Brideswell’s annual Pattern Festival ready for off this weekend

KAYLEY HARDIMAN

Brideswell Pattern Festival will take place in the village this weekend. The three-day festival is a celebration of community spirit encompassing theatre, dance and family fun. A large part of the festival is the charity cycle in aid of Athlone Sub Aqua which is on this Saturday.

There are four different routes to cater for all abilities and ages. Registration for the 120km and 80km cycles begins at 7.30am with the cycles starting at 9am. The 50km cycle kicks off at 9.30am with registration from 9am. Finally the 9km family cycle goes out at 10am with registration from 9.30am. The entry fee is €20 while it costs €5 to participate in the family cycle. There will be stops along the way so that cyclists can invigorate themselves with some food and there will be post cycle refreshments.

There will be plenty of entertainment for the weekend with Mac's Amusements making an appearance for young children. There will be live music in local pubs Hamrock's and Courtney's. In Hamrock's 'Boogie Bingo' is back this year by popular demand. This is a fundraiser for the pattern festival itself and begins at 9.30pm. Galway-based band Dave and Blue Tax will play on Saturday night from 10.30pm in Hamrock's while Streetwise will perform from 10pm on Sunday. The annual festival barbecue will be held in Hamrock's on Monday.

The festival will come to a close with live music from Macey South. The three-piece band from Athlone are known from playing gigs locally and have gone from strength to strength in recent years. Courtney's will play host to Johnny Mullins on Saturday night between 9 and 11pm while Brenda O'Hanlan performs on Sunday between 7 and 9pm.

Other events as part of the festival will include a GAA blitz and a soccer tournament at the local pitch on Saturday. A walk in aid of a defibrillator will take place also with registration from 11.30am. To conclude the pattern festival there will be an open air mass at 12noon. There will be a variety of marquee entertainment with a children's tractor run, a wheel of fortune and a cake sale in aid of Brideswell National School's Parent's Association. All attendees are encouraged to get involved in the street tug of war at 7pm. 

For more information see their Facebook page @BrideswellPatternFestival