It’s cartoon time in Rathdrum!
The exhibition will feature art and crafts by local artists. There will also be interactive workshops for children and adults, art demonstrations and children’s art competition. Come down and meet the artists who produce these beautiful artworks and crafts.
FUN ON THE QUAYS
The RNLI Arklow Maritime Festival roars into life with a day of fun activities on the quays. Featuring a bouncy castle, stitches boat rides, zorb waterball, festival train trips and the vintage Tub Boat Brocklebank Museum, there will be fun for all ages. A stunt drive Ireland exhibition will take place at 8 p.m., as will the ever-popular Viking Landings and ‘raid’ featuring Arklow Sea Scouts.
CANOE RACES
This clash of the canoes is always a popular event at the Roundwood Festival. All safety equipment is supplied for the veteran, adult and youth competitions, which are open to all swimmers aged 13 and over. Parking will be available at Roundwood AFC on the Bray Road. Cost of entry is €5.
VETERAN CHALLENGE MATCH
Come along as see some of the local stars of yester-year pull on their boots and go head-to-head for bragging rights on the soccer pitch.
FAMILY CÉILI AND SET DANCING
Join Sheila Kavanagh and the McGrath Flood School of Irish Dancing for a fun time. Suitable for all
FUN ON THE QUAYS DOG SHOW
SOME of the most talented and respected artists and illustrators out there will feature as part of the Rathdrum International Cartoon Festival.
The festival was originally the brainchild of the late cartoonist Terry Willers, along with Martyn Turner, and ran for six years from 1992. In its heyday it was considered one of the finest Cartoon festivals in all of Europe.
Now 25 years after the first festival, it has been decided to renew the event which will run over this weekend.
The immensely talented and influential Terry Willers will be remembered with an exhibitio0n of his work taking place above Centra on Rathdrum’s Main Street, starting on Friday.
Old faces who attended previous Rathdrum International Cartoon Festivals will also be present. Big names set to feature include Alan Clarke, Tom Halliday, Greame Keyes, Tim Leatherbarrow, Guy Carter, Tom Matthews, Aidan Cooney, Wee Skribbles The exhibition will feature art and crafts by local artists.
The RNLI Arklow Maritime Festival continues with another day of entertainment and fun. There will be boat trips, zorb waterball, train trips, the South East Archers, Falconry Ireland, a music stage, model boats, pick-a-duck, food stalls and much more. The Arklow Sailing Club Regatta will be held and there will be a dog show (2 p.m.) and the blessing of the fleet (1.30 p.m.)
FAMILY STREET FESTIVAL
The Roundwood Festival culminates in a jam-packed day of fun, field day events. Events will begin with a Post 21 IUNVA colour party and vintage car parade and there will be plenty of activities, including bungee trampoline, falconry exhibition, tug o’war, duck herding, pets corner, kids’ corner, sheaf pitching, nappy hanging and horse shoe throwing. There will also be a craft market in Roundwood Parish Hall from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The fun, annual dog show in aid of Wicklow Animal Welfare will take place during the car boot sale. Registration will take place at 1.30 p.m. with the show starting at 2 p.m. There will be a big raffle on the day and pplentyy of stalls.
This family fun day will feature all the usual attractions, including bouncy castle, obstacle course, face painting, penalty kick, races, gold fish, the ever-popular dog show and plenty of refreshments. Raffle lines are currently on sale, with plenty of great prizes up for grabs.
KING AND QUEEN OF THE WELLIES
Contestants will take on a 2km race, followed by an obstacle course, with the first three home qualifying for a short decider race. There will also be the Prince and Princess of the Wellies, kiddies races and prizes for the best homemade fancy dress, funkiest wellies and lots more. All money raised goes towards Baltinglass Hospital Patients Comfort Fund. All competitors must be in full-length wellies and optional fancy dress. Entry to the main race costs €5.
SOAPBOX DERBY
Prams, washing machines and wheelbarrows are in short supply as entries are put together for one of the most popular events of the Roundwood Festival. Come along and watch the creative entries fly down the street...but will the get to the other end?
CROSSROADS DANCE
The excitement of the King and Queen of the Wellies event held earlier in the day will continue at this community event in the village. Music will be provided by the lively trio Hillbilly Porter and the prizes will be presented to the ‘royals’.
FUNDRAISING AUCTION
A fundraising auction in memory of Lenny Hughes will raise money forfo Arklow RNLI. There will be finger foodfo and music, as well as a raffle.
STREETST PARTY
The 2017 Roundwood Festival comesco to an end with a street party featuringfe the Roamin’ Cadillacs and a session with Brian and Mary.
’80S8 V ’90S BENEFIT NIGHT
and Hugh Madden.
Michael Carroll of 2000AD will hold a number of workshops on script writing. Numerous other workshops will also take place, such as one from Eleanor Manion of RTE and another by Brown Bag Films.
A gala concert in St Saviour’s Church on Thursday includes live music from Liam and James Kinsella, along with special guest Leslie Dowdall, formerly of In Tua Nua.
There will be live music in the square all weekend from the likes of Big Digger, Paddy Byrne and Ricky Young. A busking competition takes place on Sunday. Sunday will also be jam packed with activities. Highlights will be the Caricature face off in the square Rathdrum’s very first Tri-Rath-lon challenge. The Sunday finale of the festival will be the fireworks display kindly moved forward from its normal date by the RDA, alongside music by The Bandits.
You can also get a limited edition 25th anniversary T-shirts now from The Wise Owl Resale Shop in Rathdrum.