Please note that there will be a charge for many of the events listed and prices will vary.
Except where otherwise stated, bookings and enquiries will be taken through a central booking line at Lough Neagh Discovery Centre, telephone (028) 3832 2205.

Thursday 5th, 12th, 19th & 26th February − Meet at 10.00am
CRAIGAVON WALKING FESTIVAL
LURGAN PARK WALKING CLUB

February is a great month for wrapping up warm and heading out for a walk. Craigavon offers a number of well and little known locations for walkers of all abilities and ages to enjoy a stroll or a ramble.
Throughout the month of February Craigavon Borough Council will be offering a number of guided walks. Check the local press for additional walks that will be scheduled closer to the time.
Need to walk off those excess pounds or would simply like to have some company while walking? Whatever your reasons why not join us at Lurgan Park Walking Group, it doesn’t matter what your ability everyone is welcome. Meet at the new pavilion (next to tennis courts) and enjoy tea and coffee on your return.

There is no charge for these walks.
For more information contact 3832 3795.

Each Sunday in February
Conservation and Heritage Service
GUIDED SUNDAY WALKS

Join staff from our Conservation and Museum services for a series of Sunday afternoon walks taking in both the history and the environment of Craigavon. Each walk is individually priced; a special rate of £10.00 is available (including dinner on Sunday 22nd) if you book all four walks.
Booking is essential for each walk and routes are subject to change.
Suitable clothing should be worn for each walk.

Sunday 1st February − 2.00pm
WALK THE MONTAIGH’S MOSS
Meet at Derryhirk Inn car park

Wander through a historical landscape where turf was extracted on an industrial scale. The walk features a number of places of interest such as Crannogs an artificial island built on a lake. The area is famous for its basket making and our guide will give an insight into this dying art. Approximately three and a half miles.
£2 per person.
Booking essential.
Contact Lough Neagh Discovery Centre 028 3832 2205.

Sunday 8th February − 2.00pm
STROLL TO MONEYPENNY’S LOCKHOUSE
Meet at the Pleasure Gardens Car Park

Enjoy a leisurely stroll along the River Bann to the Newry Canal learning about both the wildlife and the history. There will be a stop off at Moneypenny’s Lockhouse for some light refreshment.
£2 per person.
Booking essential.
Contact Lough Neagh Discovery Centre 028 3832 2205.

Sunday 15th February − 1.00pm
DANDER AROUND LORD CONWAYS DEERPARK
Meet at Portmore RSPB Reserve, Gawley’s Gate

Learn about the history of the Deerpark, Portmore Lough, local basket making, fishing, turf cutting, literature, song and story. Enjoy a five mile dander on minor roads and tracks.
Proper walking shoes and waterproof gear are essential for this walk.
£2 per person.
Booking Essential.
Contact Lough Neagh Discovery Centre 028 3832 2205.

Sunday 22nd February − 10.45am
RAMBLE AND ROAST
Lough Neagh Discovery Centre

Enjoy a guided walk around the picturesque Oxford Island National Nature Reserve before heading into the Loughside Cafe for our famous Sunday roast dinner (vegetarian option available).
£8 per adult £5 per child.
TICKETS MUST be purchased in advance from Lough Neagh Discovery Centre, places limited.
Contact Lough Neagh Discovery Centre 028 3832 2205.

February / March 2008
WINTER LECTURE SERIES
Craigavon Museum Services − Waterside House

Enjoy a series of local history talks hosted by Craigavon Museum Services.
For further details contact 028 3834 1635

 

Saturday 14th February − 10.30am to 12.30pm
LOVE NATURE
Lough Neagh Discovery Centre

Enjoy a morning of ‘love’ with nature based activities to set you up for Valentines Day. You can make a creepy crawly valentines card in the shape of a beautiful beetle or cute caterpillar and enjoy some nature games and activities.
£3 per child, children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult.
Booking essential.
Contact Lough Neagh Discovery Centre 028 3832 2205.

Sunday 15th March − 2.00pm to 4.00pm
ST PATRICK’S JOURNEY
Lough Neagh Discovery Centre

A fun celebration of St Patrick for all the family. Create St Patrick themed crafts and plant seeds to signal the coming of spring before following the trail in search of the lost shamrocks and snakes.
£2 per person.
Booking essential.
Contact Lough Neagh Discovery Centre 028 3832 2205.

Saturday 11th April − 10.30am to 12.30pm and 2.00pm to 4.00pm
TRADITIONAL EASTER FUN
Oxford Island

Our popular Easter fun craft sessions return with two sessions available. There will be the opportunity to make some great Easter goodies which you can take home; they would even make great presents for your family! You can also take part in our Easter Trail at Oxford Island; collect a trail from Reception, follow the clues around the Reserve, then collect your Easter treat and enter the prize draw.
Two sessions are available at 10.30am to 12.30pm and 2.00pm to 4.00pm
£3.00 per child (for the craft sessions).
Booking essential.
Parental supervision required for under 8’s.
Contact Lough Neagh Discovery Centre 028 3832 2205.

