The northwest is busy preparing for the 2018 Northwest Kings and Queens Festival, which takes place on Saturday 20 January in the Sligo Park Hotel. This national event will welcome Macra members from around the country as they represent their county and work as a team competing in unusual and interesting tasks throughout the day.

On the night, following other on-stage activities, the winning Northwest King and Queen for 2018 will be crowned. The winners will receive a monetary prize, crowns and a perpetual trophy. No Macra na Feirme event would be complete without a banquet and plenty of dancing and this night will be no different with a four-course meal and entertainment on the night.

This will be an event full of fun, food and laughter for everyone, a night to dust off the January blues and a night to start the party season of 2018. There are still a limited number of tickets available for the night priced at €30. Please contact your county representative for the event or check out the Northwest Kings and Queens page on Facebook. Donegal Queen Victoria Byrne from Inthru Macra and Sligo King Alan Anderson from Coolaney Macra were crowned the Northwest King and Queen 2017. Who will their crowns be passed to next week?

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