Over 90 events planned for Birr Vintage Week and Arts Festival

The programme for the highly-anticipated 2023 Birr Vintage Week & Arts Festival has been officially launched.

This year, the Vintage team has pulled out all the stops to celebrate its 55th birthday with over 90 events taking place in over 40 locations across nine days featuring visual arts, theatre, music, street theatre, workshops, exhibitions, together with a whole host of community events from August 4 to August 12.

Much-loved traditional events are back including the Vintage Sunday Parade, Fireworks Night & Gig Rig, Birr Air Display, the Crinkill Soapbox Race and a jam-packed Visual Arts programme including over 20 exhibitions. The Courthouse Yard will once again be a creative hub for the duration of the Festival after opening its gates last year with visual arts workshops, music and Vintage Luminaries.

After its long hiatus, the Vintage Market makes its big return to Green Street and of particular note will be the opening up the Old Cinema/(New Cinema to some) on Brendan Street for a stunning exhibition, Longford Lights on Tour in collaboration with artist Tom Meskell and Longford County Council.

The Big Beautiful Vintage Picnic, The Wind Garden by Cal y Canto (Spain) and the immersive garden performance, DANU, by Erebidae Aerial Circle at Birr Castle are not to be missed as well as Out of the Ordinary, the world’s first community VR Opera by Irish National Opera at Birr Theatre & Arts Centre along with their own incredible lineup of music, visual arts and theatre including performances by two of Ireland’s best live acts, Scullion and The Frank and Walters.

The Vintage Team also needs the public’s help to create something special for the Vintage Sunday Parade on August 6.

In honour of the Parade Opening Speaker, award-winning photographer Tina Claffey, Cloughjordan Circus Club are bringing Tiny FANTASTIC to the parade with a giant spider, butterfly stilt walkers, flowers, and bees and they will be making all manner of bugs and blooms to go with this.

Free workshops with artist Caoimhe Dunn are taking place from July 17-21 and July 24-28 at The Courthouse Yard and are open to adults & young people aged 8+ accompanied by a parent or guardian. Places are limited, contact birrvintageweekarts@gmail.com to book.

Chair and Visual Arts Coordinator of Birr Vintage Week & Arts Festival is Caroline Conway: “Vintage Week is an incredibly important event for Birr. More people come home for Vintage than they do at Christmas. It’s a Festival with huge tradition, but also one that surprises with new events. We would like to thank all our sponsors and funders who make this event possible and demonstrate their commitment to the Festival through their generous donations.”

“We have a fantastic team this year, but need additional volunteers during the week for a smooth running event. If you can give a few hours, please register on the website. We have a dedicated volunteer manager this year, Aideen O’Brien to make sure all our volunteers are well looked after.”

To mark 55 years, a limited collection of Birr Vintage Week & Arts Festival merchandise will also be launched during the festival. It will be on sale at the Market on Saturday, August 5, and at other locations around the town.

The programme is online now and booking is openon the www.birrvintageweek.com website.