The 14th edition of Riverfest Limerick promises to be bigger and better than ever with new experiences for visitors to discover this May bank holiday weekend (4-7 May) including a visit by the Irish naval ship the LE Eithne.
Riverfest 2018 is set to draw over 85,000 to the banks of the Shannon for the biggest celebration yet with this year’s line-up bursting with big-name acts and unmissable events.
With Met Eireann cautiously predicting sunshine and warm temperatures, the festival is a carnival of activity and variety, with thrilling new attractions including the first ever visit to Ireland by the Seabreacher Shark – a dare-devil aquatic spectacle in an 18ft ‘shark-craft’ that can travel at speeds of up to 80km per hour.
The water-based activities for the Limerick Strand Hotel Riverfest on the Shannon will also involve the return of the hugely popular zip line, but this time twice the fun with a double line, water zorbing, kayaking, and a social swim that will have hundreds getting a different perspective of the great river.
Another new addition to the festival is the Limerick Food Experience in the garden of the Hunt Museum on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 May, showcasing the best quality, locally produced food and drink that Limerick has to offer.
The naval vessel, the LE Eithne, will be open for family tours on Saturday and Sunday between 2pm-6pm (subject to the normal operations of the port)at its base at Limerick Docks.
The four day celebration includes the country’s biggest fireworks display of the summer, celebrations of food and fashion, outdoor and indoor concerts and, of course, the Bon Secours Hospital Great Limerick Run.
At quayside there will be annual favourites such as The Riverfestival Village, at Arthur’s Quay Park – a weekend long cacophony of foods, crafts, vintage amusements, street performers and live musical entertainment.
The Saturday will also see one of the annual high points of the festival take place with the Riverfest BBQ on the Boardwalk, with teams representing cuisines around the world competing for honours.
Fashion Friday at Arthur’s Quay will be hosted by top social media influencer James Patrice and Ireland’s leading fashion stylist Celia Holman-Lee, showcasing the latest trends from Limerick’s top fashion houses and designers. The weekend’s ‘Big Gigs’ will include Jack L on Saturday night and Bell X1 at the stunning King John’s Castle – one of Ireland’s most unique concert venues.
Sunday’s Bon Secours Hospital Great Limerick Run, which is Ireland’s fastest growing participatory event, is another of the top features of the weekend, drawing an anticipated 13,000 people for three events – the full marathon, half marathon, 6 mile. It will also have the HOMS Fittest Company, an Expo at UL on Saturday where the UL Sport Children’s Run for Fun will also take place.
The majority of Riverfest Limerick attractions are free, from the spectacles of the fireworks and the Sea Breacher, to the thrill of the zip line, street performers and live musical entertainment in the Riverfestival Village, you can save your pennies and still have a fun-packed bank holiday weekend in Limerick.
Mayor of the City and County of Limerick Cllr Stephen Keary said: “Limerick is a city very much on the up and Riverfest is a reflection of this. It has grown and grown as a festival over the years to become not alone the biggest gathering in Ireland of the May Bank Holiday weekend by far but also one the biggest Irish summer festivals.”
Said Laura Ryan, Head of Marketing and Communications, Limerick City and County Council: “We’ve had a very long winter, that very much consumed the spring but we’ll be putting all that behind us with Riverfest and the promised good weather! It’s a brilliant mix of different elements and, most of all, offers something for everyone.”
Riverfest 2018 is delivered by Grooveyard Event Management on behalf of Limerick City and County Council and partners include The Limerick Strand Hotel, Mr Binman, Limerick’s Live95FM, Arthur’s Quay and Limerick.ie.
Visit www.riverfest.ie for full details of the festival and you can download the brochure here. Find us on Facebook; Twitter @riverfestlmk; Instagram@riverfestlimerick. #RiverfestLimerick
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