As an independent Festival, we pride ourselves on giving care and attention to all our customers. We’re also committed to providing a Festival that’s accessible to all.
If you are a wheelchair user, or require special assistance, please let us know when booking your ticket, or at any time before your arrival. This will help us make your experience much more enjoyable. We operate a Buddy scheme for customers who need someone to accompany them, providing one complimentary carer ticket – please let us know in the comment section at the time of booking.
The Walled Garden has an accessible toilet and parking beside the front entrance.
Tickets can be purchased directly through this website. Please don’t print your tickets – they have a QR code which you can show on your phone, and which we scan upon entry, which is quicker and better for the environment than a paper ticket.
Events at the Walled Garden are all unreserved seating. While events at The Court House can be seated, standing or a mixture of both. It will be clearly stated on the event webpage.
We only offer refunds or exchange tickets in the case of a cancelled event.
We recently partnered with Twickets to provide an easy and secure way to re-sell or buy second-hand tickets. If you can’t attend an event, your best bet is to put them on there.
Similarly, if you want to attend an event that is sold out, head to the event page and click the Twickets button. You should be able to see other people selling their tickets. If no one is selling a ticket yet you can set up an alert to be notified as soon as some become available.
You are welcome to bring your own refreshments into the Walled Garden – but please use the litter bins provided or bring your rubbish home with you, and be respectful of the beautiful surroundings and other audience members.
As always, we highly recommend taking advantage of the fantastic restaurants and bars available in Bangor before and/or after events.
The audience and stage area of the Walled Garden will be covered with a stretch tent canopy, so rain should not affect the events. However, as you will still be outdoors it may get chilly, so please dress accordingly. And feel free to bring a cushion and a blanket for extra comfort.
Some of the events do have age restrictions and these are clearly listed on the event page of the website before point of sale, although we do of course make an exception for very young babies.
Only assistance dogs can attend events in the Walled Garden.
If you leave something behind at an event, please email us at boxoffice@openhousefestival.com and we’ll do our best to help.
Our small team depends on volunteers to help us deliver Open House Festival events, by assisting with ticketing, seating, event set-up, litter picking, and many other vital duties. They help to create a happy, welcoming environment and carry out their responsibilities with pride and huge smiles on their faces.
To find out more about Open House Festival volunteering please contact janet@openhousefestival.com
Getting there
By foot
If arriving in Bangor by bus or train, it’s a short walk to The Walled Garden, The Court House or Ward Park
By bus or Train
One of the loveliest train journeys in Northern Ireland is the Belfast to Bangor coastal route. The journey can take up to 40 minutes from Great Victoria Street Station and as little as 23 minutes from Belfast Lanyon Place, depending on the number of stops.
The majority of our events finish in time to get the last train back to Belfast – these events will be identified by a train friendly logo.
Buses also run regularly from Bangor Bus Station in the centre of the city to the two main Belfast city centre stations – Laganside Buscentre and Europa Buscentre on Great Victoria Street.
For timetables and tickets, go to: www.translink.co.uk
Tel: 028 9066 6630
By car
The Walled Garden is well sign-posted and has ample free car parking. The Court House is right in the centre of Bangor, opposite the McKee Clock. There’s lots of cheap or free parking around City Centre Bangor.
By taxi
Bangor taxi firms:
Bangor Cabs – Tel 028 9145 6456
Kare Kabs – 028 9145 6777
Belfast taxi firms:
FonaCAB – Tel 028 9033 3333
Value Cabs – Tel 028 9080 9080
By plane
George Best Belfast City Airport on the Belfast-Bangor A2 is just a 20 minute drive from the centre of Bangor. The airport is also accessible by train, with just a short walk from Sydenham Station to the terminal.
For details of routes and airlines, go to:
www.belfastcityairport.com
Belfast International Airport is a 50 minute drive from Bangor. There is no direct bus or rail service from the town, however the Translink Airbus connects with bus services at Laganside Bus centre, and with rail services at Great Victoria Street and Belfast Lanyon Place stations.
For details of routes and airlines, go to:
www.belfastairport.com
By boat
A choice of car ferry services operate from Scotland, England and the Isle of Mann to Belfast and Larne, with crossings from 90 minutes to eight hours. (We don’t recommend swimming…)
For routes and timetables go to:
Stena Line: www.stenaline.com
Or why not sail your own boat into Bangor and berth at the marina? For details and rates, go to: BoatFolk.co.uk
If you have any other queries please get in touch with us boxoffice@openhousefestival.com