Book Tickets

Festival of Making

Book Tickets
Willow weaver at Ulster Folk Museum
Date
Saturday 19th & Sunday 20th August
Event type
Free for members

At the Ulster Folk Museum we are passionate about preserving and nurturing Northern Ireland’s unique heritage skills, customs and traditions. This August we'll be celebrating the Festival of Making in partnership with the Construction Industry Training Board NI (CITB NI), a two-day event honouring traditional crafts & heritage skills!

Over the weekend we’ll be showcasing a wide range of Ireland’s unique building traditions such as thatching, stone masonry, limewashing and drystone walling. There'll also be talented makers sharing their crafts including signwriting, stained glass, and straw rope making; and our fantastic team of in-house craft demonstrators will be working in blacksmithing, willow, textiles, wood and more!

As well as a chance to see at-risk skills in action, we will also be hosting a craft fair in collaboration with Craft NI, where you’ll be able to purchase works from some of the high quality craft makers and applied artists working with heritage materials to make beautiful objects, homewares and decorative pieces.

We’ll have traditional music sessions, food trucks, screenings in our original picture house, and activities for all ages to get stuck into. So come along and be part of the revival of our treasured heritage skills.

Book your general admission tickets through the link at the top of the page. 

Festival Layout

Same for both days

Heritage skills that will be on show 

Location (Town)

Number on the map

WoodturningGillespie Carpenter’s Workshop6
The Conservation VolunteersKelly's Coal Yard10
ThatchingThe Diamond11
Signwriting and gilding Market and Court House14
PrintingBaird's Print Shop16
Paper quillingBallycultra Post Office18
Stained GlassRIC Barracks19
LimewashingThe Old Rectory & Basketmaker's Workshop25 & 20
Musical instrument making National School34
Wool weaving Weaving Shed35

Built Heritage Hub

Drop in and meet our Built Heritage Manager and the Construction Industry Training Board 

Times: 10:00-12:00 & 14:00-16:00

Reawakening Project Hub27
 

Location (Countryside)

Number on the map

BakingHand and Pen Orange Hall52
BlacksmithingLisrace Forge54 (furthest point in the festival)
Rag ruggingCoshkib Hill Farm43
PloughingCoshkib Hill Farm43
SilversmithingCoalisland Spade Mill44
StonemasonryCorradreenan Farm45
Woodturning (pole lathe)Meenagarragh Cottier’s House47
Saddler: Harness making Drumnahunshin Farm51
Dry stone walling Ballydown National School53

Activities to get involved in                                                     

Location (Town)                           

Number on the map

CraftsRIC Barracks (upstairs - lift available)19
Rag frame weavingBallydugan Weavers39
Straw rope makingCruckaclady Farmhouse46
Corn dolly makingDrumnahunshin Farm51
Ceramic tile makingHand and Pen Orange Hall52

Meet the Makers                                                                       

Location (Town)                             

Number on the map

Craft NI Makers' FairThe Diamond11
Musical instrument making National School34
Food demonstration Parochial House36
Gintlíocht exhibition Various locations throughout the site

Music                                                                                                                                                                   

Location                                                                         

Number on the map               

Armagh RhymersRoaming in the town11
Traditional musiciansVarious locations26, 30, 45, 46

Eat, drink & shop                                                                                                                                         

Location                                                                      

Number on the map              

Museum caféBallycultra Tearoom28
PubMcCusker's Pub30
BBQCourtyard30
Makers' FairThe Diamond11
Sweet shopW. Carruth Corner Shop2
Household itemsMcAlinden's Hardware Shop33
Museum gift shop 1
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