54th Birr Vintage Week will feature 80 events over ten days
After three long years, the Birr Vintage Week and Arts Festival makes a welcome return to its regular format when it opens on Friday July 29th with a very busy programme of events that will run for ten days until 7th of August.
A large crowd, many of them attired in vintage gear, turned out on Thursday evening in Birr Castle Courtyard for the launch of this year's festival programme, which has been laid out in an eye-pleasing fashion and features 80 events over the ten days.
Janine Wilson, Chairperson of the festival's Board of Directors, welcomed everyone to the occasion. She warmly praised the new committee for its hard work, its flair and its innovation. She congratulated everyone who kept Vintage going during the two difficult years of the pandemic, during which time the festival's activities were curtailed and only now can they make a full and proper return. “It is a great pleasure being able to come together for events like this, in this post-Covid era,” she said. She pointed out that with many new faces organising the 54th, and with an expanded programme, this felt like a reboot of a much-loved favourite.
Janine also praised Colm Croffy and Rebecca Kelly, the two professionals who have invested “an incredible amount of work in the festival.”
She praised the town's publicans “who have done a phenomenal job. They are offering a fantastic array of events in their pubs over the festival.
“Vintage Week is not only important for the town's economy. It also gives us a chance to celebrate our town's beauty and elegance, to express ourselves, and to highlight those things which are important to us.”
Chair and Visual Arts Coordinator Caroline Conway launched the programme. She said the ethos of Birr Vintage Week and Arts Festival is to celebrate, connect, share, transform and surprise.
Caroline said the response from the community of Birr has been “fantastic. The people of Birr are really looking forward to the return of a normal Vintage festival. You can see the effect of this strong desire because we have a jampacked programme. We have also received incredible support from the business community with over 100 sponsors lending their support.
“For those who love Birr and live in the town, it will be a very special Festival as we all come together to celebrate Vintage Week in a major way for the first time since 2019. More people come home for Vintage Week than for Christmas! It’s time to connect, celebrate, share and surprise and we hope everyone savours the joy that only this Festival can bring.”
2022 will see the return of the much-loved Vintage Sunday Parade for the first time since 2019 along with some other major events like the Birr Air Display, Crinkill Soapbox Derby, Fireworks night plus a huge range of community events, visual arts, music, sport and children's events.
The Courthouse Yard is also opening up as a new outdoor venue and will act as a creative hub for the festival. It will play host to an impressive lineup of international artists and a thrilling lineup of workshops and music.
Due to pandemic restrictions the Vintage Parade could only be held in a very watered-down form over the past two years. It returns in its full glory on Sunday 31 July. This year’s parade marshals will be the Birr GAA Mayoral Campaign candidates Caroline Boyd, Pio Spillane, Deirdre Cashen and Dylan Murphy, while the event will be opened by local publican John Kelly who has been a wonderful servant to Vintage Week over many years.
You can also be part of the return of the Vintage Sunday Parade. If you have a Vintage car, are part of a local community group, school or business, you are now invited to register. Deadline to be included is Friday 15 July, 5pm. Email [email protected] or visit www.birrvintageweek.com
The full programme of events for Birr Vintage Week and Arts Festival 2022 is now live on www.birrvintageweek.com
Festival Committee: Chair & Visual Arts Coordinator: Caroline Conway. PR & Marketing Manager: Rebecca Kelly. Parade Coordinator: Damien Gormley. Treasurer: Vincent McCarthy. Children's Events Coordinator: Jamie Dooley McCormack. Community Events Coordinator: Aoife Sheils. Sponsorship and Volunteer Coordinator: Colm Croffy. Committee: Christy Keavney, Garrett Kelly, Amy Harvey, Fergus Kelly, Rowena Keavney, Jock Nichol. Board of Directors: Janine Wilson, Emma Nee Haslam, Cailin Keavney.
Janine Wilson and Emma Nee Haslam made a presentation of a bouquet of flowers to Mary Larkin who is retiring from her Parade MC role this year, a position she filled with great skill and considerable humour for many years. Emma will be stepping into her shoes during this year's Parade. Caroline also thanked Birr Castle for hosting the programme launch and for being so supportive over many Vintage festivals.