WICKLOW ARTS FESTIVAL CELEBRATES FIFTH BIRTHDAY

Issued 22 April 2008 

Wicklow Arts Festival is back for its fifth year of fun and events, running from the 7th to 11th May. Once again the team plans to take this eclectic celebration of arts to a new level. Many of the previous year’s successful events will be included in the new programme, with the addition of more free children’s workshops and new performers from as far afield as Italy.

As one of the sponsors of the event, Wicklow County Tourism welcomes the 2008 Wicklow Arts Festival, which promises to be a spectacular event for adults and children alike. The Festival will be officially launched at a special event in Wicklow Gaol on Thursday, 24th April at 8pm. All are welcome.

Commenting on this year’s Festival, Chairperson Carol Boland said, “It gives us great pleasure to welcome you to Wicklow Arts Festival - a celebratory mix of music, art, theatre and literary events held in and around Wicklow town. Our five-day celebration of the arts has over 40 events, ranging from a Community Garden Project which will be overseen by Diarmuid Gavin, Classical Music, Gospel Choir, Arts Trails, Children's events, Cinema, and lots more.”

“Thanks to our many patrons and sponsors, this year our programme includes a number of free events for the family, including dance, music and drama workshops, a Vikings in Wicklow workshop, and a bigger, wilder Wicklow Street Parade, with wild and colourful costumes and music.
Each year, we introduce a high profile act to Wicklow Town and this year we are delighted to welcome The Irish Rat Pack to our festivities. We wish all our participants an enjoyable and memorable festival.”

The festival features a wide range of events and activities including visual arts, music, family events, film, literary, theatre and comedy. Tickets for the events can be purchased on the official Wicklow Arts Festival website by logging onto www.wicklowartsfestival.ie.