Down · Thu 1 to Sun 4 October

What's on in Down this weekend

20 listings: 2 fully checked, 18 with one soft field, 0 unconfirmed. Our five picks are labelled, starting with Book this now. How we check

Book this now

The Man Who Swallowed a Dictionary

Saturday 2pm matinee at Down Arts Centre, Downpatrick, from £19. The 8pm show is sold out and the matinee had 20 seats left on Monday.

~ Checked 3/4Ticketsolve feed read: £19 and £21, 20 seats left on 28 Sep; the 8pm show is sold out. Venue what's-on page is JS-only, so not read. Strong language.

South Promenade in Newcastle with a terrace of painted houses and the Mourne Mountains behind — South Promenade, Newcastle. Photo: HENRY CLARK, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Thu1 October

Thursday 1 October
10am to 4pm	The Body Remembers and From the Far Wide to the Near ShoreTwo free solo exhibitions, by Sandra Kerr Gordon and Stuart Cairns.Ards Arts Centre, Town Hall, Conway Square, Newtownards Free~ Checked 3/4Free, no ticket page. Runs Tue to Sat until 17 Oct; Sat hours 10am to 1pm, closed Sun and Mon.
7pm	Date nightAutumn Wreath WorkshopEvening wreath-making with florist Kathryn Millar, all materials included.The Walled Garden, Helen's Bay, 47 Craigdarragh Road £75✓ Checked 4/428 Sep, bookwhen.com
Nothing on Thursday at that price. Try another filter.

Fri2 October

Irish Street in Downpatrick running downhill between shops and parked cars on an overcast day — Irish Street, Downpatrick. Photo: Eric Jones, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Friday 2 October
10am to 4.30pm	If it rainsUnder the Sweeping Beam: St John's Point LighthousePhotos, artefacts and stories of Ireland's tallest onshore lighthouse. Closes Saturday.Down County Museum, The Mall, English Street, Downpatrick Free~ Checked 3/4Council museum listing on the council tourism site; free, no ticket page. Open Tue to Sat 10am to 4.30pm; last day Sat 3 Oct.
10am to 5pm	Polly Gribben: The Land That Holds UsLandscape paintings in the visitor centre; last weekend of the show.WWT Castle Espie, 78 Ballydrain Road, Comber From £6.08~ Checked 3/4Price is centre admission without Gift Aid (adult £9.36, junior £6.08); the exhibition page doesn't say if it's included. Runs to Sun 4 Oct.
7.30pm	Ardglass v St John Bosco, Down IFC relegation play-offIntermediate football, loser drops a grade.Páirc Sean O'Caoilte, Dundrum Price not announced~ Checked 3/4Date, time and venue from Down GAA fixtures; admission price not published.
Nothing on Friday at that price. Try another filter.

Sat3 October

Yachts and motor boats moored at Portaferry marina on Strangford Lough, seaweed on the shore in front — The marina, Portaferry. Photo: Eric Jones, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Saturday 3 October
10am to 1.30pm	Portaferry Market on the SquareMonthly food, art and craft market in and around the Market House.The Square, Portaferry Free~ Checked 3/4Market site gives first Saturday of each month, April to December; 3 Oct date from the council tourism listing.
10.30am to 3.30pm	Nuala McKeever: creative writing with a comedy slantAdults-only writing workshop at Aspects Festival.North Down Museum, Castle Park Avenue, Bangor £45~ Checked 3/4Festival page read; TicketSource returns 403, so availability unconfirmed.
2pm	Under £20Susan Bennett: One YearMemoir talk: a double MS diagnosis, a campervan and 17 countries.Studio 1A, Bangor £6~ Checked 3/4Festival page read; TicketSource returns 403, so availability unconfirmed. Studio 1A street address not given on the page.
2pm	Bangor Abbey Graveyard TourGuided graveyard history tour with songs and poems along the way.Bangor Abbey, Newtownards Road £15~ Checked 3/4Festival page read; TicketSource returns 403. Page also mentions a 7pm twilight tour but gives no separate date or booking link.
2pm	Book this nowThe Man Who Swallowed a Dictionary (matinee)One-man play about loyalist-turned-peacemaker David Ervine.Down Arts Centre, 2-6 Irish Street, Downpatrick From £19~ Checked 3/4Ticketsolve feed read: £19 and £21, 20 seats left on 28 Sep; the 8pm show is sold out. Venue what's-on page is JS-only, so not read. Strong language.
2pm	The odd oneIslandmagee Witches and Phantoms of NewryTwo-hour talk on the 1711 witch trial plus local ghost stories.Newry and Mourne Museum, Bagenal's Castle, Castle Street £13~ Checked 3/4Organiser page and council tourism listing agree on date, 2pm to 4pm and £13. No online ticket page found; book via hauntedtoursni@gmail.com.
2pm	Clonduff v Ballycran, Down senior camogie semi-finalSenior camogie championship semi-final.Clonduff GAC, Hilltown Price not announced~ Checked 3/4From Down GAA fixtures; admission not published.
6pm	Aspects Poetry SlamNorth Down heat of the Ulster Poetry Slam; three minutes per poet.Studio 1A, Bangor £5~ Checked 3/4Festival page read; TicketSource returns 403, so availability unconfirmed. Poets register on the night.
Nothing on Saturday at that price. Try another filter.

Sun4 October

Reed-fringed pools at Castle Espie looking across Strangford Lough to a hill with a tower in the distance — WWT Castle Espie, Comber. Photo: Rossographer, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sunday 4 October
10am to 4pm	Traditional Besom Broom WorkshopDay making a besom broom with Heather McDermott.The Walled Garden, Helen's Bay, 47 Craigdarragh Road Sold out✓ Checked 4/428 Sep, bookwhen.com
11am to 4pm	Pre-Loved Pop UpSecond-hand clothes, fabric and yarn market run by Inspiring Yarns.WWT Castle Espie, 78 Ballydrain Road, Comber Price not announced~ Checked 3/4Event page gives date and times but not whether centre admission applies.
1pm to 3pm	Batty About BatsFree family bat crafts and trails; look for the purple flag.Kilbroney Park, Shore Road, Rostrevor Free~ Checked 3/4Council forest activities: free, no booking, weather dependent.
2pm	Ballygalget v Ballycran, Down senior hurling semi-finalArds peninsula hurling derby with a county final place at stake.Ballygalget GAC Price not announced~ Checked 3/4From Down GAA fixtures; admission not published. Other semi: Portaferry v Liatroim, 5pm, Portaferry.
3pm	Afternoon Concert of Country MusicSusan McCann, Tony Allen, Curtis Magee and Jordan McPolin.Saint Patrick Centre, 53a Market Street, Downpatrick £22.50~ Checked 3/4Venue post confirms date and 3pm, ticket only; price from the council tourism listing, not the venue.
3pm	Jukka Geisler, organ recitalYoung Munich organist, prizewinner at the 2025 NI organ competition.Portico of Ards, Steel Dickson Avenue, Portaferry £21~ Checked 3/4Ticketsolve read: £21, 261 available. Venue site behind a Cloudflare check, not read. Feed lists an odd 'opening time 21:30'.
3pm	Bangor v Coleraine, Irish PremiershipRare Sunday kick-off at Clandeboye Park.Clandeboye Park, Clandeboye Road, Bangor Price not announced~ Checked 3/4Club fixture list confirms date and 3pm; admission price not on the club tickets page.
Nothing on Sunday at that price. Try another filter.

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Down's five picks, Thursday 7am

LocalToad.com is a small startup and this is best effort. Every listing says what we checked and where.