New Look Strawberry Fest
By Louise McCarthy
THE ORGANISERS of this year’s Strawberry, Culture and Food Festival are extremely excited about this year’s busy line-up.
Enniscorthy Strawberry Festival is now in its 48th year;and is going from strength to strength. Food is an integral part of the festival, running from June 21st to 28th, but also literary events and music will be widely celebrated this year. Internationally renowned writers and musicians will assemble in Enniscorthy this June.
Internationally renowned blues grass musician, Niall Toner, will perform at the Bailey on Sunday, June 28th, at 4p.m.
Irish broadcaster and writer Rachel English, journalist Sue Conley along with actress and writer Claudia Caroll are just some of the many names featuring at this year’s Focalliterary event; running in conjunction with the Strawberry Festival. Celebrity chef Nevin Maguire will be available to offer some of his prized cooking tips.
From June 21st, Enniscorthy will be preparing for one of the biggest events of the year. The town will be in a celebratory mood with strawberry tasting taking place in various restaurants throughout the county. Customers will be asked to rate the strawberry recipes they have tasted, and the winning chef will get a prize.
On June 21st there will be a pub talent final at the Riverside Park Hotel ballroom, kicking off at 7p.m. The official opening night starts at the Riverside Park Hotel on Wednesday June 24, at 7p.m. This is a ticketed event and will feature the launch of the Strawberry Queen festival and Strawberry Grower of the Year. So far, there are ten ladies in the running for Strawberry Queen, entries are still welcome.
On Thursday, June 25th, at 7p.m, award winning chef Phelim Byrne will perform a cookery demonstration. Rocking and jiving will begin at the Strawberry Roots Festival in the IFA Centre at 9.am. on Friday,June 26th. One of the many highlights of the Roots festival is internationally renowned performer Niall Toner. Pubs throughout the town expect to be jam-packed as live musicians perform from about 8p.m. throughout the festival.
Farmers markets will be a large feature of the festival. There will be an All -Ireland Farmers Market with free family entertainment, from 9a.m to 4p.m., at Abbey Square, on Sunday June 28th. Also there will be a Faeries Queene and disco at Spencers Castle, from 1p.m. -3p.m, on Sunday.
The ‘new look’ Strawberry festival will be launched at Enniscorthy Castle, on Friday, May 15th, from 7.30p.m. -9p.m. There will be wine and cheese served while music will be performed by Eddy Creane and Richie King.
Completed and official programmes of the new Festival event will be available at the launch.
