July is on record as being one of the dullest and wettest ever. With this in mind, Heather McGarrigleand Emily Maree have come up with 20 ways to cheer yourself up during the remainder of our so-called summer The 'eat goes on' in Belfast with A The Festival of Fools team will ter. Call 028 9094 1342 or visit £4-£6. Visit www.belfastarthunt. venture and take in poetry readings 1the annual Taste and Music Fes- ""tperk you up every Sunday expert's view www.belfastcityblues.com. co.uk or call 079 2176 9270. and storytelling for two to four- tival in Botanic Gardens between throughout August in Belfast with year-olds at The Island Arts Centre, August 4 and 8. Delicious food and street theatre including aerial Professor Cary Cooper is ·gTake part in t'ai chi sessions on A bunch of flowers can make Lisburn on August 20. Admission great music will shake off the sum- shows from Barren Carousel and Professor of Psychology and the Mall in Armagh every Tues- 13. someone's day, so imagine is £7. Ring 028 9250 9509. mer blues. Tickets are available on cookery with a difference from the Health at Lancaster Univer- day and Thursday until the end of what a whole room can do. Carrick- the gate and include daily admis- Half Naked Chef. Free shows are ar sity. He says: "Seasonal Affec- August. As part of the city's Planet fergus Garden Society's annual Take in some fresh air on sion tickets (£5/£10), 'flexi-day' 2pm and 4pm. Phone 028 9023 tive Disorder can occur in Earth festival, everyone is welcome Flower Show returns on Saturday 17Wilderness Day at Lagan Val- passes (£12.50) and the Five for 6007 or visit wwwJoolsfestival.com. people who don't receive the to take part in this graceful prac- August 14 with flowers, fruit, veg- ley Regional Park, August 21.Take Five lunchtime special (£5). Phone full spectrum of light from tice. Phone 028 3752 9600. etables, floral art and handicrafts. part in the many activities planned 028 9045 7700 or visit www. West Belfast's Feile an Phobail the sun in the winter, or Phone Carrickfergus Council events to include the whole family. Check belfasttasteandmusicfest.com 5continues until Sunday with when the weather is gloomy. The Crescent in Portstewart team on 028 9336 6666. www.laganvalley.co.uk/events drama, comedy and music. Sure A poor winter and expecta- 1 O. is hosting its annual Junior closer to the event for details. Get the whole family out and en- to bring a smile to your face is tions of a good summer Stars in Your Eyes competition at ..iIEnjoy face-painting, /fancy 2joying Northern Ireland togeth- Lenny Henry tomorrow at 8pm in which doesn't arrive can 2.30pm today with performances 1'tdress and family fun on Ti- ·1 8' Experience some culture at er. The National Trust admits kids Andersonstown Leisure Centre. combine to make people from mini versions of singing stars. tanic Vintage Day 2010 on August Irish Walled Towns Day at for free to selected properties For tickets and the programme, mildly depressed. People are Phone the Coleraine Borough 14 at the Titanic Dock and Pump various venues around Derry City throughout the summer provided visit www.feilebelfast.com. getting depressed by what events team on 028 7034 7234. House on Queen's Island. Entrance on August 22. Visit www.derry they are accompanied by a paying they are expecting not being is free and dressing up is encour- city.gov.uk or call 028 71261916. adult. Phone the National Trust Br'.itain's Got Talent champions achieved." Lift your spirits with a day aged. Visit www.titanicvintageday. on 028 9751 2332 for details. 6Diversity will wow the Earhart 11 with man's best friend. The co.uk for more details. RUnning until September Festival in Derry from August 8-15. Dog's Trust and Ballymena Coun- 19 5, the Wallace and Gromit Sunflowerfest 2010 is running The dance troupe headline on Au- urday between llam and 3pm cil have teamed up for 'Bark in the sport, arts, drama, debates Exhibition at W5 is for all ages, 3from August 20-22 at Thbbys gust 15 but before that enjoy live throughout August and Septem- Park' at the Ballymena Ecos Centre 15 and music are in store at the free after admission to W5 (£7.50 ~Farm, Hillsborough, in aid of music, dance, face-painting and ber, Lisburn artists will sell their this Saturday, 12-3pm. Entrance is Feile Chamlocha from August 11to adult/£5.50 child). Visit F UNICEF disaster relief for Haiti. more. Visit www.facebook.com/ work on the rails outside Castle free. Phone Ballymena Council on 16 in Camlough near Newry - per- wwwwsonline.co.uk to see more. With live music, art and