Saturday 25th April − 11.00am to 1.00pm
PEOPLE, PLACE AND TIME
Craigavon Museum Services, Waterside House

An introduction to local history resources, maps and photographic collections.
Admission Free.
Booking Essential.
Contact Craigavon Museum Service 028 3834 1635.

Saturday 25th April − 10.00am to 12.30pm
BAT’S LIFE
Lough Neagh Discovery Centre

Join our Conservation team for a morning of discovery of these mysterious creatures of the night. We will be joined by an expert from the Northern Ireland Bat Group who will give us a wonderful insight into the world of bats and you will have the opportunity to join in a number of bat based activities.
There will also be a demonstration of bat boxes and the opportunity to put your woodwork skills to the test and create a new home to attract bats; these will be placed in key locations throughout the Borough where bats can be found to help our efforts to increase their numbers.
£3.00 per person.
Booking essential.
Parental supervision required for under 12’s.
Contact Lough Neagh Discovery Centre 028 3832 2205.

Saturday 9th May − 11.00am
OFFICIAL RE-OPENING OF MONEYPENNY’S LOCKHOUSE
Moneypenny’s Lockhouse

Moneypenny’s Lockhouse has recently undergone a complete refurbishment programme and today’s event marks the official re-opening of the Museum to the public. Come along and find out about life on the canal. There will be living history demonstrations and activities throughout the day as well as an exhibition on the history of the lock-keeper's house.
For further information contact Craigavon Museum Services on 028 38 341 635.

Saturday 9th May − 6.00am to 7.30am
DAWN CHORUS
Oxford Island 

Does the early bird catch the worm? Join our Conservation Team and find out on a guided walk around the Reserve, listening to the early morning birdsong. Then enjoy a cooked breakfast in the Loughside Café.
There will be a charge for this event.
Booking Essential.
Contact Lough Neagh Discovery Centre 028 3832 2205.

Friday 15th − Sunday 17th May
PARKLIFE FESTIVAL 2009
Lurgan Park

Lurgan Park has been open to the public for 100 years, so join us to celebrate its Centenary in style at the Parklife Festival. The Festival will be a weekend long celebration taking place from Friday 15th until Sunday 17th May and will include spectacles, performances and events for all ages. Entry to the Festival is FREE!
WATCH spectacular performances ranging from the awesome acrobats of the Barren Carrousel to the fantastic Armagh Rhymers; there will be something for everyone!
LISTEN as the best of both local and regional talent takes to the stage with traditional and contemporary music and unmissable open air performances!
TAKE PART in dancing, music, fancy dress and games throughout the weekend including special events such as the Parklife GI Ball!
ENJOY art installations enhancing the beautiful surroundings of Lurgan Park, food and refreshments from all over the province, cinema screenings, birthday cake (of course) and don’t forget the Fireworks!
The Festival team will be offering a programme of lead in workshops and activities running up to the festival. If you or your group would like to take part, please contact us to register, or for more information join the event mailing list.
Please forward all enquiries to
Craigavon Borough Council’s Arts Development Department 028 3831 1679
or e-mail glenn.dickson@craigavon.gov.uk

Saturday 30th May −2.00pm to 4.00pm
HANDS ON HERBAL FUN
Oxford Island

A chance for children to take part in crafts using common herbs. Learn about the language of herbs and how to make a tussie mussie to give to a friend or relative. Make fragrant potpourri and herb pillows and plant some herb seeds in pots to take home. Suitable for children aged 7 and above.
£3.00 per child.
Booking essential.
Contact Lough Neagh Discovery Centre 028 3832 2205.

Thursday 18th June − 7.00pm
WILDLIFE WALK
Craigavon Watersports Centre

Enjoy a pleasant stroll with our Conservation Service to discover the abundance of wildlife found around Craigavon Lakes.
£2.00 for adults, £1.00 for children.
Booking essential.
Contact Lough Neagh Discovery Centre 028 3832 2205.

Friday 19th June − 7.30pm
MURDER MYSTERY NIGHT
Lough Neagh Discovery Centre

Back by popular demand our ever popular Murder Mystery evening all set around a delicious three course meal. This event promises to be even better than previous years with the opportunity for audience participation for those budding actors! Or if you prefer just sit back and enjoy and throw in the odd question here and there to find out ‘whodunit’. This event is sure to be popular so book early to avoid disappointment, group bookings are welcome. We will have an occasional licence for the evening so feel free to bring your own liquid refreshment.
£20.00 per person.
Booking essential
Tickets to be bought in advance from Lough Neagh Discovery Centre 028 3832 2205.

