A much-appreciated rest for all the Dock gang today, before another HHUUUGGEEEE week of all things Titanic.  So, to get into gear, a bit of advance notice of some things coming up over the next few days:

First up, of course Dock Cafe is open for business – Tue-Fri 11-7, Sat 11-5 – and Tegan the Dock Barista will be full of rage (which is quite a scary sight to see) if I don’t mention the great line-up of acoustic lunchtimes we’ve got coming up this week (12-2 Tues, Thur & Fri).  Local musicians playing some chilled-out tunes while you sip local tea and coffee, munch on locally-baked delicacies and admire the (ever-increasing) range of local art and craft we have displayed around the cafe… honestly, where else would you want to be?!

This week many of the events and programmes in the Titanic Quarter have a very different tone.  You’ll already have noticed in the news that passengers have boarded the memorial cruise which will retrace Titanic’s footsteps, and the TV schedules are starting to fill with a massive range of programmes looking at the echoes of that terrible night on the Atlantic.  Next weekend sees the centenary of Titanic’s fateful collision with the iceberg – the crash at 11:40pm on 14th, and the sinking just over two-and-a-half hours later at 2:20am on the 15th.

It’s a tired old complaint frequently lobbed at us in Belfast that we shouldn’t be celebrating a tragedy.  Well, of course we’re not.  Even as the preparations unfold for the events next weekend, it’s clear just how deep the wound still cuts here in Titanic’s birthplace, and the tone of the events will reflect that.

We are unique in the world in that we can celebrate aspects of Titanic – the craftsmanship, vision, risk, daring and sheer hard work that went into her creation – these are Belfast stories, and I genuinely don’t think there was any way they could have been better told than through the fabulous rush of events around the opening of Titanic Belfast and the centenary of Titanic’s departure from Belfast Lough.  But equally, we’re one of the best placed to tell the story of her loss – and from what I’ve already seen of the plans for this coming weekend, we’re going to do that story full justice too.  We led the world in celebrating her launch – and I think we’re going to lead again in remembering her loss.

So again, I’m going to encourage you to fill your diaries – don’t be an armchair spectator of this phenomenal week.  Give something new a try – a play, a concert, a film, a lecture – find new angles and beats in this story we’re coming to know so well.  Over this last week, if it’s been on, I’ve given it a go – films (an open-air Night to Remember), plays (the superb The Boat Factory), spectacles (the fantastic lightshow on Saturday night)… A few nights ago, a gang from the Dock were privileged to be part of a preview evening for ‘Titans’, a new play showing at Titanic Belfast this week – an absolutely unique production, in which the audience, rather than observing passively, were part of the action, following the characters through the staircases, galleries and hidden corners of the Drawing Office and Titanic Belfast as the plot unfolded.  Something absolutely unique.

This week I’ll be highlighting different things each day that will allow you to take part – including some really special opportunities for those of us in The Dock – but for now, I’ll reprint the (now thoroughly updated!) grand masterplan of all the upcoming events.  Have a good scan through, get your diary out, check out the website links – and if you can’t find anything in here to whet your interest, then there really is no hope for you…!

Tuesday 10th April
11am and 2pm – ‘Titanic Diaries – Cherbourg’ at Titanic Belfast – www.titanicbelfast.com
12noon – 2pm – Acoustic lunchtimes at Dock Cafe – www.the-dock.org
12:30 & 3:30pm – Titanic Discovery Series at Titanic Belfast – www.titanicbelfast.com
1pm ‘Titanic Miscellany’ at the City Hall – www.belfastcity.gov.uk/titanic/
7:30pm ‘Titanic the Musical’ at the Grand Opera House – www.goh.co.uk
8pm ‘Songs to the Siren’ at Titanic Belfast – www.titanicbelfast.com
8pm ‘White Star of the North’ at Lyric Theatre – www.lyrictheatre.co.uk
8pm ‘A Better Boy – Thomas Andrews, Shipwright’ at the Belfast Barge – www.belfastcity.gov.uk/titanic/
8:30pm Titanic Light Show installation at Titanic Slipways – www.titanicbelfast.com
9pm ‘Titanic: the Band Played On’ on TV
‘Titanic 3D’ in cinemas nationwide
SS Nomadic open for hard-hat tours – www.nomadicbelfast.com