great food, TheEarhartFestival for more de- Gardens. Phone the Island Arts 08456 581 581. feet for an eventful day for children there is no doubt that Sunflower- tails. Visit www.millenniumforum. Centre on 028 9250 9509. and adults. Admission to be con- EnjOY the Newtownabbey fest will leave you feeling content co.uk or www.joegallagher ·1··2. Join the Great Belfast Art firmed or ring 028 3083 7056 for 20Shoreline Festival,August and camping is just £5, payable entertainments.com for tickets. Escape the grey weather as the Hunt on August 28 to meet details 28-30, with fireworks and activi- on arrival. There are also day and 8. Belfast City Blues Festival 2010 artists and curators, have a chance ties for everyone beside the sea. weekend tickets available from Cheer up one of your walls with (August 27) hosts international to win prizes and visit up to 10 art CBring your favourite teddies Visit www.newtownabbey.gov.uk \ ticketmaster.co. uk 7an original paintigg. Every Sat- musicians in the Cathedral Quar- galleries in one day. Admission is 1Uto Baby Elephant's Big Ad- or call 028 9024 6609. , nAugust last year the world held its breath and prayed for the 33 miners trapped under- ground in Chile. Jose Hen- riquez was in Craigavon last I Inight to tell how the power of the miners' shared prayers transformed the hell of a col- lapsed mine shaft into a place where miracles could really hap- pen. More than 650 people packed into the main auditorium of Craigavon's Civic Centre to hear Jose share his inspirational story. A guest speaker at the South American Mission Society (SAMS) Ireland's Friday Night .Live event, his message was sim- ple: faith can overcome any- Clockwise, from above: Jose in Craigavon; minutes after he was. rescued from the Chilean mine, and greeting an unidentified woman after his rescue thing. In those first bleak days be- fore contact was made, the rest of the world was beginning to lose hope. But 2,300 feetbelow ground, the man dubbed the 'Pastor' by his workmates was leading the group in prayer. His unwavering strength of belief rallied the men and those who had begun writing wills and goodbye fetters instead threw themselves into Jose's twice daily prayer circles. After 17 long days a small tun- nel finally reached the safety shaft where the men were living and we learned that all 33 had defied the odds and survived the disaster. Speaking to the Belfast Tele- graph before the event, Jose he had told them about. everything. Avote of 50% plus to know the people of Northern produced a tiny, leather-bound Mr Henriquez said: "The one was needed for every deci- Ireland. Bible, no bigger than a block of whole world knows what hap- background sion!' In a divided society such as butter, with 'Santa Biblia' in- pened in that mine from the On August 5 last year a rockfall in the San Jose gold mine Northern Ireland is a world .ours, Jose has a powerful mes- scribed in gold lettering on the outside, but nobody knows what caused a tunnel to collapse, trapping 33 workers 2,300ft away from Mr Henriquez's sage: ''Whatever your beliefs, God front. was happening on this inside. underground. They were feared dead, but after 17 days a homeland, but he has only is understanding. We all know about the food, "I am going to talk about the borehole reached their shelter and the men sent up a note to warm words. "He accepts all people and does water and essential supplies power offaith and the impor- say they were all alive. One by one they were brought to the "The people have been so not marginalise," that were passed down the tance of democracy. surface in a capsule in October, watched by the world's media, warm and welcoming!' chute to sustain the men before "But there were also some after a 69-day ordeal. He will be speaking to crowds Jose will visit Willowfield Parish their eventual rescue, but Jose miracles." gathered at churches in Belfast, Church in Belfast tonight at maintains this tiny battered lit- In such a distressing situa- Lurgan and Dollingstown over 7.30pm,St Saviour's in tle book was the real lifeline to tion, anarchy could easily have which a democracy of sorts was about food and water, what to the next couple of days and he Dollingstown tomorrow at 8.30am, the men, allowing them to gain taken over, but Jose describes created. do next, how to organise'spaces hopes his busy weekend will and Shankill Parish Church in comfort reading the Scriptures the remarkable process by ''We ad to ake decisions; to sleep and so we voted on give him an opportunity to get Lurgan tomorrow at 10.30am.