Moville’s 15th Annual DylanFest on the Lough draws closer

They come from near and far for Stuck Inside of Moville, the DylanFest on the Lough, which will take place this year from Thursday, August 24, to Sunday, 27.

This will be the 15th running of the event, which started in 2007 with just two years off as a result of the pandemic.

“Some of our festival goers come back every year and it is like a reunion of Dylan fans from all corners of the globe,” organiser Gerry McLaughlin said.

One who will be hopefully coming back again this year will be Mickey ‘the Hat’ Roberts from North Wales. He said: “If I can possibly make it I come. The Open Mics are great which means that it is not just the professional musicians who get to play at it. The people are great too.”

“There’s always a new personality every year at the DylanFest,” Gerry added. “Last year it was a Billy Connolly lookalike and soundalike who played in any bar that would let him for a few pints and maybe a burger. I’ve invited him back this year.

“Last year was the first one since the pandemic and people were still afraid to go out. However, the numbers at our recent BeatlesFest were up on last year and we are confident that it will be the same for the DylanFest too.”

One big Dylan fan from the USA, Dominic Del Perro, is already on his way. He posted to the DylanFest Moville FaceBook page that “I've started my journey to DylanFest Moville! Left Malibu yesterday morning and drove past Bob Dylan's gate on my way to Chicago to see Bruce Springsteen play a concert - another Dylan fan - and expect to get to Moville on the Thursday, depending on buses from Dublin.”

The Dylan Festival will take place over four days starting with an Open Mic on the Thursday. Most other DylanFests take place over either one or two days and usually in just one venue. Moville’s has 10 gigs. Further information can be found at CraicOn.com or the DylanFest Moville Facebook page.