Gear up for a weekend celebration of culture and fun

Social distancing has put a stop to some things we love like gigs, trips to the theatre and festival season but lovers of live entertainment tired of cancelled events, will soon be able to shake-off their lockdown blues when a new drive-in Auto-Arts festival parks up at Catalyst, Queen’s Island, Belfast.
By Julie-Ann Spence
Published 3rd Sep 2020, 11:35 BST

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And So I Watch You From AfarAnd So I Watch You From Afar
And So I Watch You From Afar

Lough Down takes place on Saturday September 26 and Sunday September 27, 2020 and boasts a weekend line-up of feel-good entertainment including music, opera, comedy and arts while following social distancing guidelines.

Acts confirmed so far include And So I Watch You From Afar, theatre show ‘My Left Nut’, musicians Ciaran Lavery, and Ronnie Greer with full band, and comedians Diona Doherty, and Micky Bartlett. Eithne the Explorer will be the storyteller for ‘Dino Day Out’.

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While lockdown and social distancing makes conventional gigs impossible, the Lough Down Festival is a creative alternative and much-needed opportunity for culture fans to safely engage with the arts.

Ronnie GreerRonnie Greer
Ronnie Greer

The festival also showcases Northern Irish talent providing a boost to local arts organisations, suppliers and individuals scrambling to replace lost income.

Audiences will take part in the interactive event from the comfort and safety of their cars, parked in front of a performance set, with live action transmitted directly from the stage to LED screens and through a dedicated FM radio channel to their car radio.

Speaking at the launch Festival Organiser, Sarah-Jane Montgomery from MayWe said: “MayWe are so excited to be offering fans of live arts and culture something new to enjoy.

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“Lockdown has shown just how important the arts are to our mental health and wellbeing for young and old.

Ciaran LaveryCiaran Lavery
Ciaran Lavery

“As well as catering for adults during the festival we will also feature a ‘May Wee Ones’ mini-morning series of events with family-oriented content and earlier start times.

“It’s great to be able to provide families and friends with a much-needed distraction to stay local and social but while, we love putting on a good show, we don’t want to risk anyone’s safety so strict hygiene measures in line with government guidelines will ensure a safe environment for all. 

“We are delighted to be doing our bit to keep our local arts alive. Our Artists and creatives make our community vibrant. It’s MayWe’s aim to generate new ways to support the sector during this time.

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“We would especially like to thank Arts Council of Northern Ireland for their contribution and Catalyst for allowing us the use of their site and kindly donating their hire fee towards artists.

Micky BartlettMicky Bartlett
Micky Bartlett

“The Lough Down Drive-in Arts Festival is a wonderful opportunity for all of us as a community to celebrate the best of home grown talent and support our local artists and creative and technical teams.”

Live show tickets range from £15-£20 plus booking fee, per vehicle.

Test Drive Tickets priced at £10, per vehicle are available for community groups and those who may experience barriers to attending the arts.

For further details and to be the first to secure tickets when bookings go live visit www.facebook.com/MayWeEvents

Related topics:BelfastTickets