Cathedral Quarter gears up for vintage weekend

The launch of the celebrations on Friday will take place in the Sandwich Company, in The Diamond. The first ever Vintage Tea Dance is geared to kick off from 5pm-11pm on the same date.

Visitors should also expect action on the evening in the outlet’s Bunker Room, which was designed and decorated by local artist Domnall Starkie, and was once the site of the renowned Corinthian Ballroom.

Ursula and Co.’s mobile jazz club will be playing timeless classics, whilst from 6pm, Ben Allen, will provide the tea dance tunes, helped along later by the Stray Kitten.

Tickets for this part of the Vintage Weekend include High Tea from 5-7pm and are priced at £10, now available from both Bedlam Pump Street and The Sandwich Co Diamond.

For those who plan to start their night a little bit later, there is also the option to pay £5 cover charge at the door with the added ability to BYO Bottle of Wine.

On Saturday expect actual bedlam inside Bedlam as store holders ply the public with a plethora of special offers.

Amongst the delights in store, chances to win a vintage clothes and accessories hamper from handbags and gladrags, a crafty cushion class from Pretty Betty’s Treasures, a jazz themed book stack from Little Acorns Bookstore, kitsch kitchenalia from The Recovery Room and an original Pat Cowley painting from the Cowley-Cooper Fine Art Gallery.

Meanwhile, in Family Jewels, store holder Gary McNicholls is offering free valuations throughout the day on antiques, jewellery, militaria and paperwork, whilst next door in Healing Arts, Rowena Corner will be giving head and back massages at massively reduced rates and in Ma’s Crafts and The Snug Tearoom, a chance to roll the dice, get it half price.

Foyle Photo Gallery will also operate a ‘buy one, get one free’ policy whilst in AbbaZappa, customers will have a chance to walk away with a limited edition vinyl clock and record player amongst the goods up for grabs.

In that same part of the building, the record decks will be open for budding DJs to step up and play their finest vinyl with Ben Allen and special guest, Rumble Club’s Hot Rod Todd, filling in any musical gaps.

Moving onto Sunday and it’s all about the Vintage/Retro/Antiques Fair in the Cathedral Quarter, where some 40 stalls will set up Portobello Road style albeit with an undeniable Londonderry accent, in the Pump Street courtyard.

The fair will start at 12 o’clock and will continue till 5.30pm with bargain hunters expected to turn out in their hundreds and thousands from early morn.

An absolute must for any discerning lover of vintage, retro, crafts and antique lifestyle.

And in the earlier part of Sunday, whilst all that is going on outside, inside the Sandwich Company, The Diamond, from 12.30pm to 2.30pm, The Jammhouse presents Caolan McLaughlin with John Ross and guests.

Caolan has already had an abundant career full of tours, gigs and studio albums.

In an extra exciting piece of news, one of the stars of the Londonderry Jazz Festival- Carmen Ghia, along with her Hot Rods, has confirmed a special appearance at the Vintage Fair on Sunday.

Later that evening and in a fitting end to the weekend’s festivities, it’s all down to Sandino’s in Water Street where The Rumble Club takes over the upstairs room with a spectacular performance guaranteed from the same Carmen Ghia and the HotRods from 8pm.

Assisting her in providing the soundtrack to the swingin’ evening, Rumble Club’s DJs Hot Rod Todd and Beatnik Dan will be joined by very special guest Jamboree Gerry Robinson. Tickets for this event are priced at £8, available now from Sandino’s.