Event Registration

Bonnie Babies & Cute Kiddies
Sherlock’s Youth Challenge
Little Star Of The County Down
Kids Got Talent
Dog Show
Crazy Hair
Gardening Competition

Registration for the above events closes at 8pom on Friday 15th July. You can register via the Gala website:

https://www.portaferrygala.com/registration-2022


A number of Gala events are “Ticketed Events”. You must pre-purchase your tickets online. You will not be able to pay at the door. Tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite via the following:-

Burgerfest
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/burger-fest-burgers-games-kids-activities-live-music-and-lots-more-tickets-369034641547

Taste Your Town
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/taste-your-town-bespoke-guided-walking-tour-of-food-drink-hospitality-tickets-367520211847

Wine Tasting (SOLD OUT)
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/wine-tasting-supper-the-narrows-tickets-346313712637

Bingo Loco (Additional Tickets on release Friday 15th July)
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bingo-loco-the-portaferry-gala-fest-22-tickets-346327453737



10 Mile Race
The 10 Mile Race returns to Galafest 2022. You must pre-register before the race. You will not be able to register on the night. Please register by 14th July via the Athletics NI website:-

https://athleticsni.org/Fixtures/Portaferry-10-Mile-Road-Race-and-Relay





Attendance At Gala Events


A message from the Gala Team.

All Gala events advertised as a Ticketed event; Tickets for these events must be purchased online via Eventbrite prior to the start of the event.

* This years policy is strictly No Ticket No Admission

* Please do not arrive and expect to pay at the gate. If you don’t have a ticket on the day then you will be required to purchase ticket(s) via a digital device on the day. To avoid disappointment please purchase your ticket(s) in advance.

* Next year we will be working towards all charged admission events to become ticket only

The Reason for this are:

1. Reducing cash handling for all the Gala team
2. Volunteers (limited)
3. Stats & records of attendance for funders, our records and insurance provider
4. Some events have a catering element and numbers are required in advance of event
5. Capacity numbers and event managing
6. Covid (reducing risk)

REMEMBER NO TICKET! NO ADMISSION!

All Events that are advertised with Admission price and ticketed and as with all tickets must be purchased online (which is universal). The Ticket Service Provider WILL ADD a processing fee. We apologise for an inconvenience and appreciate your support and understanding in moving forward with the Gala in modern times.

Sizzling Summer of Events in Portaferry

Ards and North Down Borough Council is delighted to announce a series of Council sponsored events taking place in Portaferry from July through to September. The collection makes the most of the town’s outstanding location, with wonderful landmarks and the beauty of the surrounding waters.

Narrows Series Regatta: 11th to 14th July

This Narrows Series Regatta welcomes over 140 boats to Strangford Lough. The Regatta launches on Monday 11 July with the Bar Buoy Race at the mouth of the lough and over the course of the event, spectators will see 13 classes of boats compete in a number of races.

Look out for Glens, Rivers, FFs, lasers, Dingeys and more! There will be other activities during the event and be sure to pop into ‘PAST’; Portaferry and Strangford Trust, which is featuring exhibitions on The Vikings on Strangford Lough  and Paddle Boarding.

Website: http://www.strangfordloughregattas.co.uk/documents/PSC22%2814%29.pdf

Portaferry Gala: 16th to 22nd July

Portaferry Gala Festival celebrates its Emerald Anniversary this year, running for 55 years.

This 7-day programme has events including the brand-new Bingo Loco, Burger Fest, Taste your Town and Farming Community Day.

New this year will be ‘Talk of the Walk’, following a map trail around the streets of Portaferry and discovering some street entertainment on the way!

Website: www.portaferrygala.com

Sails and Sounds Festival: 4th to 7th August

Visitors can enjoy sea kayaking, SUP, Rowing, Ruffian Boats competitions along with environmental talks, crafts, and demos of all things maritime.

