Apparently this is the 14th annual Ards International Guitar Festival but to be honest I have never…read morenoticed it being held before. This year they are stepping up publicity for this excellent event. Ards is the home of the Avalon Guitar factory which makes it an ideal place to host this international event. The Event itself includes live gigs from acoustic favourites such as Eilis Phillips, Sara Dylan, Sannah, Mike Donaghy and Mark Braidner plus many many more. But it is not only focused on entertainment, the festival also incorporates education running guitar workshops. They have advertised that the Avalon Factory will show the audience how to make a guitar from a skateboard. This has intrigued me. Other highlights include tours of the previously reviewed Avalon Factory, which is something that I would strongly advise , all for free. Full Access Tickets for the International Guitar Festival are priced at £40 and all information on how to purchase them can be found on the website. The Festival runs from 30th September until 3rd October, this should not be missed, it is sure to attract plenty of music enthusiasts.

Had a really great experience at Movieland today. I volunteered to take my nieces to the cinema and…read moreI saw Movieland from a completely different perspective. For kids it's amazing. The car park is huge so you can get parked close to the cinema doors. They have a family pass offer allowing 2 kids and 2 adults entry to a movie for £16. Also and an absolute godsend, they have a big stack of kids booster seats, these were needed for my tiny nieces! The movie theatre itself is m slightly dated but definitely has charm. We were in screen 6 and the sound was excellent. The seats are really low so definitely grab boosters if you're with little ones. Snacks, as with most cinemas these days are very pricey. £4 for a large popcorn and £2.25 for a small drink. The shopping centre is in close proximity so I recommend picking up some snacks before you go in!

There is one really good thing about this cinema and that is the parking facilities outside - your…read morecar is a stones throw from the door so there is no walking involved on a rainy night. The snack shop inside is limited to really expensive treats such as nachos and some kind of toxic yellow dip thing that looks and smells vile. The also stock the usual cinema fodder of popcorn and vats of soft drink - you will need to remorgage your house to enjoy them though. Heres a tip: there is Asda garage a few meters away from the cinema where you can get your treats for normal prices and although the cinema frown on own purchases being bought in they tend to just turn a blind eye. I also went to the cinema recently to see inception and they had a bloody interval - i was seething as I couldn't work out if it was part of the films plot. There is also a fully kitted out chinese restaurant upstairs but don't try to eat there as it was established about four years ago but never actually opened!

Tucked away in the Glenford Industrial Estate in Newtownards is one of the worlds best Guitar…read morefactory's. Founded in 1980 Avalon Guitar Factory is a music lovers dream, they offer tours of the premises and give an insight into traditional acoutistic guitar making methods in their workshops. The building itself is not very impressive, it looks like any other factory but the list of arstists Avalon Guitars supplies is, Bruce Springsteen, Van Morrison, David Gray and Jimmy Corr have all used Avalon Acoustic guitars, that's right Jimmy Corr! Visiting Avalon Guitar factory could prove extremely worth while if you are a guitar enthusiast or budding guitarists. You can pick up an Avalon guitar at a cheaper rate than offered online or at stockists. This is because at the factory they sell demo guitars, this could save you over £1000. Still rather pricey but if playing the guitar is your passion I would recommend you pay the factory a visit.

Having been to Bangor Social Club a few times when I was younger I remembered it to be quite dark…read moreand dingy but recently I have I went for a 21st Birthday Party and It had seemed to have had quite a makeover. They have built decking out the front and it seems to have a bit of a Hawaiian theme, with the thatched umbrella's and wooden benches. This seating area is great, it allows smokers, not that I am one, to stand outside without feeling that they are loitering on the street. Inside the bar it really is a social club feel but this is not a negative, it is a welcoming atmosphere and the people inside are often well lubricated with the cheap drinks. The party I attended was great and the space inside war really useful as it tuned out to be a busy one. I would recommend the social club as a great function suite for any occasion, thye have space for a DJ or a band so any guests will be well entertained.

This place is just down the road from my house and my Dad has been a member for a number of years…read morewhich means I have in here lots of times to watch a match with him on, usually on a Sunday afternoon. He originally joined in order to go to the entertainment that is on on Saturday nights and he usually says the shows and musicians put on are pretty good, without being world beating. This place is definitely for the older crowd, with younger people usually going in to watch a match and load up on the cheapest pints in Bangor before heading into town on a night out. While members usually fill the place up in the evenings, on Saturday and Sunday afternoons the place is open to the public and is a friendly enough bar to go and have a pint and watch the football - whether it be on the TV or live. Certainly nothing the matter with this place, especially the prices, but it is definitely for the older punter.