Wednesday 11th April
11am and 2pm – ‘Titanic Diaries – Cobh’ at Titanic Belfast – www.titanicbelfast.com
 12noon – 2pm – Acoustic lunchtimes at Dock Cafe – www.the-dock.org
7:15pm ‘Titans’ at the Drawing Office – www.titanicbelfast.com
7:30pm ‘The Wireless Room’ at the City Hall – www.belfastcity.gov.uk/titanic/
7:30pm ‘Titanic the Musical’ at the Grand Opera House – www.goh.co.uk
8pm ‘White Star of the North’ at Lyric Theatre – www.lyrictheatre.co.uk
8pm ‘A Better Boy – Thomas Andrews, Shipwright’ at the Belfast Barge – www.belfastcity.gov.uk/titanic/
8:30pm Titanic Light Show installation at Titanic Slipways – www.titanicbelfast.com
‘Titanic 3D’ in cinemas nationwide
SS Nomadic open for hard-hat tours – www.nomadicbelfast.com

Thursday 12th April
12noon – 2pm – Acoustic lunchtimes at Dock Cafe – www.the-dock.org
6pm  Creative Arts Festival at Public Records Office – www.proni.gov.uk
7:30pm ‘The Wireless Room’ at the City Hall – www.belfastcity.gov.uk/titanic/
7:30pm ‘Titanic the Musical’ at the Grand Opera House – www.goh.co.uk
8pm ‘White Star of the North’ at Lyric Theatre – www.lyrictheatre.co.uk
8pm ‘A Better Boy – Thomas Andrews, Shipwright’ at the Belfast Barge – www.belfastcity.gov.uk/titanic/
‘Titanic 3D in cinemas nationwide
SS Nomadic open for hard-hat tours – www.nomadicbelfast.com

Friday 13th April
12noon – 2:00 – Acoustic lunchtimes at Dock Cafe – www.the-dock.org
7:30pm ‘Titanic the Musical’ at the Grand Opera House – www.goh.co.uk
7:30pm ‘The Wireless Room’ at the City Hall – www.belfastcity.gov.uk/titanic/
8pm ‘White Star of the North’ at Lyric Theatre – www.lyrictheatre.co.uk
8pm ‘A Better Boy – Thomas Andrews, Shipwright’ at the Belfast Barge – www.belfastcity.gov.uk/titanic/
8:30pm MTV Titanic Sounds at Titanic Slipways – www.titanicbelfast.com
‘Titanic 3D’ in cinemas nationwide
SS Nomadic open for hard-hat tours – www.nomadicbelfast.com

Saturday 14th April
5:30pm and 11:40pm ‘Titanic the Musical’ at the Grand Opera House – www.goh.co.uk
6pm Titanic Memorial Lecture by Dr Robert Ballard at Titanic Belfast – www.titanicbelfast.com
8pm ‘White Star of the North’ at Lyric Theatre – www.lyrictheatre.co.uk
8pm ‘A Better Boy – Thomas Andrews, Shipwright’ at the Belfast Barge – www.belfastcity.gov.uk/titanic/
8:30pm Titanic Centenary Commemoration at Waterfront Hall (& live on BBC2) – www.belfastcity.gov.uk/titanic/
9pm Titanic Requiem at St Anne’s Cathedral – www.belfastcathedral.org
11pm ‘Water Night – A Titanic Vigil’ at Titanic Belfast –www.titanicbelfast.com
‘Titanic 3D’ in cinemas nationwide
SS Nomadic open for hard-hat tours – www.nomadicbelfast.com

