Summer fun in Castlegregory

THE idea of having something for everyone is being taken seriously in Castlegregory where the annual summer festival, which runs from this Thursday to Sunday, offers participants the opportunity to do everything from cleaning a local beach to writhing around at a foam party. Good clean fun in every sense of the word.

The festival will be launched in the open air, opposite Maurice Fitzgerald’s pub, at 8pm on this Thursday, July 12, and among the evening’s mixed attractions are the introduction of the festival queen contestants and a Texas Holden poker session.

On Friday morning there will be a teddy bear’s picnic on Castlegregory beach at 10.30am, while over at Maharabeg Cut volunteers are invited to help clean the beach at 11am. At 3pm a cupcake decorating workshop for seven to 12-year-olds will be held in the clubrooms – this costs €5 and booking is required via 066 7139442.

The Brandon Bay Half Marathon and 10k run will be held on the beach – starting at Fahamore (near Spillane’s pub) – at 10.30am on Saturday (admission €30/€40) and later the same day there will be another test of fitness and endurance when a small group swims 9km from Brandon to Fahamore. They expect to make landfall at about 3pm when support and encouragement will be welcome.

A guided nature walk for children, courtesy of Maharees Heritage and Conservation Association, is among Sunday’s attractions (2pm, Béal Geal/ Sandy Bay, cost €4), while the festival highlight is that evening’s parade through Castlegregory village at 8pm. In between times there will be lots of music in the pubs – and of course the separate foam parties for teenagers and adults – among a host of other attractions. Look up Castlegregory Summer Festival on Facebook for times and details.