Four-day Solstice festival for Navan

Solstice Arts Centre in Navan has launched the third Solstice Festival to celebrate this year's summer solstice. The four-day festival programme includes opera, film, music, visual art and a host of family activities. Events have been organised in a number of venues throughout the town including Solstice Arts Centre (Railway Street), Beggy's Bar (Bridge Street), Chekhov's Coffee House (Bakery Lane), the newly opened Central Café (Trim Gate Street) and Tara na Rí (Garlow Cross). The opening festival gala will take place on Thursday 21st June, with Opera Theatre Company performing Monteverdi's celebrated opera Orfeo at Solstice Arts Centre. The opera will be sung in English and accompanied by the exquisite OTC Baroque ensemble. A pre-performance reception for all opera-goers (7.15pm) will open the four-day festival. On Thursday, there will also be fun and music at Beggy's Bar. The Circles, whose band members formally belonged to platinum album sensation The Blizzards, will perform a mix of their familiar hits and brand new songs from 10pm. On Friday 22nd June, Meath Arts Group will lead an art trail around Navan town to view numerous innovative and inspiring pieces from local artists installed in empty shop units, pubs and outdoor spaces. The trail starts from Solstice Arts Centre at 7pm sharp. Then it's time to feel some Latin heat with an evening of Tango & Tapas at Solstice! Tango Fever will perform from 8pm. Enjoy a selection of tapas and tasty Sangria as you watch this seductive Argentinian dance display. Adventurous guests are encouraged to take part in a Tango workshop after the performance. If a jig is more to your taste, why not join Macey South for modern traditional Irish music at Tara na Rí pub! The good folks up at Garlow Cross will be putting on a free barbeque on from 8pm-9pm. At Beggy's Bar from 10pm you can catch great music from The Lost Brothers. This worldly duo has been compared to Simon and Garfunkel and featured on BBC's Culture Show, RTE's 'Other Voices' and recently took part in 'Other Voices', New York. On Saturday 23rd June, dip into a trove of books both old and new, at Meath County Council Library Services' Big Booksale in Navan Library (10am-1pm). Proceeds will help send surplus library stock to the Meath Mercy Mission in Zambia. If you're feeling peckish after, you can pop into Chekhov's Coffee House on Bakery Lane for lunch and a free acoustic guitar concert with Wa'el Shabo from 1pm. Budding artists can join Michelle Boyle's life drawing workshop at Solstice Arts Centre. The opening of the much-anticipated Surveyor exhibition will follow at 2.30pm with a reception in the Solstice galleries. This exhibition will feature several artists from Meath and endeavors to explore contemporary visual practice from the county. A wealth of entertainment will follow on Saturday night. There will be traditional music from Coscan at Tara na Ri, accompanied by an Irish dancing display, plus a free BBQ between 8pm and 9pm. Or rock it out with five-piece Navan rock band The Furry Gilberts at Beggy's Bar from 10pm. If you are in the mood for easy listening with a touch of swing, you can catch Caithriona Mongey at the newly opened Central Café on Trimgate Street from 10pm. Sunday 24th June is midsummer's day and is absolutely jam-packed with family fun and kids' events! Kicking off at 11am, children and parents alike can enjoy storytelling, art workshops, film and ice cream! Free activities include storytelling for toddlers with Joanne and a drop-in jungle mural workshop for children of all ages at Solstice Arts Centre with Oulala productions. Artzone will give a jungle-theme art workshop for 5-7 year olds in the Solstice studios . Burke's ice-cream cart will be on hand and families can grab lunch at the Solstice café before popping into the Solstice Theatre to watch the wonderfully hilarious Kung Fu Panda 2! To wind down, enjoy a family art picnic 'en plein air' hosted by Meath Arts Group at the Ramparts from 4pm-6pm. Families can bring along snacks and art materials to join in on the crafty fun! To round off the weekend's festivities, world-renowned classical guitarist Pat Goldrick will perform at Beggy's Bar from 6pm, with a surprise act to follow! Festival events are free of charge where ticket prices are not stated. Book for ticketed events with Solstice Box Office on 046 909 2300 or online at www.solsticeartscentre.ie