Athy Bluegrass Festival to beat recession blues
THE PREVAILING economic doom and gloom has not affected one of Athy's number one events with this weekend's Bluegrass Festival shaping up to be a much welcome money spinner.
Despite costing E15,000 to stage this year, an increase on the last two years, there was never any question mark over the popular annual festival going ahead.
According to Tony O'Brien, from the event's organising committee, it is a costly exercise to bring the headline acts to perform. However, as the concerts are selling out it is expected that the full cost of staging the festival will be recovered.
Help from Athy Town Council, Kildare County Council as well as local sponsors Clancy's Bar has assisted in preserving the growing event.
"We've gone through recessions before. But this is not a commercial entity- it's solely for the love of Bluegrass music that it is staged,'' said Mr O'Brien.
The commercial value to the town can be measured in the fact that B&Bs and the local hotel are booked out as well as the music lovers shopping around the town over the course of the festival, he added.
Mr O'Brien explained how the festival puts Athy on the map: "Around 95 per cent of people coming to it are from outside the town. People come from all over the country and from abroad for it. Since it began there have generally been people travelling from England to it. This year we will have people coming from Denmark and Holland.''
He added that people who enjoy Bluegrass music are loyal followers, who will generally happily travel to support such events.
This year will see a blend of international and home grown performers will play at the prestigious festival, running from this Thursday, July 9 to Sunday 12. This year's main events will take place at the Carlton Abbey Hotel and some of the acts include the hugely popular Bluegrass Patriots, from Colorado, making their third appearance at the festival.
Also included in the line-up is Dutch-based 4 Wheel Drive. The eclectic outfit boasts members from Germany, Holland and Belgium.
Athy's very own Woodbine will also perform over the course of the event. Woodbine is about to release its third album this year.
Other noteworthy local acts include Bending the Strings, The Sullivan Brothers and Acoustic Grass. The entertainment will begin each day in the early afternoon with acts playing throughout each day.
Mr O'Brien explained that outdoor performances will be moved should the weather become a problem.
Running for the last 19 years, Athy has the distinct honour of staging the first ever Bluegrass festival in Ireland with traditional Bluegrass music typically based around five string instruments.
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Weather for Naas, Ireland
Thursday 17 May 2012
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