Plans progressing for Strawberry Fair
EVEN though the County Wexford Strawberry Fair is still some way off, preparations for the 50th anniversary event are progressing according to plan. A draft outline of the programme was submitted at the recent meeting of the committee during which the various sub-committees also reported good progress in their efforts to fittingly mark the 50th anniversary of the Fair.
More than 25 former Strawberry Queens have now been identified and traced and while this a work-in-progress, the hope is that all former queens available to attend the 50th Fair will do so. A special programme of events involving all former queens is being planned and they will have pride-of-place at all of the major events during the Fair weekend. Plans are also progressing on selecting Princesses for this year’s event with nine applications for entry having already been received. It is hoped to have upwards of 14 entries going forward which is sure to create serious headaches for the judges, who have yet to be announced.
Pub entertainment will play a major role in this year’s Strawberry Fair with 25 publicans from across the Enniscorthy district having pledged ‘expressions of interest’ in taking part. The Diagio sponsored Carleberg Pub Talent Competition will get under way in mid May with the winning entry presenting their show from the bandstand in the Market Square on the opening night of the Fair, June 2.
Well-known theatrical personalities Nor- ma and Andy Doyle have been retained to adjudicate this year’s competition which is always enthusiastically received by the general public. The Slaney Inn, Oylegate, will be bidding for three-in-a-row during this year’s competition but they can expect strong opposition from licensed premises such as The Millennium Bar, Davidstown; Doyle’s, The Still, Enniscorthy, and the Monageer Tavern, Monageer, to name but a few.
The Strawberry Roots Festival which is taking place in conjunction with the Strawberry Fair, as is the Street Rhythms Festival, is sure to be another crowd puller with plenty of live music in various premises throughout the town over the June Bank Holiday weekend. A total of 25 gigs featuring such high quality acts as 2 Time Polka, Corner Boy, Gentleman Callers and Los Gringos, to name but a few, will be performing in venues such as Holohan’s, Treacy’s Hotel, Toss Kavanagh’s, Rackard’s, and Dawson’s. Other venues will also feature live music bringing Enniscorthy alive with the sounds of many music genres from evening till late during the Fair.
The Street Rhythms Festival which has an established following of its own is preparing a unique programme of music, song and dance with a particular emphasis on participation by children. Many new and innovative acts are being added to their programme of entertainment, full details of which will be announced shortly, but such is their committee’s contribution to this year’s 50th anniversary festival, a fun packed weekend of fun and frolics is almost certainly guaranteed in Enniscorthy over the June Bank Holiday weekend.
Some of the biggest names in entertainment have been booked to perform live from the stage in the Market Square over the three days of the Fair with ‘Cry Before Dawn’ the featured act on the closing night. Their appearance will certainly set a new attendance record for the Market Square and already the Fair organisers are in discussions with the appropriate authorities in respect of crowd control and health and safety issues.
Another highlight of the festival will be the Strawberry Fair Ball in The Riverside Park Hotel on Wednesday night, May 31. This event will set the tone for the festivities to follow and will afford attendees the first opportunity of seeing this year’s Strawberry Princesses. They will be individually introduced on the night and will play an active role in all events leading up to the crowning of the 50th Strawberry Queen from the bandstand in the Market Square on Sunday night, June 4.
A dog night at Enniscorthy Dog Track on Thursday night, June 1 is another new feature this year and a special race-card is being prepared for the event.
Overall, the 50th Strawberry Fair and Street Rhythms Festival promises to be something special and an event likely to see a return to the halcyon days in Enniscorthy when the strawberry was king and when luscious strawberries and cream was the order of the day.