Festival Season Is Here

Summer is here and you've either just been to Glastonbury or watched it on TV, which can only mean one thing, we are now officially in 'Festival Season'.
Northern Ireland jumped on the festival bandwagon pretty hard, with big outdoor events seemingly sprouting up in almost any available space. Now, of course, not all of those events would manage to survive and with each passing year the crop was trimmed a little.
2017 feels like the first we haven't been totally overwhelmed with competing events. To celebrate, we've highlighted just a few of this summers offerings...

Belsonic 2017

2017 saw Belsonic mark it's tenth anniversary and its move to a bigger site at Ormeau Park and most ambitious line up to date.
This year the festival brings a host of international acts to the heart of the city, with the new site offering ample space for bigger and better food and beverage facilities, enhanced staging, sound and lighting and a vast open air space.
Already this month the festival has put on shows by Arcade Fire (Tues 13 June), The 1975 (Fri 16 June), Cream Classical Live with K-Klass, Judge Jules, Tall Paul & Robbie Nelson (Sat 17 June), Martin Garrix (Mon 19 June), Jess Glynne (Thurs 22 June), The Chainsmokers, Anne Marie & Lost Kings (Mon 26 June). And there is still more to come...
On Wednesday 28 June, Green Day with special guests Rancid and the big final blowout on Friday 30 June with Axwell & Ingrosso with Jonas Blue & more.
Tickets for both shows (£49 for Green Day, £33 for Axwell & Ingrosso) are still available from Ticketmaster online and outlets.
belsonic.com

Sunflowerfest 2017

Described as a "friendly, all inclusive, broad-minded weekend festival of great music and arts", Sunflowerfest aims to nurture the mind, body and soul through local, national and international music, film, story telling, interactive art, craft and creative workshops, and fun activities for the whole family.
With a sprawling line-up that includes Rubberbandits, Le Galaxie, King Kong Company and many, many others, the music is just the tip of the iceberg at Sunflowerfest; they also offer an holistic area with yoga, meditation and complementary therapies; a 3-D audio hologram and invisible forest in our Enchanted Glade, as well as spoken word, poetry and comedy from NI's leading talents, an open mic stage for aspiring performers, and much more.
Set on the picturesque site on Tubby's Farm in Hillsborough, Sunflowerfest shares a love of the countryside and is NI's only three day festival with camping, including dedicated family areas.
Sunflowerfest is a festival of love, positivity, tolerance and smiles where everyone can relax and soak up the chilled atmosphere and the friendliest vibe.
A number of ticket options are available from Family tickets (2 children 15 years or under go free with each adult ticket purchased) with or without camping, and individual ticket, both for the weekend and single days.
sunflowerfest.co.uk

Stendhal Festival

Stendhal has an illustrious, award filled, history, including being named Best Small Festival in Ireland 2013, 2014, 2015 and Best Family Friendly Festival 2014 & Northern Ireland's Best Kept Secret.
With weekend camping tickets from only £40; and kids go free, the event highlights the very best in local and international music, art, comedy, dance, theatre and more. Stendhal Festival is one of Northern Ireland's best loved, grassroots festivals.
With illustrious alumni such as Frightened Rabbit, Badly Drawn Boy, DJ Yoda, Therapy?, Lynched, The Undertones, The Divine Comedy, Turin Brakes, Paddy Casey, Mundy, Henry McCullough, Macca B, John Moloney, Phil Kay, Arthur Smith and many many more, 2017 will be no slouch either.
Headlined by local hero's Ash, alongside the Magic Numbers, Sharon Shannon and Ciaran Lavery, to name just four of the many acts due to appear at Ballymully Cottage Farm on 11-12 August.
They have one simple aim: "To bring the very best in the arts to Limavady each and every year for as long as we all shall live. Hopefully longer."
Weekend tickets start at £45, with family tickets starting at £85, and day tickets starting at £25. All are available now.
stendhalfestival.com

7 Hills Blues Festival

Back for the 7th year, the 7 Hills Blues Festival returns to Armagh City from 10–13 Aug 2017 and will entice blues fans young and old to descend on one of Ireland's most historical cities to celebrate blues and roots music.
With more than 70, both indoor and outdoor, performances this year, alongside workshops, arts & crafts and foodie events to keep you busy for four days.
Just some of the acts due to play include The Henry Girls; Amanda St John; Dana Masters; Pat McManus; Ronnie Greer Blues Band; and many more.
The full programme will be announced on Thursday 20 July 2017. Tickets, priced just £12, are available now...
armagh.co.uk/7hills

Open House Festival

After its brave move to leave Belfast and focus their events in the once thriving seaside town of Bangor, Co Down, Open House Festival continues to thrive after five years.
With more than 140 events in 42 different venues across 31 days, 2017 is the festival's most ambitious and creative programme to date.
The festival offers music alongside literary events, theatre and comedy, film, talks, tours and or course, food and drink offers.
Music highlights include Nadia Reid (Sun 12 Aug), Sam Lee (Fri 18 Aug), Rev Peyton's Big Damn Band (Sat 19 Aug) and the always fun Bluegrass Picnic, this year featuring Hen House Prowlers (Sun 27 Aug). The festival is so much more than these few events though, with a host of interesting and informing events and activities spread throughout the month of August.
The full programme is available to browse now at openhousefestival.com.