Dundalk Festival of Light & Culture 2014 now only days away

Excitement is building as the Dundalk Festival of Light & Culture 2014 is now only days away.

The Festival, heralding the official start of Dundalk’s Christmas celebrations takes place this Friday and Saturday, November 28th & 29th kicking off on the Friday evening with Dundalk FC manager Stephen Kenny, and Louth County Council Cathaoirleach, Oliver Tully officially switching on the town centre’s Christmas illuminations as well as performing the official opening of Dundalk on Ice.

Titan the Robot, is set to make a triumphant return to Dundalk this year and will be making appearances with his ultimate family entertainment comedy show over both days of the Festival, at the Market Square, and also at The Marshes Shopping Centre.

Also taking place over the two days will be the Animal Farm on the Demesne. Sponsored by PetSafe, visitors to the farm will see many different animals including chickens, giant rabbits, pygmy goats, pet sheep, llama, alpaca, as well as a small falabella pony and cart.

On Saturday afternoon, festival goers can also take their own pets along for a special animal blessing ceremony. This free Animal Farm has the full support of the Louth Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and donations to this very worthwhile local cause would be very much appreciated.

Mums and Dads don’t forget that this year there is also a special Letter to Santa Postbox this year.

Young letter writers should, if possible, attach a contact e-mail as Santa has agreed to take some time out to reply to the letters via e-mail.

The popular Christmas Markets continue at this year’s festival. A craft market featuring the best of local crafts is to be housed in the Clanbrassil Centre while around the Market Square, the aroma of seasonal spices and flavours of the food market will fill the air.

A Festival stage will be located over on the Courthouse side of the Market Square, where there will be live entertainment over the two days of the Dundalk Festival of Light & Culture.

The ever popular Blue Moose will headline the live music on Friday, while special guest on the night will be Voice of Ireland winner Brendan McCahey.

Free entertainment for all ages will be held throughout the town including fire eaters, unicyclists and other street performers along with carousels and a disco dome for the children.

A new feature this year which will help people travel easily around the town centre festival attractions is the Festival Train – a unique way to travel along the festival’s key route and take in all that the festival has to offer.

The Dundalk Festival of Light & Culture continues through to Saturday evening and will conclude with the now traditional fireworks display at the Marshes Shopping Centre lighting up the town skyline and also including the arrival of Santa via a huge Kenworth truck, the biggest truck Dundalk has ever seen.

The Dundalk Festival of Light & Culture Committee is working away in the background as the final countdown to this year’s Festival continues.

Committee member Harry Traynor of the Marshes Shopping Centre said: “There’s been a number of months hard work put in to making sure we can offer the best Festival experience over the two days.

“We’ve catered for all tastes and I am sure that there is something to suit everyone in this year’s programme.

“All I can say at this point is that I hope as many people as possible turn out, enjoy the weekend and support the Festival and Dundalk Town Centre.”

Committee member, Edel O’Mahony, Dundalk BIDS Manager said she is looking forward to a fantastic weekend to start Dundalk’s Christmas season.

“The retail community in Dundalk has made the Festival of Light & Culture possible and I would remind people that supporting local business boosts the local economy further and gives increased stability to our local workforce

“I hope everyone enjoys the festival experience, whilst also reminding people that we can all benefit in one way or another from supporting local Christmas business community initiatives.”

Dundalk Festival of Light & Culture is funded and supported by the following without whose generosity holding this community event would not be possible: Louth County Council, Marshes Shopping Centre, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Dundalk BIDS, Dundalk Chamber of Commerce, Dundalk Tidy Towns, PetSafe, Haribo.

The Dundalk Festival of Light & Culture programme is now available in various retail outlets throughout Dundalk including The Marshes Shopping Centre and Dundalk BIDS Office/Dundalk Tourist Office.

Dundalk FC show support for Festival of Light & Culture

Members of Dundalk FC supporting the Dundalk Festival of Light and Culture at the Crowne Plaza on Saturday. Pictured from left: Fiona Cunningham, Dane Massey, Andy Boyle, Brian Gartland, Ciaran Bond, John Mountney, Edel O’Mahony, Kurtis Byrne, Gabriel Sava and Sinead Roche

Given the huge support that the people of Dundalk had shown Dundalk FC in a hugely successful season, the SSE Airtricity League champions took time out from their major celebrations on Saturday to show their support for another local success story – The Dundalk Festival of Light & Culture.

Just before they took to the open top bus to parade through Dundalk, and in the midst of an amazing atmosphere during which the players met waiting fans, signed autographs and posed for photographs, the players joined festival organisers Edel O’Mahony, Fiona Cunningham and Sinead Roche to find out what is in store for festival goers on Friday and Saturday, November 28^th & 29^th.

Speaking afterwards, Dundalk BIDS Manager Edel said the Festival of Light committee were thrilled with the Dundalk FC endorsement.

“Saturday was such a great day for Dundalk FC, despite the weather, and we were so happy that they took some time out to meet with us and show their support for Dundalk Festival of Light & Culture.

“They realise the amazing confidence that the people of Dundalk had placed in them and they understand that for anything to be a success there must be support.

“It wasn’t just a photo opportunity for them. They were full of questions asking when was the Festival on, what would be happening etc. They really got into the spirit of supporting Dundalk this Christmas.”

The Dundalk Festival of Light & Culture takes place throughout the Dundalk town centre on Friday & Saturday, November 28^th & 29^th.

Highlights include the official switching on of the town centre illuminations and the official launch of Dundalk on Ice.

