Festival to make a big splash
THE 2018 Maritime Festival will take place on June 23 and June 24 on Wexford Quay.
This year the festival will celebrate all things sea and air as the 100th anniversary of Wexford’s Air Base is commemorated.
Family friendly events this year include new marine and environmental workshops, circus skills, a Viking village with brass rubbing and shield making, kids discos, colouring competitions, pottery making plus lots more.
Those attending can learn life saving skills with members of the emergency services and their army tanks, search and rescue boats and units, civil defence, ambulance crews, Garda Water Unit, RNLI units, Irish Coast Guard, Scouts and Girl Guides.
A Try it dock with stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, sailing and powerboat trips as well as the super fun raft races with all equipment provided will also form part of the festival. Historic lifeboats from England and Ireland will make their way to Wexford for the weekend, with over a 100 model boats on display in the Maritime Village.
The stage area will see a showcase of Wexford’s talent with dance and performing groups entertaining the crowd from 2 p.m. each day as well as bands supporting a Spinathon in aid of Crumlin Hospital. Some exciting new food stalls have been added to the great offering of tasty bits this year.
Highlights of the festival in 2018 will be the Search and Rescue Demonstration at 3 p.m. on Saturday with Rescue 117 along with Wexford Lifeboat and the Civil Defence. The jawdropping air show is back again this year taking place at 3 p.m. on Sunday.
Speaking at the launch which took place last Thursday evening festival directors David Maguire and Lorraine Galvin said: ‘Now in its 7th year the festival has become County Wexford’s largest summer community family festival and this festival wouldn’t be possible without the volunteers from the many organisations and the support of Wexford County Council, BIM, local business and community groups’.
For more information on the events visit wexfordmaritimefestival.ie.