Portaferry’s heritage will be brought to life through a variety of displays, talks and exhibitions including from the awesome Magnus Viking Experience.

The festival will showcase local food, foraging, live music, dance, Sea Shanty workshops.

Website: www.portaferrysailsandsounds.com

Comedy Arts Festival: 16th to 25th September

This comedy event, part funded by Arts Council NI, runs across two weekends between 16 to 25 September and is held in the stunning Portico.

Kicking off the festival on Friday 16 September, is one of Ireland’s best loved comics – Neil Delamere of Blame Game fame, followed on Saturday 17 September by true life stories and poetry by the charming and raucous Owen O’Neill.

Earning over 60m fans on YouTube, Rainer Hersch’s ‘All Classical Music Explained’ show on Sunday 18 September, will be a comedic and musical spectacle for all the family!

The following weekend starts on Friday 23 September with a dazzling double bill of stand-up featuring Teresa Livingstone (The Blame Game, Soft Border Patrol, Late Licence) and Diona Doherty (The Blame Game, Derry Girls, What Happens In Ulster…).

Saturday 24 September is all dancing and all singing with the ever-fabulous Motown tribute group The Iconettes and their band The Hitzvilles.

Wrapping up the festival on the afternoon of Sunday 25 September, is a unique performance of silent movie with organ accompaniment. Leicester Square Odeon’s organist Donald Mackenzie will play an exciting live improvised score to Buster Keaton’s family friendly romantic comedy ‘The General.’

Website: www.porticoards.com


For information on all local events: visitardsandnorthdown.com

L-R: Brian Savage, Narrows Series Regatta; Dr Verity Peet, Comedy Arts Festival;
Jemma Snell, Events Officer, Ards and North Down Borough Council;
Patricia O’Neill, Portaferry Gala; John McAlea, Sails and Sounds

Portaferry Gala Festival

Two weeks to go until the 55th Portaferry Gala Week takes place.

Have you go the date marked in your diary? Have you picked up a copy of the gala programme? Have you booked the week off work?

Portaferry Town looks forward to welcoming you to our annual festival.

Ferry FM

Ferry FM is the community radio station for Portaferry Town and broadcasts all year round. Listen online via the website www.ferryfm.com or radio apps such as Radio Garden, MyTuner Radio and Simple Radio. Ask your smart speaker to “Play Ferry FM”.

Ferry FM will keep you updated on all that’s happening across the 55th Portaferry Gala Week.

Gala Week 2022 Update


Preparations for Gala Week 2022 are well and truly underway and the Committee are delighted to report that we will be returning to a full week of events to celebrate our Emerald Anniversary!

Galafest doesn’t just happen. It is the result of twelve months investment of time, talents and commitment by a dedicated group of 12 volunteers. This alongside continued financial support from Ards and North Down Borough Council, businesses and funders is what makes Gala Fest, Galaween and the Christmas events possible.

The last 2 years have been challenging for everyone and it is hoped that a return to our usual much enjoyed programme along with a few new events, will bring a buzz back to the town.

In the past, the closing of Gala Fest has traditionally ended with the annual float parade which drew huge crowds to the town, entertained by the fabulous displays created by our local bars and their team of ‘float builders’.

However, due to our local hospitality owners only starting to see their businesses beginning to return to some kind of normal and given the ever increasing rise in the cost of materials required to build floats, this year the committee has decided to build on the ‘Talk of the Walk’ event that has been established over the last 2years (whilst COVID restrictions were in place) and encourage not just the bars to join in with the residents but the local shops, restaurants and cafes.

This event will be judged on the Gala Friday and will bring a Festival feel to the town, especially if the weather is as kind to us as last year!

Keep an eye on the Gala Social Media pages and this website over the coming weeks when we will be releasing details of our new events and the return of others.

Again none of this would be possible without the time, talents and commitment of the Committee but also thank you to the many supporters and champions of the Gala and we look forward to welcoming you to Gala Fest 2022.