26th Annual Maiden City Festival gets geared up for another year!

Celebrating its 26th year, the festival seeks to bring to the fore all the history, culture and tradition associated with the Siege of Derry in 1688-89.

Daytime visitors to the walls will meet characters from the siege story such as Governor Walker, Lundy and Colonel Adam Murray as well as few more ghoulish characters such as ‘the Gravedigger’ and ‘the Grocer’s Wife’ and her odd bill of fare.

A retelling of the ‘Story of The Siege’ takes place at 12noon, 2pm and 4pm daily in St. Columbs Cathedral and Grand Parade will be alive to ‘The Skirl of the Pipes’ Highland dance and bagpiping display from 11am daily.

One of the highlights of the festival is always the Tea Dances which draw participants from across the city for a dance down memory lane each afternoon from 2-4pm, Monday, August 5 to Thursday, August 8 in The Memorial Hall, transporting the old hall back to the dance hall days of yester-year.

Evening entertainment in the Memorial Hall kicks off with Legends Tribute Band on Saturday, August 3, (8pm until late).

Monday evening is given over to the children with a magician, face painters and disco with a performance of the ‘11th Night’ as part of the Ulster Scots Drama Summer School before the annual Quiz Night at 9pm.

A lecture on ‘the exodus’ of the Unionist community at 7pm on Tuesday, August 4.

‘The Songs My Father Sang’ at 8pm on Tuesday, August 4, will be an evening of traditional music and study, whilst Wednesday sees the ‘Crimson Players Reunion’ reinvigorating the old amateur dramatic club based in the hall for the first time in many years.

Thursday, August 8, sees the return of the now annual match between Oxford Bulls and an Apprentice Boys of Derry Select at 6pm on the Fountain Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) pitch followed by ‘Letters from The Siege’ featuring William King Memorial Flute Band at 8pm.

These events and more will make for a fun-packed week ahead of the ABOD’s 335th Relief of Derry parade on Saturday, August 10.

See Maiden City Festival Facebook page for further details.

Timeline -Extraordinary history of Derry & the NW 7000 BC to 2022 AD