Clipper 2016: What's on at the Foyle Maritime Fest

Part of the crowd at the previous Maritime Festival.

A massive programme of events will be rolled out along the quayside, in the city centre, across the river at Ebrington and on the River Foyle itself over the next eight days.

The International Market opens, along with the Big Wheel and other amusements, along the quay from 12 noon on Saturday while at the same time in the city centre a pirate invasion is expected to get under way.

Captain Nick and his band of sea-faring scallywags be storming through Guildhall Square and Waterloo Place through until 6pm, with food vendors and musicians also expected to be stationed across the area.

Little buccaneers will be able to try water boats, take a selfie with a pirate at Guildhall Square or attend Pirate School and make some maritime arts and crafts.

The Pirate Playground will be stationed at Waterloo Place, every day during the festival from 12noon to 6pm.

Also at Guildhall Square on Saturday from 12 noon to 4pm children aged four and upwards are being invited to make their own kite workshops.

In the same area, local artists will strike up at The Boat Stage, with a string of acts performing from 12pm through until 10pm.

Meanwhile back at the Quay the Let’s Get Curious family arts and crafts Kids Zone will also get under way from midday through to 8pm.

Wanna-be captains, pirate and mermaids can design their own boats, make costumes for their crews and flags for their boats, or get snapped in the nautical photo booth and paint pebbles and shells to make nautical hanging mobiles. There will also be a pirate map with clues to hidden treasure on Queen’s Quay.

Other festival highlights will include Chinese Dragonboat Racing all day along Queen’s Quay on Sunday, with teams of 15 to 20 people racing each other in a bid to become Dragon Boat Champions.

Music City, meanwhile, will continue in to this weekend with indoor and outdoor concerts across the city centre featuring a diverse range of homegrown and international talent.

For more information on what’s on each day of the festival, go to: www.foylemaritimefestival.com For more info on Music City go to: www.musiccityderry.com