New festival hangs in balance but hopes high for Spiegeltent

WITH concerts and events falling like dominoes in the wake of the strictly imposed Covid-19 restrictions, we’re all longing for a return to some form of normality. For Wexford promoters Lantern Events, a brand new festival hangs in the balance, while hopes are still high that the staple of their calendar, The Wexford Spiegeltent Festival will still go ahead in October.

In the months preceding the outbreak of the virus, Director of Lantern Presents Brian Byrne and his team had been working hard to put things in place for a new festival to takeover Wexford’s quayfront in July. Having enjoyed some success with their annual comedy festival JestFest, normally on the May bank holiday weekend, they opted to combine comedy with food and wellness to create the Sásta Festival.

‘I suppose the idea was to combine what had been the old Wexford Food Festival with what we’d been doing with JestFest and then add a bit of wellness into the mix as well,’ Brian explains. ‘Currently, the festival is planned to go ahead on July 18 and 19, but obviously we’re watching government updates and advice on this. We’re relatively flexible on date and we’re prepared to push it back to August either and if not it will have to be next year.’

The plan is to setup a large temporary venue on the quay and have comedy gigs also going on at venues across town over the weekend. In terms of comedy, Brian has set his sights on some big names.

‘I would be hopeful of bringing a few big names,’ he said.

‘With the Edinburgh Comedy Festival being cancelled this year, it frees up some of the biggest names in Ireland and the UK and they’ll be keen to get back working. We’ve been talking to a few names and we’re hopeful that we’ll get the go ahead and be able to do something this summer.’

The whole of Wexford is holding its breath on October. With both the Wexford Festival Opera and The Spiegeltent Festival, it’s a huge month for Wexford tourism and people will be hoping that this year is not a write-off.

‘It’s a long way away yet,’ Brian says, remaining optimistic. ‘I’d still be confident that it will happen. It’s a very important time for Wexford and from our end, we’ll certainly do everything we can to make it happen.’

Currently, Brian is trying to reschedule some of the gigs that have already been lost due to Covid-19. Among them Andrew Maxwell, who it is hoped will return on October 9, Hudson Taylor who are set to be moved to The Spiegeltent from their St Iberius Church show scheduled for next month and a sold out show for Foil, Arms and Hog in the National Opera House which looks set to be pushed back to either June or November.

‘Had this happened in October it would’ve been a very different situation for us,’ Brian said. ‘Obviously we’re much busier at the back end of the year. There’s been a lot written about artists missing out as a result of gigs being cancelled, but I think it’s important to acknowledge the crews that work behind the scenes too. They’re income has evaporated too and it’s those people who I’m really thinking of in all this.’

As far as weather the Sásta Festival will go ahead this summer, only time will tell, but Brian feels it would be a good thing for everyone if it can possibly be done safely.

‘I think genuinely there’s a concern for people’s mental health as well as physical health,’ he said. ‘It would be great to able to get out to an event like this in a controlled and safe environment and to be able to enjoy ourselves. It would also be nice to have something to look forward to. We live in hope!’