AVRIL ON BOARD TO HELP GROOVE FESTIVAL ‘THRIVE’
AVRIL BANNERTON of ‘ Taste of Dublin’ fame has joined the Groove Festival team alongside founder Roger Duggan, and says that it is time for the festival – which is now in its fifth year – to grow.
As well as headliners Primal Scream and UB40, and lots more music besides on two stages, the food and wellness aspects of this year’s Groove will represent the biggest change yet in the Killruddery festival.
The ‘ Thrive’ aspect of the festival will include yoga, pilates, talks and more, all included in the ticket price and running from 11.30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on both days, Saturday and Sunday, August 19 and 20.
‘ There are lots of changes in the whole experiential side of things,’ said Avril. That’s what people are looking for, they want memories.’
The festival has matured and Avril said that the venue is a real gem.
‘It’s such a special, magical space.’
Thrive’s movement stage will include ‘Breathe into your Groove’ with Cathy Pearson, Platinum Pilates, Wile @ Thrive with Gary Dunne and Lee Tracey, ‘ The Fit Foodie’ with Derval O’Rourke, kundalini yoga with Gayle Norman, yoga for children, dance and uoga flow, and much more.
On the ‘ Talk’ stage, there will be cooking for kids, Indian recipes with Sunil Ghai, goal setting workshop with Andrea Hayes, gluten free living with Gearoid Lynch, managing screens at home, and talks by Roz Purcell, Edward Hayden, Oliver McCabe, Emma Buckley and others.
Groove will also include different types of food for sale, with restaurant pop-ups, street food, smoothies, coffee, falafel and even Sharon Shannon’s vegan truck.
‘We as a team plan to make this an even which people will want to experience every year,’ said Avril.
‘It will become a sell-out event and have that certain quality and magical feeling.’
Food vendors will include some local operators including Box Burger, Happy Pear and Killdruddery.
Avril and her team built the Taste of Dublin at Iveagh Gardens over years and that’s what they plan to do with Groove.
The Groove Festival takes place on Saturday and Sunday, August 19 and 20, at Killruddery House and Gardens. Tickets cost €59.50 (plus booking fee) and children under 12 go free when booked by August 1.
To find out more about the various line-ups and children’s activities, or to buy tickets, go to groovefestival.ie.