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 On Ice launches today with further details of next weekend’s Festival of Light and Culture revealed

Dundalk On Ice will open to the public from today

As the countdown continues to the Dundalk Festival of Light & Culture 2014, further highlights for the Christmas Festival, taking place on Friday and Saturday, November 28^th & 29th, have been confirmed.

Dundalk FC manager Stephen Kenny, will join Louth County Council Cathaoirleach, Oliver Tully in officially switching on the town centre’s Christmas illuminations on Friday week

The pair will also perform the official opening of the Dundalk on Ice indoor ice rink which will be open to the public from this evening.

As the festival gets underway, it’s over to the live music stage at the Courthouse and Voice of Ireland winner, Brendan McCahey, has confirmed that he will make a special guest appearance on Friday evening.

Another highlight of the weekend will take place on Saturday evening with the arrival of Santa at the Marshes Shopping Centre on a huge Kenworth truck.

The Kenworth truck is the biggest of its kind in Ireland and festival goers will have the chance to see for themselves this giant of American trucks when it arrives in Dundalk, with Santa on board, on Saturday evening November 29th as the fantastic firework display brings the festival to its conclusion at the Marshes Shopping Centre.

Speaking on Santa’s mode of transport this week, Harry Traynor said: ‘It’s understandable that we give the reindeers a bit of a rest in the run up to December 25^th and we always like to offer Santa different ways to arrive at the Marshes Shopping Centre.

“The Kenworth Truck is absolutely huge. In fact, we had to check and see was it actually possible to drive such a wide truck through the streets. It’s certainly going to be an unforgettable sight of this year’s Festival.”

All the latest additions to the Festival of Light & Culture, along with previously announced highlights including Dundalk on Ice, Titan the Robot, the Festival Train, Letters to Santa and Animal Farm & Blessings are included in the Festival programme now available from outlets throughout the town including the Dundalk Tourist Office/Dundalk BIDS Office, Marshes Shopping Centre.

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 and Dundalk Bureau de Change via Dundalk on Ice.

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.