Mitchelstown is already buzzing ahead of Indie 2018
EARLY BIRD TICKETS SNAPPED UP AS ORGANISERS THANK LOCAL COMMUNITY
AS the curtain came down on yet another successful Indiependence Music and Arts Festival in Mitchelstown in August, event organisers were already busy planning ahead for next years event at Deer Park Farm.
Since the first festival back in 2006 Indiependence has grown to become one of the country’s largest events of its kind, with 10,000 music fans flocking to the August bank holiday extravaganza.
The festival’s popularity is due in no small measure to the fact that each year top international and Irish acts grace its stages, creating an exciting melting pot of pure musical pleasure.
Over the years international acts including Public Enemy, De La Soul and Manic Street Preachers have shared stages with top Irish acts such as The Coronas and Bell X1, with music fans travelling from across Ireland and Europe to revel in its unique atmosphere.
Its appeal was underscored last Saturday as hundreds of people queued up in Mitchelstown to become the first to get their hands on early-bird tickets for ‘Indie’ 2018, which went on sale at a special ‘pop-up’ shop in the Yard Bar.
While acts for next year’s festival have yet to be announced, event organiser Shane Dunne promised ticket holders they would not be disappointed.
“We have never rested on our laurels and want to make 2018 the biggest and best Indie we have had yet. We’ve managed to grow Indie while avoiding increase in tickets cost to our fans, making it the best value for money festivals in Ireland,” said Shane.
“Opening day sales were up by 50% in comparison to the same day last year, which is great. People are coming to Indie, they’re coming to Mitchelstown and are willing to part with their hard earned money some nine months in advance and before we’ve even announced a band. I think that says a lot,” he added.
While the majority of the early bird tickets sold out within two hours, a limited number are still available at Mitchelstown Post Office.
Each year some of the proceeds from Indie are given back to the community through donations to local organisations and charities, with many representatives calling to the pop-up shop last Saturday to collect their cheques.
Groups to benefit this year included local sporting clubs, Special Friends Mitchelstown, the Mitchelstown Community Council, The ISPCC, the Cork University Maternity Hospital and Irish Guide Dogs.
Indie committee member John Finn said they were delighted to be in a position to give something back to the community that has supported them over the years.
“We’re all immensely proud of where we are from and feel very privileged indeed to be in a position to support local initiatives in whatever way we can,” said John.