7 Things to t do this week...
1 ENNISCORTHY STRAWBERRY, MUSIC AND FOOD FEST. This renowned festival takes place in Enniscorthy from tomorrow (Wednesday) until Sunday, June 26. The festival will feature a range of live music, food, dancing and family entertainment not to mention the crowing of the Strawberry Queen which closes the festival on Sunday evening. On Wednesday the festival kicks off with the Strawberry Ball in the Riverside Park Hotel while on Thursday there is the Taste of Wexford Strawberries home cook competition as well as a cookery demonstration with chef Phelim Byrne. On Friday the music element of the festival comes to the fore with the launch of the Strawberry Roots Pub Trail in a number of pubs around the town throughout the weekend. Saturday and Sunday focus on family entertainment with everything from children’s discos, Build a Bear, face painting, teddy bears games and singing in the secret fairy garden in the Presentation Centre. The All Ireland Farmer’s Market competition also takes place on Sunday as well a historical re-enactment. 2 CHILDREN’S THEATRE: Red Moon Children’s Theatre ensemble has a fun double bill beginning with this age old classic Fionn Mac Cumhaill following the adventures and the drama of life in Celtic times of the great leader of Fianna of Ireland. Second on the bill is Roald Dahl’s modern classic tale of Matilda as she tries to extract herself from her extremely dysfunctional family and at the same time as taking on history’s meanest teacher. Matilda is an exceptional young girl, but her parents think she’s a nuisance. She expects school to be different but she has to face a childhating terror of a headmistress. Wexford Arts Centre, Thursday, June 23 and Friday, June 24, at 8 p.m. 3 MARITIME FESTIVAL: Wexford Quayfront will be the place to be over this weekend, with one of the biggest nautical shows in Ireland taking place over the two days of June 25 and 26. Vintage lifeboats will be making the long journey to Wexford for the Marititme Festival where they will be on show alongside a fantastic food market, top chefs, a model village, the Ironman flyboarder. rescue demonstrations, Vikings, a talent show, a barbecue, a rescue village and keenly-contested raft races and for the younger ones a wobbly circus show and workshops. There will be a a workshop on making things from recyclables, a sailing regatta, fantastic flying displays, a chance to try a dive or paddle a kayak, some disco fun, and entertainment aplent. The weekend will culminate with annual the Commodore Barry Ceremony at Crescent Quay at 6 p.m. on Sunday. There is literally something to appeal to everyone at this show, and it’s not to be missed. 4 JAMMIN FOR JARRAH: Cavan musician and father Ben Folkman is taking on the ultimate challenge by playing 32 gigs in 32 counties over the course of seven days and on June 24, he will make his way to Wexford’s Main Street. The artist is undertaking the challenge in aid of his five-year-old son Jarrah who has cerebral palsy, CVI blindness and refractory epilepsy. For one day only, Wexford Main Street will be a busking bonanza full of songs, guitars and cowboy hats! 5 DESTINATION DANCE: On Saturday, June 25, the Sheila Grace Dance Company will bring the audience at Ireland’s National Opera House on a non-stop tour of the world from the comfort of their seats. From start to finish, Sheila Grace will give you that holiday feeling with their interpretation of dances from all around the world. ‘Destination Dance’ is Sheila Grace Dance Company’s 16th stage production and promises to be the most spectacular. Grab your sunglasses and prepare for a trip of a lifetime. Tickets €17 (adults) €14(children). Shows start at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. 6 DECLAN O’ROURKE: Dubliner Declan O’Rourke will make a welcome return to the Presentation Centre for a one-off gig on June 25. Though he was a latecomer to the singersongwriter scene, Declan soon discovered Dublin’s bustling open-mic circuit and found himself in the mix with the likes of Paddy Casey, Gemma Hayes, Damian Rice and many other Irish artists. His songs have since been recorded by a host of other highlyrespected artists. ‘Galileo (Someone Like You)’ was recorded by Josh Groban for his fifth studio album, produced by Rick Rubin. Declan’s concet begins at 8 p.m. Tickets cost €22. 7 BYRNE-PERRY SUMMER SCHOOL: Vice president of Sinn Féin Mary Lou McDonald will officially open this year’s Byrne-Perry Summer School in Gorey Library on Friday, June 24, at 7 p.m. The theme of this year’s school is ‘1916: What happened next?’ Speakers over the weekend will include Patsy McGarry, Dermot Meleady, Greg Daly, Michael Laffan, Dr Ida Milne and Dr Steven O’Connor. Running alongside the summer school is a new History and Heritage Festival with historical talks, exhibits and tours at various locations around the town. For more, see byrneperryfestival.wordpress.com or contact 053 9421248 to book. Tickets are available in the Market House or at the festival. Have you an event for our What’s On pages? email the details (with a picture, if possible) to: whatson@peoplenews.ie