YOU could be excused for thinking that the seasonal excitement will be all wrapped up by Christmas, but in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter the fun will start all over again on Boxing Day.
That’s when the carnival comes to town in the shape of the inaugural Titanic Winterland which will take over the new Titanic Exhibition Centre, creating the city’s largest and coolest indoor funfair.
From Saturday December 26 right through to Sunday January 10 the venue will be transformed into a Winterland theme park, packed with more than twenty major thrill rides, fairground attractions, and a host of games of skill and chance providing all the fun of the fair for adrenaline-junkies and little kiddies alike.
Family favourites include everything from a wonderfully nostalgic, hand-painted carousel and Helter Skelter to a ‘Frozen’-themed children’s fun house, tea-cup ride and an awe-inspiring traditional Ferris wheel, with a super-friendly inflatable zoo activity play centre for tiny tots.
Waltzers, dodgems, bumper boats and chair-o-planes will create a traditional and much-loved funfair atmosphere, but Titanic Winterland will also deliver a decidedly high tech experience with some of the newest and most exciting rides currently touring Europe.
For those who like their fairground entertainment full-on, the showpiece of the packed carnival will undoubtedly be the challenge of the ‘Vertigo G Force’. Standing at more than 130 feet in height, towering over the venue, it’s an outdoor thrill ride like no other and certainly not for the feint hearted!
Launching the event is leading fairground specialist, Curry’s Amusements a family business that will be celebrating 70 fun-filled years in 2016. Owen Curry, grandson of the founder, said: “We started our business from our base in Northern Ireland back in 1946 and over the decades, with wonderful support from the public, it has grown to be a highly successful all-Ireland enterprise. When it came to marking this landmark anniversary we wanted to kick off the year of celebrations by bringing something special to Northern Ireland where it all started for Curry’s Amusements – and the answer has been the creation of this mega-cool ‘pop up theme park’ in the heart of Belfast’s fantastic Titanic Quarter.
“The Titanic Winterland combines the best of the past and present, with many of the attractions that we all remember from our childhoods alongside fabulous new thrill rides. The end result is a venue that is jam-packed with fun and excitement to delight all the family and provide Belfast with all the fun of the fair during what can otherwise be dull days after Christmas.”
Titanic Winterland will be open daily from 12pm – 10pm from Saturday December 26 to Sunday January 10 inclusive. Admission is £2 and visitors can opt to pay-as-they-go or purchase an all-rides-covered admission wristband for a period of five hours. All rides are subject to height and safety restrictions. Unlimited ride wristbands for Juniors (under 1.2metres tall) cost £11.95 or £15.95 for Regular (over 1.2 metres tall). A family pack of wristbands (two Regular, two Junior) is available at £44.95. All tickets can be bought on arrival at Titanic Exhibition Centre.
