JUST FRIENDS YOU HAVEN’T MET YET

Dance Academy return with students from St Patrick’s Special School, along with dance performances from Urban Funk, Rathnure Panto Group and many more.

The Army No.1 Band make a welcome return to the festival at 5 p.m. on Saturday followed by interviews with the Strawberry Princesses by Liam Sharkey and renowend matchmaker Willie Daly who will be working to find love for lucky festival goers over the weekend, kicking off with Blind Date on the main stage at 7.45 p.m. and also with an event in the Antique Tavern at 10 p.m.

Music takes over the square with The Remedy Club and JMA from 8.15 p.m. on Saturday and there will also be plenty of Roots gigs in pubs around the town over the course of the whole weekend.

Sunday will get off to a swingin’ start with jazz group Ain’t Misbehavin’ kicking off at 1 p.m. There will also be a look to the past with a Classic Car Show in Abbey Square from 2 p.m. There will be plenty more dancing and shows over the course of the afternoon before Dublin magician and comedian Jack Wise takes to the Market Square for a special show at 3.30 p.m. The castle will be the scene of a fairytale as Belle and the Beast present a show from 1 p.m. and there will also be entertainment on Castle Street from Boggle Circus.

There will be an Afternoon Tea Dance in the Athenaeum from 3 p.m. before the Garda Band take to Market Square at 5.30 p.m. One of the highlights of the festival will see the new Strawberry Queen crowned at 8 p.m. before Morrissey & Quaid take to the stage again to warm up the crowd ahead of a performance from reggae legend and a former bandmate of Bob Marley, Natty Wailer and his Reggae Vibes.

All in all it promises to be a wonderful weekend with activities to suit everyone young and old. For more details and a full programme of events, pick up a brochure from the council offices in Market Square or visit the Strawberry Festival Facebook page.