This article is from page 35 of the 2008-07-01 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 35 JPG
WITH a stated aim of ‘Bringing smiles to people’, the Ennis Street Festival gets underway this week- end and organisers plan to vanquish talk of recession, referendums and a downturn in the weather by provid- ing a unique blend of colour, enter- tainment and worldly culture to the town during it’s two day duration.
This is the third year of the festival and with an unprecedented number of artists and acts performing in various locations around the town on Saturday and Sunday, this celebra- tion of art and culture is an unrivaled family occasion in the county and festival director Ana Bella Alvarez is expecting a large crowd to con- gregate in the county’s capital this weekend.
“The people of Clare have really taken to the festival and this year we
are expecting bigger numbers than ever before as we have done a lot of promotional work, we have a big group of volunteers helping out and the majority of the acts are of a very high standard. Mr Toons is a well known international act, the Fantini Brothers who have performed in En- nis before and the Cork Circus is a unique theatrical act. We also have really good flamenco players in the Old Ground Hotel, good music in Brandons and an a really interesting open cabaret competition in the West County Hotel and they all combine to make the Ennis Festival so enter- taining this year.”
The nucleas for the festival emerged four years ago when Alvaraz applied to Clare County Council for planning permission to hold a Samba perform- ance for the anniversary of her dance business. The performance was greeted by unheralded praise and
after being continually asked to de- velop the concept, she drew upon all her experience and artistic contacts to plan the first Ennis Street Festival in 2006 which comprised of a four hour performance involving three acts. From little acorns, mighty oak trees grow and since then, the event has blossumed. Last year, the festival was a day long event and this year, a full two days is dedicated to the per- formers.
“Over the years, through the fes- tival we have learned what people like, need and want in a festival and it is only by this experience that the festival has grown. It has taken time to develop as we tried to get various communities in Ennis and County Clare involved but there are plenty of performers and talent in the county and I think this festival was needed to fuse everything together. A lot of the festivals in Clare are traditional
orientated festivals but we have have tried to bring entertainment to the streets like a carnival atmosphere. We try to develop this concept that Ennis is not only for working or shopping, it is also a place where people can come to the streets with their fami- lies and enjoy the entertainment. The artistic talent in county Clare has to be developed because there are a lot of artists but they needed a platform to display their talents and with this festival, it might take another year or two but hopefully with everybody’s help we can develop something re- ally special.” Rio beware.
For further information on this year’s festival, visit www.ennisstreet- festival.com