Bray festival cancelled
As parades were cancelled all over Wicklow and the nation, Bray & District Chamber announced on Monday evening that the entire St Patrick’s Festival in the town would also be cancelled as per government instructions.
The funfair equipment was being installed on the seafront, but later on Monday it was called off as the six-day programme of events was cancelled.
Other events which will not now proceed include the Bray Head Walk, street theatre, historical talks, family treasure hunt, céilí breakfast, puppet shows, face painting, concerts and the Bray Vintage Car Club showcase.
This measure followed a government decision on Monday evening that all parades should be cancelled in order to avoid the spread of coronavirus.
This year’s parade would have featured Adam Burke as grand marshal following a public vote.
The parade would also have included a ‘quiet zone’ in order to make the experience more inclusive.
‘We would like to acknowledge the commitment of the chamber and we look forward to seeing this at next year’s event,’ said a spokesperson for Bray ‘Autism Friendly Town’ Team. Bray and District Chamber had announced earlier in the week that they were monitoring the situation closely and would follow hse and state guidelines.
‘Following a meeting of the special cabinet committee on Covid-19 today, the government has decided that St Patrick’s Day parades, including the Bray parade, will not go ahead as planned,’ said the chamber in a statement.
This decision was based on the advice of the National Public
Health Emergency Team. ‘It’s a huge disappointment that the entire St Patrick’s Festival events & parade in Bray will not proceed,’ they said.
‘The St. Patrick’s Festival Bray committee supports the Government’s decision as public health comes first.’ The committee thanked sponsors, partners, acts, and volunteers for ‘their understanding, support and patience’.