Christmas 2022
It’s the Season for Sharing!
Mid and East Antrim is packed with festive events, local shops, cosy cafés, and places to enjoy winter’s wonderland.
Town Centre Christmas Activities Christmas Toy Container Appeal
Christmas Bin Collections Facility Operating Hours
Christmas events:
Seasonal Sounds - 10, 17 December, 2-3pm, Carrickfergus Town Centre
There will be festive performances taking place in Carrickfergus throughout December.
The Brass and Silver Band concerts will entertain shoppers in Carrickfergus town centre from 2-3pm on 3, 10 and 17 December (weather dependent).
Ballymena Christmas Activities
Friday 9 December from 3pm - 7.30pm
Saturday 10 December from 11am - 3.30pm
- Big Telly’s Elf Factory – Pop up Shop, Tower Centre. Come along to the Elf Factory interactive experience.
Christmas Toy Container
This Christmas, why not give those unwanted and pre-loved toys lying around the house to families who may find this time of year more challenging?
For the fourth year running, Council is working in partnership with Habitat ReStore Ballymena, East Belfast Mission (Restore) and local community groups including Larne Community Care Centre, Victoria Evangelical Church and Carrickfergus Community Forum to deliver a toy donation scheme.
The project will run until Saturday 10 December.
Christmas containers are being set up at five household recycling centres and three leisure centres across Mid and East Antrim.
Details and times for drop-off are:
Ballymena area:
- Waveney Road HRC, Ballymena – Monday – Saturday 9am – 5pm
- Seven Towers Leisure Centre
Larne area:
- Redlands HRC, Larne – Monday – Saturday 9am – 5pm
- Larne South HRC, Islandmagee – Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday 9am – 5pm
- Glenarm HRC – Wednesday and Saturday 9am – 5pm
- Larne Leisure Centre
Carrickfergus area:
- Sullatober HRC, Carrickfergus – Monday – Saturday 9am – 5pm, Sunday 1pm – 5pm
- Amphitheatre, Carrickfergus
Bin Collections over Christmas & New Year
Black / Brown / Blue bin collections
All collections will be as normal with the exception of:
Carrickfergus - Monday 26 December 2022: collections will take place on Saturday 24 December 2022.
Kerbside boxes collections:
All collections will be as normal with the exception of:
Monday 26 December 2022: collections will take place on Saturday 24 December 2022 for both Ballymena and Carrickfergus areas.
Please note: our Household Recycling Centres (HRC) will also be closed on Sunday 1 January 2023.
Facility Operating Hours
Carrickfergus Leisure Centre
- Friday 23 December: 6.30am – 3pm
- Saturday 24 December - Christmas Eve: CLOSED
- Sunday 25 December - Christmas Day: CLOSED
- Monday 26 December: CLOSED
- Tuesday 27 December: 9am – 3pm
- Wednesday 28 December: 9am – 5pm
- Thursday 29 December: 6.30am – 5pm
- Friday 30 December: 6.30am – 5pm
- Saturday 31 December: 8am – 5pm
- Sunday 1 January 2023 - New Year’s Day: CLOSED
- Monday 2 January 2023: 6.30am – 3pm
- Tuesday 3 January 2023: Normal Hours
Larne Leisure Centre
- Friday 23 December: 8.30am – 3pm
- Saturday 24 December - Christmas Eve: CLOSED
- Sunday 25 December - Christmas Day: CLOSED
- Monday 26 December: CLOSED
- Tuesday 27 December: 8.30am - 3pm
- Wednesday 28 December: 8.30am - 5pm
- Thursday 29 December: 8.30am - 5pm
- Friday 30 December: 8.30am - 5pm
- Saturday 31 December: 9am - 5pm
- Sunday 1 January 2023 - New Year’s Day: CLOSED
- Monday 2 January 2023: 8.30am - 3pm
- Tuesday 3 January 2023: Normal Hours