Welcome to the first edition of our new weekly guide — every Monday from now on, you'll find the week across the borough gathered in one place. And what a week to start with: the Twelfth, the Sham Fight, the start of the school summer holidays and dinosaurs arriving in Armagh. Here's your week at a glance.
The Big Ones: The Twelfth and the Sham Fight — Today, Monday 13 July
With 12 July falling on a Sunday this year, the Twelfth celebrations take place today, Monday 13 July, with demonstrations at locations right across Northern Ireland. And just down the road, Scarva hosts its famous Sham Fight — one of the biggest single-day gatherings in the country, all packed into one small village.
Heading to either? We've done the homework for you:
➡️ Your Complete Guide to the Twelfth 2026 — parking, timings, road closures and what to bring.
➡️ The Sham Fight at Scarva — Your Practical Guide— road closures, parking, getting in and out, and everything you need to plan the day.
Also On Today
Disney's High School Musical JR — Marketplace Theatre, Armagh — Monday 13 July. A summer treat for young theatre fans as the much-loved musical hits the Marketplace stage.
Worth Knowing This Week: Holiday Opening Hours
A quick practical note for the bank holiday week: Banbridge Leisure Centre is closed Sunday 12 and Monday 13 July, reopening Tuesday 14 July at 9am. Ardmore Recreation Centre is closed for the full week, Sunday 12 to Friday 19 July. If you're planning a swim or a gym session elsewhere, it's worth checking your local centre's holiday hours on the getactiveabc website before heading out.
Family & Free
Paint & Pop — Armagh Observatory and Planetarium — Saturday 18 July. A hands-on creative session for younger visitors at one of the borough's favourite family venues.
Jurassic Ark Encounters — Armagh Observatory and Planetarium — opens Saturday 18 July, running until 9 August. Dinosaurs are landing at the Planetarium for the summer holidays — expect this one to be popular, so booking ahead is wise.
Scarva Band Stand Sunday Concert — Scarva village — Sunday 19 July, 3–4pm. The award-winning floral village hosts free band concerts at its Victorian-style bandstand every Sunday right through to the end of September. Free admission, no booking — just bring a deck chair and enjoy.
Ongoing Through the Summer Holidays
School's out, and the borough's summer programmes are in full swing:
Tayto Tours — Tayto Castle, Tandragee — running through July and August. The borough's tastiest day out, right on our doorstep.
Summer of Play at The Argory — running until 31 August. Family fun at the National Trust's much-loved Moy-side property.
Shake Up Summer with getactiveabc — the council's packed summer programme is underway across the borough: watersports, kayaking and paddleboarding at South Lake, multi-sports and gymnastics camps, soft play, all-terrain trekking at Gosford Forest Park, nature activities at Oxford Island and much more. Full details and booking at getactiveabc.com/summer2026.
Orchard and Cider Tours — Long Meadow Cider — tour the orchard with tastings, tea and apple tart, running through the summer.
Looking Ahead
📌 Summer in the City kicks off in Armagh city centre later this month — free family entertainment around Market Square every Saturday afternoon (12–4pm) right through to early September. We'll have details in next week's edition.
📌 The John Hewitt International Summer School returns to the Marketplace Theatre from 27 July, bringing a week of literature, ideas and big-name speakers to Armagh.
📌 And the big one: the 7 Hills Blues Fest hits Armagh from 31 July to 2 August — over 40 free gigs across the city. Our full festival guide is already live: 7 Hills Blues Fest 2026
Know Something We've Missed?
Running an event in the borough? Tell us about it — message the LivingABC Facebook page or email us, and we'll consider it for next week's guide. It's free to be listed, and we'd love to hear from you.
See you next Monday for Edition 2.
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