Not just for culture vultures, The Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival (aka CQAF) is for everyone. It's…read morean annual celebration of visual art, comedy, theatre, music and literature. A lively and exciting festival with 150 events happening in 30 venues across Belfast but mainly concentrated in the Cathedral Quarter and Custom House Square. I absolutely love it and you'll find both popular and more obscure events happening. One of my favourites from a couple of years ago in 2014 was South Saharan band Tinariwen. A fabulous music concert and a band who I would never even have heard of if it weren't for CQAF. This year the 2016 program looks amazing and I'm already circling dates in my diary for the following events: ~ Vegstock, a vegetarian festival 02/05/2016 ~ Guy Garvey in concert 01/05/2016 ~ Ursula Burns, comedy harpist 04/05/2016 ~ Seeing Through Your Eyes: The Photographs of Peter Dressler 1972-2003, 01/04 - 14/05/2016 ~ Late Night Art Walking Tour 05/05/2016 ~ Monochrome in Cathedral Studios, 6 Artists respond to the theme 'monochrome' 05/05/2016 ~ Wet Plate portraits by Matthew Gordon and Jim Maginn 28/04 - 28/05/2016 ~ Rumpelstiltskin Revisited, knitted paintings by Jacqueline Wylie 29/04 - 10/06/2016 ~ The Death of Orpheus and Other Myths, screen prints by Leo Boyd 28/04 - 28/05/2016 There are a lot more events happening between 28 April and 8 May 2016, so go check the programme out online at http://cqaf.com/2016/

The Cathedral Quarter is a bit of a cultural monster in Belfast at the minute, and the Cathedral…read moreQuarter Arts Festival showcases the variety of arts on offer in Belfast to perfection. It's slightly less mainstream than the Belfast Festival at Queen's, so you might not recognise that many names when you go through the programme (I know I don't, anyway!), but don't let that put you off. Most of the events are very reasonably priced, so take a chance and go see a blues artist, or a stand-up you've never heard of, or a debate on modern architecture in Belfast - you might just be surprised! Belfast is fast becoming a city of festivals - we have one for everything! But the Cathedral Quarter has managed to separate itself from the crowd by providing a programme that is at once populist and alternative, providing support and inspiration for the arts in Belfast, and that can't be a bad thing, right?

Great place. Love this design mix of old and new…read more The actual theatre was outstanding in terms of the art on the roof etc. I think I spent just as much time looking up as I did the show.

I love the Grand Opera House. A visit to see a show here makes for a fabulous day or evening out…read more Over the years some of my favourites have been The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Dracula Untold, Columbo: Prescription Murder, Agatha Christie's Mousetrap, Dirty Dancing and The Woman In Black. It's also a visually fabulous Victorian style theatre and even the modern architecture of the Baby Grand section is beginning to appeal to me (although I disliked it when it was first built). There are a couple of bars inside which boast a good drinks menu and as with all theatres, you can preorder your beverages for performance intervals. Being a relatively small theatre auditorium I always find there's a good view of the stage no matter where you sit, great sound and comfortable seating too. There are a couple of small drawbacks however. Tickets to popular performances can sell out fast, so you need to book immediately if you're interested in a show. Plus tickets can be expensive as well, so it's not a cheap day out. Nonetheless, you'll find a huge range of performances here including musicals, drama, comedy, opera, pantos and dance so there really is something to suit all tastes.

Island Arts Centre is a well equipped, modern venue that runs an impressive programme of theatre…read moreshows, exhibitions, concerts and community arts activities. I've been there to watch a community youth drama production in the small studio theatre, and recently saw an excellent exhibition of student art. There is always plenty going on there in terms of classes and performances, doing a really good job of both serving the community around Lisburn with arts activities while at the same time drawing in some top notch professional productions. Inside the centre is incredibly well appointed and laid out while the outdoor surroundings are interesting for the canal and lock just outside which from which on a good day you could also enjoy a walk up the Lagan Valley.

Been to a few gigs here and think it's great venue. Good sized car park, well stocked bar and…read morecentrally located. It's a very intimate venue, great for gigs and plays. The only negative i can think of is that the bar area could do with more seats and you can't bring drinks into the auditorium.

Mossley Mill, the other name for this centre which includes council offices and exhibition space in…read moreaddition to the theatre, is a triumph in the art of repurposing an old industrial building. The architects have come up with a glass fronted extension to the Victorian mill which looks brilliant especially with original chimney standing beside it - a wonderful combination of modernity and history, on an impressive hillside site. It's certainly drawing plenty of people, at least there was a good number of visitors on the evening I saw a powerful exhibition there about Anne Frank, which was on tour and is now moved elsewhere. There is a wide programme entertainment on offer at the theatre throughout the winter including both professional productions and shows involving local groups hopefully providing a healthy mix of culture and community.

