Wexford People

SPIEGELTEN­T IN RUNNING FOR TOP EVENTS AWARD

SMOKIE AND BLINDBOY ON THE BILL THIS YEAR

- By JIM HAYES

THE organisers behind Wexford Spiegelten­t Festival have been shortliste­d in a prestigous category at the Event Industry Awards, taking place in Citywest Hotel, Dublin on Friday, July 20.

Lantern Events, run by Brian Byrne, are in the running in the ‘Best Live Event’ category for their Spiegelten­t Festival, the annual autumn music and comedy shindig in the ‘olde worlde’ surroundin­gs of a 1920s Spiegelten­t on Wexford Quayfront which has been going from strength to strength since launching in 2012.

Now in their tenth year, the Event Industry Awards acknowledg­e excellence and showcase the high standards in Ireland’s event industry while providing an opportunit­y for the industry to come together and network.

Lantern face tough competitio­n in the hotly contested Best Live Event category. Wexford Spiegelten­t Festival is one of nine nominees, the others being the Beyond Christmas Experience, Cannonball Ireland, Film

Fatale’s Danse Macabre, New Year’s

Festival Dublin Liffey Lights Midnight Moment, Runwayclub LIVE, SAP United 20th Anniversar­y Celebratio­n, SeaFest 2017, and Wild Lights at Dublin Zoo.

The countdown to this year’s Spiegelten­t Festival has already begun, with a number of acts announced and tickets on sale now.

The bill sees a festival opening night return for the ever popular Smokie who enjoyed a Spiegelten­t sellout last year. Their Friday, October 12, gig in the Spiegelten­t is a standing show, with tickets priced at €30.

Iconic Irish band The Stunning are also making a Wexford return, playing Saturday, October 20 (10 p.m.). This is also a standing show, and tickets are €28.

Delorentos, who played a sellout show at the festival in 2017, arrive at the Spiegelten­t on Saturday, October 27, on their True Surrender Tour supporting the new album of the same name. Tickets for this standing show are €20. Among the other confirmed acts: Rubberband­its’ Blindboy, hosting an hour-long podcast of short fiction, interviews and comedy on Saturday, October 13; the legendary Johnny McEvoy on Wednesday, October 17; veteran funnyman Brendan Grace on Wednesday, October 24; and the award-winning Irish comedian Danny O’Brien on Sunday, October 28.

The 2018 Wexford Spiegelten­t festival runs for 17 days and nights, from Friday, October 12 to Sunday, October 28. Tickets can be booked online through the festival website or at the box office on Wexford’s Main Street.

 ??  ?? Smokie return to the Spiegelten­t for opening night, Friday, October 12.
Smokie return to the Spiegelten­t for opening night, Friday, October 12.
 ??  ?? The Rubberband­its’ Blindboy presents the Blindboy Podcast in the Spiegelten­t on October 13.
The Rubberband­its’ Blindboy presents the Blindboy Podcast in the Spiegelten­t on October 13.

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