Radius Housing commits ‘Housing for All’ support for Red Sails Festival for 2023 and 2024

Press Release – 11^th July 2023

The popular Red Sails Cross community festival in Portstewart has been running annually since 1968. It was then known as Portstewart Carnival run by St Mary’s Star of the Sea Church. 

The festival’s roots are in Good Relations as a cross community festival with origins in bringing kids from troubled areas to Portstewart. In the Year 2000 it became known as Red Sails Festival run by Portstewart Community Association (PCA) and is going into its 23^rd year in this format. Each year PCA organise and facilitate this week-long festival in the last week of July. It involves a huge amount of work and commitment from PCA and brings on board at least 40 volunteers from the community contributing to community and skills development in the area.

The festival brings in a great amount of people from the whole Causeway area for the many and varied events across venues including church halls, the library, and local businesses.

With Radius being the main sponsor of the event this year, it has allowed PCA to provide a wide range of Cross Community and Multicultural events and performances including African music from the Wilson Magwere Band, Thai, Chinese, Ulster Scots / Irish traditional events. There will also be a wide range of family friendly activities including a Viking workshop, puppet show, bubble bike, street theatre and facepainting. Full programmes are available across venues in Portstewart, and activities are also on the Red Sails Facebook page.

The Red Sails festival is supported by the Cappagh Green Good Relations plan for shared housing projects in Portstewart and by the Department for Communities and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive’s ‘Housing for All’ Shared Housing Programme. The Programme has its origins in the NI Executive Together: Building a United Community Strategy which reflects the Executive’s commitment to improving community relations and continuing the journey towards a more united and shared society.

Bridie Doherty, Area Housing Manager, Radius Housing told us “It feels very special to be able to bring such a widespread celebration of culture across the causeway area for the nest two years. It is also great to see the community development this festival brings in terms of volunteering and civic engagement. We are delighted to support Portstewart Community Association in this important Community Engagement.”

Shelia Jackson, chair of Portstewart Community Association said “We are delighted to have Radius Housing as our main sponsors this year. We have a tremendous programme for the festival which begins on Sunday 23 July to Saturday 29 July.  We welcome the return of favourite events including Willie Drennan and children’s entertainers Carnival Promotions and Mr. Hullabaloo as well as some new acts such as the Rhythm Rascals and the Causeway Harp Ensemble”.

Sean Graham, Project Manager pointed out that “There are events for all ages. The Viking Workshop, featuring a Viking long ship will appeal to many as will the footballing skills of Sam Madden. Wilson Magwere's Band will add a different dimension to the music menu at the Crescent and the Flying Dragons will amaze everybody with their acrobat dance routines. Old favourites such as Innova Dancers and the Alastair Scott Ceilidh Band will start the party on the last night of the festival which ends with the traditional fireworks display”.

For more information, please contact Lisa Mooney on 07872841314 or by email at lisa.mooney@radiushousing.org

ENDS

Further information:

Brendan Scott
MW Advocate
07834 422923
brendan.scott@mwadvocate.com