Sunday 15th April
9am Unveiling of Memorial Garden at City Hall – www.belfastcity.gov.uk/titanic/
11am Titanic Requiem at St Peter’s Cathedral – www.belfastcity.gov.uk/titanic/
11am ‘From Loch Ness to the North Atlantic’ – City Hall – www.belfastcity.gov.uk/titanic/
11:30am ‘Into The Deep’ at Titanic Belfast – www.titanicbelfast.com
3:30pm Titanic Commemoration Service and pilgrimage walk at St Anne’s Cathedral – www.belfastcathedral.org
7:30pm ‘The Titanic Story’ at the Ulster Hall – www.belfastcity.gov.uk/titanic/
8pm ‘Theatre Titanick’ at Titanic Belfast – www.belfastcity.gov.uk/titanic/
8pm ‘A Better Boy – Thomas Andrews, Shipwright’ at the Belfast Barge – www.belfastcity.gov.uk/titanic/
9pm ‘Titanic’ (Julian Fellowes version) on ITV
‘Titanic 3D’ in cinemas nationwide
SS Nomadic open for hard-hat tours – www.nomadicbelfast.com

Monday 16th April
7pm ‘Belfast Shipbuilders’ – City Hall – www.belfastcity.gov.uk/titanic/
‘Titanic 3D’ in cinemas nationwide

Tuesday 17th April
‘Titanic 3D’ in cinemas nationwide

Wednesday 18th April
7pm ‘Father Browne’s Album’ – City Hall – www.belfastcity.gov.uk/titanic/
‘Titanic 3D’ in cinemas nationwide

Thursday 19th April
6pm ‘Last Night of a Small Town’ at the Linen Hall Library – www.belfastcity.gov.uk/titanic/
6:30pm ‘Titanic – Belfast’s Own’ at Public records Office – www.proni.gov.uk
7:30pm ‘The Iceberg’ at the Belfast Barge – www.belfastcity.gov.uk/titanic/
‘Titanic 3D’ in cinemas nationwide

Friday 20th April
7pm ‘The Man Who Left The Titanic’ at the Linen Hall Library – www.belfastcity.gov.uk/titanic/
7:30pm ‘The Iceberg’ at the Belfast Barge – www.belfastcity.gov.uk/titanic/
‘Titanic 3D’ in cinemas nationwide

Saturday 21st April
‘Titanic 3D’ in cinemas nationwide

Sunday 22nd April
1pm ‘Sisters to an Icon’ at the Belfast Barge – www.belfastcity.gov.uk/titanic/
1:30pm TQ 10K at Queens Road – www.athleticsni.org
3:33pm Dock Walk – starting at Dock cafe
‘Titanic 3D’ in cinemas nationwide
‘Titanic – Scenes from the British Wreck Commissioners’ Inquiry 1912’ at the MAC

Monday 23rd April
‘Titanic 3D’ in cinemas nationwide
‘Titanic – Scenes from the British Wreck Commissioners’ Inquiry 1912’ at the MAC

Tuesday 24th April
1pm ‘All At Sea – Maritime Records’ at the Public Records Office – www.proni.gov.uk
‘Titanic 3D’ in cinemas nationwide
‘Titanic – Scenes from the British Wreck Commissioners’ Inquiry 1912’ at the MAC

Wednesday 25th April
Titanic 3D’ in cinemas nationwide
‘Titanic – Scenes from the British Wreck Commissioners’ Inquiry 1912’ at the MAC

Thursday 26th April
‘Titanic 3D’ in cinemas nationwide
‘Titanic – Scenes from the British Wreck Commissioners’ Inquiry 1912’ at the MAC

Friday 27th April
‘Go’ awards at Titanic Belfast – www.titanicbelfast.com
‘Titanic – Scenes from the British Wreck Commissioners’ Inquiry 1912’ at the MAC

Saturday 28th April
‘Titanic – Scenes from the British Wreck Commissioners’ Inquiry 1912’ at the MAC

Sunday 29th April
3:33pm Dock Walk – starting at Dock cafe
‘Titanic – Scenes from the British Wreck Commissioners’ Inquiry 1912’ at the MAC