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Forthcoming Events
Friday 14 November PDFB Indoor Concert Corcrain Orange Hall, Portadown Friday 21 November Defenders of the Rock FB Indoor Concert Unionist Hall, Enniskillen Saturday 13 December PDFB Xmas Silly Dress Disco Gary's Bar, Portadown Friday 26 December PDFB Boxing Night Disco Gary's Bar, Portadown |
Portadown Defenders FB Annual Band Parade Friday 15th August 2008 
Map of parade route We will be holding our annual band parade on Friday 15th August commencing at 7.30pm, after the host band has completed the route. No other bands will be permitted to parade the route until the host band has finished. We recognise the fact that bands may have other parades to attend on the same night, but please respect our instructions on the night. For those attending another parade, a shortened route can be made available upon request. Please follow the instructions of the on-site marshall. Our parade is also a competition and will be judged in the usual categories. THIS IS AN OPEN INVITE. ALL BANDS ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND. The parade route is as follows: Jospeh Street, Bridge Street, High Street, Church Street, Armagh Road, Jervis Street, West Street, Market Street, High Street, Castle Street, Bridge Street, Watson Street. We would like to stress that Portadown is now a no drinking-zone. Anyone seen drinking alcohol on the streets will have it confiscated by the PSNI. 'Blue bag brigade' are warned over drink at parades SPECTATORS at band parades in Portadown have been warned that anyone drinking alcohol in public will have it confiscated. Police have warned the public to obey the law. The enforcement policy has already been a success in Lurgan with a number of wheelie bins full of confiscated drink collected in one night recently. However, at the next parade, police reported a dramatic drop in the number of people drinking in public. So with the message getting through in Lurgan, Chief Inspector Paul Reid, Portadown Sector Commander, is hoping the same will happen on this side of the borough. “We want to create a new mind-set so people don’t actually bring drink to these events,” he said. “We have been working on this for the last three years and this summer we will be increasing our enforcement. “The council bye-laws dictate that drinking is not prohibited in public place but we will be enforcing the Public Processions Act which specifically covers drinking in the vicinity of a parade. “It is a simple message that people aren’t allowed to drink in public which we hope everyone will understand.” Inspector Reid said that discussions with parade organisers reflect that at family and cultural events drink should not form any part of the event. He said, “No-one wants their event associated with the ‘blue bag bridge’ and the parade organisers tell me exactly that. “As we reach the start of the marching season out job as police officers is to facilitate minimum disruption to everyone in the community and to minimise disorder – alcohol is inextricably linked to that. We are not out to destroy anyone’s fun and instead want to raise awareness of this issue. If people listen to the message and don’t bring drink to the parade then they won’t have it confiscated.” Source: Portadown Times - June 9, 2006 |