The Limerick fest(ival)s

Inge Binge

My dear all,

recently here we had a discussion about the Springfest. Someone mentioned the Riverfest as well.

What were the events in the Springfest? According to http://www.limerickspringfest.com/events.htm the usual Belltable plays (as every ordinary day throughout the year), a mass, the usual gigs in Dolans (as everey ordinary day troughout the year), something in the Trinity Rooms (as everey ordinary day troughout the year) and of course the parade and the thing around Pery Square and Peoples Park on friday. So, what was really organized especially for the Springfest? Probably the parade and the Pery Square/Park thing. Can this be called a "fest(ival)"?

What do we have to expect at the Riverfest? Sitting in front of the Locke Bar. Having a French Market on Bank Place with the international BBQ from the different nationalities - behind barriers just for watching them. Anything else to do then sipping a Pint and make the owner of the Locke more rich and paying an incredible amount money for much overpriced goods on the French Market? I call it just the "locke Festival".

I'm sorry but I find the "fes(ival)s" just wimpy. Fort those who say "If you complain do it better": I'm not getting paid for this job. I couldn't do it better - and for this I wouldn't even claim "I can do it".

Flame war on! :eek:

IB

BTW: my 100th post here

IrishMike

Limerick and events that are not of a sporting variety just do not go 2gether if u
ask me. Probably explains why there are so very few and why they tend to be crap

sioda

I like the french market even though yes it is over priced but the hot food those potatoes damn I'm hungry now. Have to agree the festivals in limerick have been crap to put it mildly I think more thought needs to be put into it and more fireworks festivals need fireworks

Amazotheamazing

I agree Springfest was by no means a unqualified success, in fact, it was a pretty poor show if the truth is told.

However Riverfest will have the Fun Lovin Criminals playing in King John's Castle, the kayaking comp on the curragower, the Dragon boat and (I think) powerboat racing on the Shannon. The pubs should be fairly busy with the Budweiser Global Beats going on in the evenings.

canned

Interesting topic....

check this out:

www.limerickriverfest.blogspot.com

www.limerickriverfeststreetstyle.blogspot.com

True, they are both sporting events. I'd have to defend the biking/kayaking combo though by saying that MASSIVE effort is put in behind the scenes to prepare.

As for what the public gets... Well, the biking and kayaking events are very spectator orientated. Demo sports if you will.

Kayakers all over the country visit Curragower falls as it's the best playwave in the country bar none. Limerick is unique in that respect - it doesn't just look pretty, local kayakers are envied by those using smaller, less powerful features. That's enough for boaters to want to celebrate....

As for biking - again it's a fun demo event rather than strictly an all out competitive event.

As a festival in itself, maybe it doesn't cover everything but I definnnitely think it's an example of how to succeed in establishing a festival and building it into something BIG in just a few years.

Other festivals are less obvious - I admit the springfest one TOTALLY slipped by me! but then, maybe there were enough people attending to allow full houses all around?

canned

In it's third year, Limerick Riverfest organisers are set to impress;

www.limerickriverfest.com


with on water fun:
http://www.limerickriverfest.blogspot.com/
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5142/2589/1600/kayak-edited%20for%20web.jpg

and on street fun:
http://www.limerickriverfeststreetstyle.blogspot.com/
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5142/2589/1600/street-style-for-web.0.jpg

there's plenty for everyone...

There are lots of other things going on also with Cruises street being filled with circus antics:
http://www.limerickriverfest.com/fest_1.html

George's quay becoming a BBQ heaven:
http://www.limerickriverfest.com/fest_3.html

also going on over the weekend:
Glen Hansard in the Belltable on May 1st
Fun Lovin' Criminals in Trinity rooms on Apr 30th
with other budweiser sponsored global beats acts in: Clohessy’s, Nancy Blakes, Mojo, Trinity Rooms, Daffy’s, Smyths, Dolan’s Warehouse, Bar 3, Mickey Martins, The Locke, The Wicked Chicken, Molly Malone’s, The Cornmarket, The Globe, Pier One and plenty more.

