All together a splendid idea for Ireland’s new music festival
IT’S Ireland’s newest festival, boasting a long list of top quality acts including Roisin Murphy (pictured above) and Fleet Foxes. But there’s something else that’s very different about the inaugural All Together Now festival in Curraghmore Estate, Co Waterford next weekend in that all plastic will be that it intends to be a sustainable and environmentally friendly festival.
Over the weekend the festival organisers will not be providing any plastic on site, swapping those dreaded plastic water bottles for an environmentally friendly and fully recyclable Eco Water which will be on sale in a 100 per cent recyclable pack.
All traders and vendors will have to use recyclable or compostable cups as anything else for beer, tea or coffee will be banned. A huge clean-up operation is also being planned to get the site back to its original state.
All Together Now takes the original eco ethos of Electric Picnic one step further and, like Electric Picnic and Body And Soul, is offering a lot more entertainment beyond music.
As well as disco dancing up the front to the sublime strains of Chaka Khan, you can also indulge in a little bit of ‘me time’.
Organisers say the Lawns of Tranquillity area, created by co-ordinator Debs Armstrong and yoga expert Kary Stewart, will offer a haven away from any festival madness you might encounter.
Set beside the lake, main lawn and partially into the woods, the area offers quiet times and soothing treatments from sauna, hot tubs, yoga, and massage to other types of healing including sound, taste, sight, touch and sixth sense.
You can indulge in everything from Reiki to bio energy healing, aromatherapy massage and many more including the more out-there gong therapy and shamanic reflexology.
All the treatments can be booked online now for eager festival-goers who are looking for something a little bit different.
Curraghmore will also have something for the little ones as Kids Together will be allowing the nippers to run free in the walled garden and enjoy some great activities.
Arcadia’s spectacular performance art has always been a winner at festivals here and at ATN they will be hosting a kids’ rave where children can get in on some of the adult action.
Children can join in a number of workshops including graffiti, forest crafts where saws and drills will be permitted, a science tent, circus workshops, drama, fun with bubbles, storytelling and some musical theatre workshops for the children who aren’t content with watching the main acts on stage.
And of course there will be plenty of dancing too for adults and children alike.
When it comes to sustainability though, there must be a special mention for this weekend’s wonderful Knockanstockan in Kilbeg, Co Wicklow.
The festival gives a platform to up and coming Irish acts as well as bigger names you might have heard of like Cathy Davey and the Hot Sprockets who will be playing this weekend.
Acts from all over the country will be getting into the festival spirit and enjoying the chance to garner new audiences from the bigger acts in a festival which is organised by a dedicated team who pay themselves a token and simply put the event on for the love of it.
Knockanstockan might be smaller in size than some, but it’s no less pretty, particularly as all the acts are treated with the same level of respect by the organisers.
If you are interested in finding out more and getting a taste of who is on the bill, check out knockanstockan.
ie where you can hear a festival playlist, compiled by the organisers. It’s also an A to Z of the talent we have in this country at the minute with the likes of Waldorf & Cannon and Daniel John Paxton not to be missed.
There will be music and performance art over three days, with shuttle buses running from Blessington to the festival site right up until Monday. See the festival website for more details and the remaining tickets.