Throughout July and August
EXHIBITION− ‘THE LIVING LOUGH’
Lough Neagh Discovery Centre

Lough Neagh is the largest lake on the Island of Ireland and the whole of the British Isles and boasts a wealth of species and habitats. Craigavon Borough Council’s Conservation Service has produced an informative and interactive exhibition exploring the history of the Lough and how it continues to play an important role in our everyday lives.
The Lough is internationally renowned for its natural habitats and this exhibition will give you the opportunity to explore its wide ranging biodiversity from the microscopic life in the Lough to the microscopic plants and animals found on the Lough Shore. Discover too the abundant bird life on the Lough which increases with both summer and winter migrants.
For those interested in the human history of the area both fact and fiction you can journey through the living history of the Lough from the Vikings to the many myths and legends. Hear not only of old favourites such as Finn McCool and the Scottish Giant but other myths such as how you will turn to stone if you stand in the Lough for too long!
Lough Neagh has always been a working lake; stone age man not only fished the Lough but also used the hazel and willow on the banks of the Lough to make their houses and their fishing baskets. However, the biggest boats on the Lough are not fishing boats but the sand dredgers which would even dwarf the ‘lighters’ which went up and down the canals some seventy years ago.
Check the local press for one-off activities such as story telling, crafts and willow weaving that will form part of the exhibition.
Contact Lough Neagh Discovery Centre 028 3832 2205 for further details.

Saturday 4th July − 10.00 am to 12 noon
MARVELLOUS MOTHS
Oxford Island

Come along and discover these wonderful creatures. Examine the contents of a moth trap left out overnight to capture these nocturnal creatures. We are sure to be treated to a great diversity of colourful and fascinating creatures.
£2.00 for adults, £1.00 for children.
Booking essential.
Contact Lough Neagh Discovery Centre 028 3832 2205.

Wed 22nd July − 2.00pm to 3.00pm
CURATOR’S TALK – DOWN MEMORY LANE
Barn Museum, Tannaghmore Gardens

Join museum staff for a tour of the Barn Museum galleries and find out the stories behind the museum collections.
Admission Free.
Booking Essential.
Contact Craigavon Museum Service 028 3834 1635.

Saturday 1st August − 11.45am to 4.00pm
PIRATES
Coney Island (meet at Maghery Country Park)

Become a Pirate for the day – children and adults wear your own costumes and let us transform you with eye patches, scars and stubble face paints! An afternoon of games and challenges awaits.
Pirate legend has long told of the secret treasure of Coney Island so we’re sending to teams of unruly shipmate across to the island to search gold. Finding the gold may not be as easy as you think as Coney is renowned for its strange residence rumoured to include ghosts!
As Pirates have never been known for their friendship or their honesty you’ll have to chose allegiance and join one of the rival bands as they attempt to conquer the challenges of Coney to find the treasure, claim victory and with it the freedom of the Island, the losing team might just end up walking the plank!
Suitable for children aged 6 and over, parental supervision required.
Meet at Maghery Country Park.
£5.00 per person, family of four £18.00.
Booking essential.
Tickets to be bought in advance from Lough Neagh Discovery Centre 028 3832 2205.

Wednesday 5th August − 2.00pm to 3.00pm
CURATOR’S TALK − AMAZING STORIES!
Waterside House, Oxford Island

Join our museum staff at Waterside House, Oxford Island and find out the stories behind some of the museum’s most treasured objects.
Admission Free.
Booking Essential.
Contact Craigavon Museum Service 028 3834 1635.

Monday 24th to Friday 28TH August− 2.00pm to 3.30pm
CHILDREN’S WILDLIFE CLUB
Oxford Island

Have fun and learn lots of new wildlife skills at Oxford Island. On each day of the week, we will look at a different aspect of nature such as; pond life, insect life, birds, woodlands and crafts with a wildlife theme. A certificate will be issued on completion of all 5 activities. Suitable for children aged 5 years and over.
£1.50 per child per day or £5.00 for the week (if paid on the Monday).
Parental Supervision Required For Under 8’s.
Contact Lough Neagh Discovery Centre 028 3832 2205.

Saturday 26th September− 2.00pm to 4.00pm
BUGS WORLD
Oxford Island

Come and explore the habitats of Oxford Island to see the range of mini−beasts out and about during early autumn. Learn of some simple methods you can use to encourage minibeasts into your garden and the benefits they can bring.
£2.00 per child.
This event is suitable for children aged 5 years and over, children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult.
Booking is essential as places are limited.
Contact Lough Neagh Discovery Centre 028 3832 2205.