Waterside Together organises a week-long festival in green spaces on the east bank of Derry from May 23 to 30. The project delivers events in parks, greenways, and community areas for families, children, young people, older residents, and BAME community members.

Activities include circus performances, rhymes sessions, music performances, Qigong exercises, yoga, singing workshops, wellbeing walks, slow drawing, T'ai Chi, outdoor cinema, nature mandalas, face making, and natural paintbrush making. Events take place at Woodburn Urban Park in Lisnagelvin, Waterside Shared Village on Irish Street, Corrody Country Park, Gransha Woods, and Kilfennan Valley Park.

Complimentary food such as burgers, hot dogs, chicken wraps, and ice cream serves the first 300 attendees at one event. A wellbeing walk starts at Spar on 16 Rossdowney Road on May 27 from 10.30am to 12.30pm.

The festival receives support from PEACEPLUS, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body under community regeneration, and Derry City and Strabane District Council’s PEACEPLUS plan. Waterside Neighbourhood Partnership delivers the project.

PEACE Programme Manager Sue Divin stated the programme offers nature, wellbeing, and fun activities across Waterside locations through PEACEPLUS funding. Strategy Manager Alison Wallace called the festival a milestone for community connection and reimagining green spaces as shared areas. Project Coordinator Tansy Cowley said the events respond to natural surroundings to encourage new views of spaces and break down community separations.

Most events operate on a drop-in basis, but some require advance booking. Contact Tansy Cowley at 028 7134 2959 or [email protected] for reservations. Participants in Waterside-specific events must reside in the area.