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Purple Turnip Festival
Family Fun in Castle Gardens. On Saturday families visiting the Farmers Market and Float your Boat day took part in the different activities for all the family. From all the usual attractions such as great local produce to face painting, donkey tours of Castle Gardens and the chance to make and decorate paper boats before floating them in the fountain. During the day the four lucky winners of the Big Purple Turnip Hunt were selected from over 200 entries by Councillor Jenny Palmer, Chairman of Lisburn City Council’s Economic Development Unit and Alan Clarke, Acting Manager Lisburn City Centre Management. The winners were Daniel McCracken from Lisburn, Holly Magee from Dunmurry, Rose Jackson from Belfast and Leah Norrby from Lisburn winning prizes from the Leisureplex, Omniplex and Charlie’s Den.
Councillor Jenny Palmer added, ‘It is great to see so many families coming into Lisburn to take part in the different events associated with this new and unique festival and congratulations goes to the everyone who took part in the Turnip Hunt and to the four lucky winners, I hope they enjoy their day out at Lisburn’s leisure venues who kindly donated the competition prizes. Also the artwork by local primary schools and youth clubs on display at the Farmers Market looked great and celebrates young people’s perspective of the City.’
On Sunday the marquee became a community space with a range of dance, art and drama displays, storytelling and music activities for all ages and an arts and craft fair run by Atlas Womens Centre. Gay Sherry-Bingham, Atlas Centre Manager commented ‘Sunday was a great opportunity for all the family to get involved in fun activities and also provided people with the chance to see what goes on in the community and hopefully encourage them to get involved. We hope to run a similar event again showcasing more of the arts & craft and inclusive work that goes on here at Atlas.’ These events were promoted by Lisburn City Centre Management and part funded by Lisburn City Council’s Community Festival Grant.
A new project called Lisburn in Focus has just been awarded £740,000 funding over the next 5 years to make the Lisburn City Council area more accessible to blind and partially sighted people.
The sunshine came out and so did the crowds for the launch of Lisburn’s Bike Week on Saturday 13th June. Market Square was transformed into a cyclist’s paradise as performers from the age of eleven from Belfast Urban Sports put on a spectacular show of jumps, twists, somersaults and stunts to impress spectators. The Mayor, Councillor Ronnie Crawford, welcomed the event and enjoyed a trip up a balloon lined Bow Street in the bicycle limo. Gavin Hanna from John M Hanna Cycles shared his knowledge with passers-by who stopped for a look at the unusual mix of old vintage Raleigh bicycles and new striking Trek road bikes. Crowds were also entertained by Miss Indestructible and comedy duo, Babcock and Bobbins, who towered above the crowds on stilts and mesmerised viewers with their fire juggling and comical acts.
On Friday 19th June, National Bike to Work Day 2009 was celebrated in Lisburn. Workers in Lisburn left their cars at home and chose to commute by bike instead. LCCM organised a free warm and hearty breakfast in Market Square supplied by both The Brown Bean and Daltons.
These events would not have been possible without the funding provided by the Lisburn City Council Community Festival Grant scheme. Councillor Allan Ewart, newly appointed Chairman of Lisburn City Centre Management, commented that the event had been successful in entertaining city centre shoppers and visitors as well as promoting awareness of Bike Week.
22nd December 2009:
