Ruth Hegarty to officially open this year’s festival

THE television actress Ruth Hegarty from the RTE soap opera Fair City will officially open the 33rd annual Festival of Seafood in Kilmore Quay at 8pm on Thursday, July 12 signalling the start of an exciting weekend of activities for all the family. The fishing villages’s super fresh seafood platters served with home made brown bread are a culinary highlight of the festival and will be available daily in the Stella Maris centre at a cost of €13.

A competition for the Best Seafood Platter will involve chefs from restaurants all over the county and will be judged by the Michelin Star chef Derry Clarke of Lords and Ladles and L’Ecrivain and Eleanor Walsh of Food Stuff.

The winners will be announced at 9pm in the Stella Maris Centre on Wednesday, July 11. In addition to the coveted plaque, a perpetual trophy will be presented to the winner in memory of Anne Kehoe, a long-time member of the Festival team.

There are 18 entries this year from hotels and restaurants around County Wexford so the title will be hotely contested.

On Saturday, July 14, Bruce McDonald is hosting a seaweed foraging walk, starting at 12 noon from the Stella Maris Centre and this will be followed by a nature walk led by Jim Hurley, starting at 2pm from the local playground.

Fish Friday will feature stalls of local produce and cooking displays in the harbour on Friday, July 13 with seven chefs presenting cooking demonstrations using fish from local fishermen and suppliers.

Among the events for children will be a puppet show presented by Red Moon Theatre in the Stella Maris Centre on Saturday, July 14 while a Teddy Bears Picnic will be held at the Shipwreck Cove playground at 1pm on Saturday. Make sure to bring your teddy bear.

The harbour area will be filled with stalls on Saturday and Sunday, offering a large selection of local produce, craft items and bargains for outdoor browsers.

During the weekend, music will be provided by the Submsersibles, Intro, Southend Sea shanties and the Festival Céilí Mór will also be held.

If it all gets too much, you can relax with Sunset Yoga on Friday at 9pm and Sunrise Yoga at 7am on Sunday (meeting at the plaground on both days).