Athlone River Festival set to return next August
The Athlone River Festival committee has announced that the event will return to the town on the August Bank Holiday Weekend in 2024.
The committee said a weekend of food, fun and water activities was being organised which aimed to showcase Athlone's status as "one of Ireland's top tourist destinations".
The theme of next year's festival will be "Viking Riverfest", and events such as a food market, fishing competitions, historical tours, water displays and possible Viking re-enactments are being proposed.
On November 25, the Athlone River Festival Committee was re-established at an AGM. Outgoing chairman Damien Delaney, who gave many years of service to the group, delivered a fitting tribute to the importance of the festival, which has been a long-standing one on the town's events calendar.
Baylough native Padraig Hegarty was appointed as the new chairperson of the committee and said it was "an honour" to serve in this role.
"I have many great memories of the River Festivals the 1990s, when I was of a very young age, so to now be able to support a River Festival in this way gives me great pride," he said.
Padraig is the current PRO of Athlone Boat Club and has a great passion for the town and the River Shannon. Involved in organising water activities for the St Patrick's Day Festival each year, he is no stranger to water-based activities in Athlone.
He paid tribute to Damien Delaney, and thanked all those past volunteers who came before him, for the continued passion, commitment and dedication shown to the waterways and the river.
"Individuals like Damien do so much for the town, which at times goes unnoticed. He has promoted and represented this festival well, and has laid a marker for the next generation to continue this great work and event," said Padraig.
The committee which will undertake the planning of this festival includes: Michelle Doyle (PRO), Michael McDonnell (Treasurer) and Vicky Grehan (Secretary). Also supporting the committee is Joe McEvoy (of Madcaps - Midlands Coarse and Pike Anglers) Cllr Paul Hogan, Mags Cunney, Vincent Harney (Athlone Walking Tours) and Timmy Donovan (Sean's Bar).
"This festival has massive potential to showcase our beautiful River Shannon, local water groups, and businesses here in Athlone. We have gotten great 'buy in' from many groups and will continue to engage with as many organisations as we can in the early new year as we navigate this process of planning.
"In early 2024 we hope to be able to release a tentative schedule of events for the August Bank Holiday weekend. We have support from TUS and many water-based organisations and the committee will seek to engage with local businesses about how they can get involved," stated Padraig.
The engagement stage with different organisations is ongoing and the committee hopes to conclude this part of its planning by the end of January.