FESTIVAL QUEEN
Strawberry Festival Queen Ciara Byrne at the festival on Sunday.
The 51st Strawberry Fair/Street Rhythms and Roots Festival which drew to a close in Enniscorthy on Sunday night has been hailed as one of the best ever with records crowds, fantastic free outdoor entertainment and brilliant sunshine all combining to make it a bank holiday weekend to remember.
Appearances by the Army’s No. 1 Battalion Band on Saturday evening and the Band of An Garda Siochana on Sunday afternoon, were among the highlights of a comprehensive programme of free outdoor entertainment with both bands attracting large crowds to the Market Square.
The Army Battalion Band conducted by Captain Brian Prendergast and the Band of An Garda Siochana conducted by Goreyman Pat Fitzpatrick, delighted audiences with a selection of popular pieces and numbers from films, stage shows and popular recordings ranging from Ed Sheeran to the legendary Acker Bilk.
Once again the Roots element of the festival exceeded expectations with more than 30 gigs in 15 licensed premises enjoying great support. Venues were packed to capacity for the free entertainment with many publicans and also food outlets reporting that year’s Fair was a big success in terms of trade and business.
The exceptionally fine weather contributed to the success of the event amid clear indications that this year’s Fair was a welcome money spinner for the local economy.
The Street Rhythms aspect of the Fair was a big attraction with over 1,000 children visiting Enniscorthy Castle for the fairytale quest of ‘Belles Journey to Love’.
Children’s entertainment was a major part of this year’s programme and it proved so popular that both the Market Square and Castle Street were thronged with children making their way into the Castle.
An estimated 3,000 people packed into the Market Square on Sunday night for the appearance of The Bob Marley Tribute Band.
Despite the large crowds, gardai confirmed that it was one of the quietest Strawberry Fair weekends ever. No public order offences were reported and no arrests were made. ‘It seems people just wanted to enjoy themselves, said a Garda spokesman.
Now in its 51st. year, the Strawberry Fair joined forces with the Street Rhythms Festival and the Roots Music Festival in 2017 to provide a programme of music song and dance over the June bank holiday weekend.
All three festivals work independently of each other under one committee, a formula that is proving very successful.