Titan the Robot will be making a triumphant return to the Market Square and the Marshes Shopping Centre, while a new feature this year will be a free Animal Farm sponsored by PetSafe with a donation request in aid of Louth SPCA.

Also new this year is the Letter to Santa Postbox to be located on the Market Square by the BIDS office.

 

The live music line up is nearing completion with Blue Moose headlining Friday night, and a special appearance due from The Voice of Ireland winner, Brendan McCahey.

Street entertainment has been placed high on the Festival list of priorities. There’ll be a circus atmosphere as people throng around the attractions including the fantastic Christmas Markets, with street entertainment provided by Babcock and Bobbins, featuring fire juggling, unicycling, stilt walking and fire breathing.

Also performing throughout the town centre streets will be The Afrikan Warriors, displaying tradition Tanzanian acrobatics combined with music humour and astonishing moves.

The Festival train will weave its way around Dundalk’s streets from the Festival’s core points on the town centre and in the Marshes Shopping Centre, which is also the location for the Festival fireworks for the closing of the Festival on Saturday evening.

Dundalk Festival of Lights is funded and supported by the following: Louth County Council, Dundalk BIDS, Marshes Shopping Centre, Dundalk on Ice, Dundalk Chamber of Commerce, Dundalk Tidy Towns, Dundalk Bureau de Change, PetSafe and the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

Dundalk Festival of Light & Culture 2014 programme unveiled

Dundalk Festival of Light & Culture 2014 – the official start of the town’s Christmas celebrations takes place on Friday and Saturday, November 28^th &29^th with a two-day packed programme of events, set against the brightly illuminated buildings of the town centre.

Celebrations on Friday night will include the switching on of the town centre illuminations and Christmas tree along with the official launch of Dundalk on Ice

Titan the Robot, who made a huge impression last year returns to Dundalk and will be meeting his fans both in the Dundalk Town Centre and The Marshes Shopping Centre over the two days of the Festival.

Funny, fast paced and full of surprises, Titan is the ultimate family entertainment comedy show where you come to expect the unexpected!

Titan’s fame has seen him perform in 25 countries worldwide and in recent years Titan has danced with Rihanna in Hollywood, appeared at Wembley Stadium with Will.i.am, stolen a kiss from Heidi Klum on Germany’s Next Top Model and performed on countless TV shows.

This year’s Dundalk Festival of Light & Culture sees a number of new attractions.

An Animal Farm will be held in the Demesne. Visitors to the Farm will have the chance to see many different animals including chickens, giant rabbits, pygmy goats, pet sheep, llama, alpaca, as well as a small falabella pony and cart. Plus why not take your own pets along for the animal blessing on Saturday.

Sponsored by PetSafe, this FREE Animal Farm has the full support of the Louth Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and donations may be made to this very worthwhile local cause.

 Those who are busy writing their Letter to Santa will be interested to know that the Dundalk Festival of Light & Culture will have a designated Letter to Santa Postbox this year.

Young letter writers may be lucky and see an elf or two collecting what is sure to be sackload after sackload of post over the two days. Plus even though he will be getting into the full preparations for Christmas, rumour has it Santa may take time out of his hectic schedule  and turn up to collect some of the post in person.

After posting your letter why not head over to Earl Street where there will be plenty to amuse including carousels and a Disco Dome.

Christmas Markets continue to be featured in the Dundalk Festival of Light & Culture. A market aimed at featuring the best of local crafts and offering unique gift ideas will be housed in the Clanbrassil Centre while seasonal scents will permeate the air around the Market Square with sweet and savoury tastes catered for at the food market.

Live entertainment is once again playing an integral part in this year’s Festival of Light & Culture with stages to be located at the courthouse side of the Market Square and also on Park Street.

Blue Moose will headline the live music on Friday, November 28^th. Boasting a fantastic following in Dundalk, there’s sure to be a great turnout for what is Ireland’s most in demand cover band. Blue Moose play all major entertainment venues in the country but festival goers will have the opportunity to see them live and free at the Market Square.

A simple walk up the town will entertain during the Dundalk Festival of Light & Culture, fire eaters, unicyclists and other street performers will keep everyone entertained on the main thoroughfare.

Don’t worry if your feet get a bit weary enjoying all the attractions that Dundalk Festival of Light & Culture has to offer plus visiting the many shops in Dundalk. For the two day Festival there will be a free Festival train running through key points between the town centre and The Marshes Shopping Centre. See Dundalk from a different perspective and soak in the lights, aromas and atmosphere of the Dundalk Festival of Light & Culture.

The Festival will close on Saturday evening with a spectacular Fireworks Display at the Marshes Shopping Centre, lighting up the Dundalk skyline

Speaking on the launch of the Dundalk Festival of Light& Culture Programme Dundalk BIDS Manager, Edel O’Mahony said “The Dundalk Festival of Lights & Culture Organising Committee, which features representations from Dundalk BIDS, The Marshes Shopping Centre, Dundalk Chamber of Commerce, Dundalk Tidy Towns and voluntary individuals, has put a lot of effort into bringing together this extensive programme of events and we hope that as many people as possible get to enjoy the two day festival.

“It can be difficult when budgets are tight but I do believe we have been successful in bringing a number of fantastic FREE events such as the Animal Farm, Titan the Robot the Letter to Santa post box and of course our live music, to complement the Dundalk on Ice, markets etc.

“I would encourage everyone to spread the word about  the Dundalk Festival of Lights& Culture and get behind, what is, a main community event in Dundalk’s calendar.”