Went to Theatre at the Mill for the first time this week to see the Harlem Gospel Choir. I was very…read moreimpressed with the theatre, particularly the setting- the restored mill is stunning! The acoustics were great so at times, the choir was able to sing without microphones. The theatre has free parking and a licensed bar. I will definitely look to see what future shows are coming up!

I am obsessed with theatre, in a Glen Close crazy kinda way. I'm also a little shocked at the lack…read moreof attention being given to the lyric. It is internationally renowned, the starting ground for many careers (such as Liam Neeson) and one of the most wonderful theatres I've been to. Currently being refurbished, the new theatre will have three performance spaces. It's difficult to review this, considering I have no crystal ball, however the plans and drawings on the lyrics website for the new theatre look impressive. This is not a theatre to be intimidated by; the staff are incredibly friendly and the bar is, as far as I can remember, reasonably priced. It's a nice excuse to get dressed up, but if you don't, well that's OK too. Ticket prices are normally around £10, which I think is pretty reasonable. The most recent productions I've seen at the Lyric, have been The Beauty Queen of Leenane and The Miser. The former being one of my favourite productions and moreover my long suffering boyfriend liked it; he has never liked anything he has seen at the theatre and normally leaves cursing what we've seen and cursing me! The Lyric remains my favourite theatre in Northern Ireland, for classic and contemporary plays, surprises and a great night.

Dana Masters originally from South Carolina, has made Lisburn and Northern Ireland her home. In…read more2012 herself and Linley Hamilton had a weekly Jazz residence in McHugh's basement bar. Being a huge fan of Jazz Music, I was privileged to be at the very first performance and was blown away by the talent of Dana and the other musicians. There is only a few vocalists that makes the back of my neck tingle when listening to them and that's what makes them special and world class. I looked forward to going every Saturday, close my eyes and enjoy the music. It did not feel like I was in Belfast at all. Sometimes I even had to pinch myself as I listened to the sublime weekly performance. The news soon spread and McHughs Jazz sessions soon had a cult following of faithful fans and at times you couldn't get into the basement for the amount of people. In 2014, I was not surprised that 11,000 at Proms in the Park were all talking about Dana as performance of the night. We've adopted Dana Masters as one of Northern Ireland's top vocalists. "Dana Masters is one of those musicians and not only were we able to relax and enjoy the richness of her undeniably flawless voice, we were also treated to a showcase of some of the finest Jazz instrumentalists in the UK & Ireland." Jude Malone, GiggingNI.com More than 350 music fans gave Dana Masters and her band a standing ovation at the Lyric Theatre Belfast on Monday night. The performance included the old Civil Rights anthem 'A Change is Gonna Come', dedicating it to her mother, a strong supporter of Martin Luther King. Dana was accompanied by Linley Hamilton on trumpet, Johnny Taylor on keyboards, Paul Hamilton on drums, , Dave Howell on saxophone, Paddy Groenland, lead guitar and Charlie Foley, bass guitar. One of my favourite songs was the cover of John Legend's Ordinary People . The band played all five of the tracks on the EP - Motherless Child, My Funny Valentine, Blue Moon, Like a Star by Corinne Bailey Rae, finishing the set with a beautiful version of Charlie Chaplin's Smile. This was an amazing showcase for N.Ireland's jazz scene.

Interesting fact. In a brief period of unemployment this summer and my desperation for a new job,…read morethis was one of many places that I applied to. Despite my first degree in accounting, 4 a levels, 9 as and above at GCSE and 6 years of experience in a customer sales position I was rejected from being a bingo caller, which I found a humiliating experience. I would have loved to have called bingo for the old ladies of Downpatrick so I could have said 2 fat ladies on a regular basis without the fear of a slap. Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise. This place is a bit depressing. Imagine a large and sterile canteen with a s sea of basic seats and a mini stage for the caller and that is you. Unless you are old and naturally love bingo, or love a good whirl on the old gambling machines that are out the back of the place, stay away whilst you still don't have dentures and a love of Werthers Originals!

i have been going to carousel bingo at least once a week now, it has improved a lot since it is now…read morebeen under new management it is a fun place to go for a good night out and the management and staff are friendly and attentive the atmosphere is great too,ive never applied for a job there and been turned down so i think i can give a good honest review,as they say you have to try it, anyway its free on tues and sunday nights where else would you get to go out for a free night so go on give it a try