Midtown Makers Gift Shop - BLOG

Ballymena is celebrating its 400th anniversary in 2026, marking four centuries since King Charles I granted the land to the Adair family in 1626. To commemorate the occasion, we have highlighted a few notable women from the town’s history who we hope inspire todays generations of women to achieve whatever what’s in their hearts and minds.

The year 2025 was exceptional for Midtown Makers Gift Shop. We hosted a range of creative workshops, supported emerging and small local businesses, and revamped both the shop and our website. Additionally, we became the Visitor Information Hub for Ballymena. It was an eventful year, and we want to express our gratitude to all our members, customers, and supporters for keeping Midtown Makers a lively and creative spot in Ballymena.

Thank you Ballymena Means for the fabulous video, we are all super happy with our make over, hope all our Members and customers like it too.

In 2015, Ballymena’s town centre was introduced to a small, cuddly character who would go on to win hearts across the globe—Bertie the Bear. Commissioned by the Ballymena Business Improvement District (BID), Bertie starred in a four-minute Christmas short film that quickly became a viral sensation. What started as a local festive project soon grew into something much bigger, a story that captured the heart and soul of Ballymena and proudly placed it on the world map.

This September, the team at Midtown Makers were invited to join the new Mid & East Antrim Neighbourhood Tourism Hub's familiarisation tours, led by Patricia McEldowney of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council. Catriona, Jim and I were joined by Hub Members from Carrickfergus, Larne and Cullybackey to explore some of the many places of interest in the Borough.

A Region Steeped in Shadows: From racehorses cursed by holy relics to demonic pacts and ghostly coachmen, the Ballymena area is rich in tales perfect for Halloween. Whether you’re walking the Dark Hedges at dusk or passing Dundermot Mound under a full moon, you might just feel the chill of a story still being told. So light a candle, leave a little milk by the door—and if someone asks about the bridge at Glarryford…Don’t answer.

The new Tourist Information Hub is designed to enhance access to up-to-date details on local events, attractions, and activities. It features an interactive iPad for digital information access, detailed maps of the area, and striking imagery of the region’s impressive scenery. Knowledgeable staff from Midtown Makers Gift Shop are also on hand to offer friendly guidance and local insights.