Check out the website as there's just too much to say here!

billy the squid

Canned. If you cannot say it all here then don't say any of it here. If you want to get people to visit your site then take out a banner advertisement.

Also please do not post massive images in your posts.

limerick_man

It looks really great, i cant wait! Always loved Riverfest since it started, this year will be totally great

Inge Binge

limerick_man wrote:

It looks really great, i cant wait! Always loved Riverfest since it started, this year will be totally great

psychic? chrystal ball? how do you know already? are you getting paid by canned to push it here?

IB

canned

Few things...

apologies for big image....

I receive nothing from the festival more than the experience itself. Some friends are organising sections of it but NOT profiting from it so no one's getting paid to push it....

I thought this was an open forum....

You don't need a crystal ball to see that the event is something to look forward to...

My reason for pushing it is that some events (as mentioned above) are organised by friends and will, as always be supported by ULKC. I only posted because I can see first hand the work being put into the events and felt that since this thread questions the value of Limerick events it seemed appropriate to put this event forward as an example of something that is going to be highly enjoyable and (I feel) addresses something that seems to be missing in festival events...

Is there really a need to attack the post? Apologies for any offence caused....

Limerick Dude

limerick_man wrote:

It looks really great, i cant wait! Always loved Riverfest since it started, this year will be totally great

ok im not sure im the only person who has noticed this but it seems to me that you have never said anything remotely bad about limerick! :eek:
like in another thread i think you said that you have never seen crime in limerick :rolleyes:
im not having a go at you or whatever, i just think your being a bit naive.

limerick_man

I love this city, never been a victim of crime, my only complaints are:

A. not enough happens here (thats why I'm always positive about festivals and wanting to know whats going on that under 18's can go to
B. the negitivity within Limerick people!

I've been in loads of other places and Limerick to me is just so great! I'm proud to be from the city.

Over the next few months I plan to organise a few events for people my age in the city! I'm not one of these people who say more should be done and then dont, more WILL be done! Check out www.deadbattery.net (and also the Limerick Events Calendar (access through 'upcoming events'), plus we will be promoting limerick as an eventful place and campaigning for an entertainment quater of the city!

The only instance of crime I remember withnessing, which at the time shocked me and I posted about it was St Patricks Day 2005 on crusis street a man was selling twine or something a kid ran up and stole it and got chased by the man, but was never caught!

But this city on a bright day can be the most beautiful place in the world, i am in love with this great city of ours, and I feel it is my duty to give back to Limerick! If everyone who had the time stood up to do stuff in the city, without looking for anything in return, then i would not be able to find any complaint for this city at all!

billy the squid

@canned

my apologies. but when someone signs up a new account and starts promoting something, then certain alarm bells start ringing. aparantly I was wrong in this instance.

Amazotheamazing

Fair play Limerick_man, and I agree completely.

on your negativity point, couldn't agree more. Is it that everyone is so used to hearing negative things about here that they simply reflect this? Or is it something fundamental in Limerick's character, are we a negative bunch of people?

Personally I don't know, it just seems that sometimes everyone's set-up to knock anything new about this town, for example, the new hotel by Sarsfield Bridge is apparently going to be a Hilton, but rather then say "Isn't it great, a Hilton in Limerick, that will be great for tourism", the general response seems to be "What on earth are Hilton doing, wasting their time in Limerick?"

Personally I hope Riverfest is a huge success, and attracts multitudes to Shannonside.

limerick_man

This years Riverfest looks good, but in fairness they've had like 7 weeks to organise it! I'm gonna enjoy this year, but next years will be utterly class!

My only beef with riverfest is that all of the gigs are in pubs/nightclubs so under 18's cant go!

The hilton is great, really nice location too, but seriously that new hotel they are building in Southhill... is that really a positive thing, we are trying to improve the cities image and we are telling our visitors to go to the island and now housing them in Southhill?!? (which btw i am not bashing as an area, just that the likelihood is that gurriers with nothing better to do will take advantage of the tourists! I blame Des Bishop, he's made Southhill a tourist attraction!