and every day thereafter 24/7 for updates.
Traders, attractions and accommodation providers who have not yet ‘got on board’ can book their stand by calling Albert or one of the team at 028 44839167.
Virtual Game Fair cover images by Peter McArdle and Jan Evans
E: irishgamefair@btinternet.com
T: 028 (from ROI 048) 4483916.
Everything had been done to try to ensure the traditional game at Shane’s castle could take place within a safe environment.
It was first postponed, there was to be a new layout and an innovative Covid compliant health & safety plan.
The organisers monitored the Covid-19 pandemic and the most recent ongoing government advice.
Representations were made at the highest level, to see if there was any way that they could make the event happen in a fashion that was consistent with the prevailing government guidelines and in a fashion which protected all involved.
Unfortunately this was not been possible to achieve.
But despite that disappointment, the organisers’ forward thinking and planning has resulted in progressing the concept of a VIRTUAL GAME FAIR
The Great Game Fairs of Ireland acknowledge the support they have received from TourismNI ad Antrim & Newtownabbey Borogh Council
