Eighteen years of Hullabaloo! and still growing!!

HULLABALOO! Offaly's Children's Arts Festival brings an extravaganza of creativity, art making and fun experiences for all the family.

Now, in its 18th year, Hullabaloo! Offaly’s dedicated arts festival for children under 12 runs from Wednesday October 30th-Saturday November 2nd in Birr, Clara, Edenderry, Tullamore and this year is growing even bigger to include activities in Kilcormac.

Hullabaloo! is all about creativity with workshops and family performances to stimulate curiosity and originality bringing the best artist facilitators and performers from all over Ireland and beyond. Children will have fun and experience a medley of high-quality creative experiences, curated to meet the developmental needs and interests of children of all ages.

With almost one hundred events in this jam-packed programme, there is something for everyone from writing, painting, crafts, drama, abstract art, drawing, hip-hop dance and more. Family events across a breadth of artforms from circus, film, music, theatre and puppetry are also programmed. The festival continues to promote inclusivity via affordable ticket prices with workshops priced at €4 and show prices at €5.

Supported by Offaly County Council Arts Office, Hullabaloo! is co-ordinated by Birr Theatre & Arts Centre and Esker Arts with Creative Places Edenderry, Offaly Library Services, Clara Family Resource Centre and Kilcormac Development Association.

As the festival prepares to open county-wide, Emma Nee Haslam at Birr Theatre & Arts Centre commented that “it is very exciting to see a festival which was established eighteen years ago grow and spread across the county. We’re excited about the future development of the festival and working with Esker Arts to bring a programme to vast interests for children”.

Sean Walsh, at Esker Arts added “we will bring a broad spectrum of arts events for everyone. Hullabaloo! has become a much anticipated annual event offering fun for all the family, and we are looking forward to expanding the offering for the Tullamore community and beyond.”

Offaly Libraries continue to be a vital part of the Hullabaloo! Programme offering wonderful workshops and experiences for children in their Birr, Clara, Tullamore and Edenderry branches.

This year Hullabaloo! has a family programme that is full of humour, entertainment and creativity with family shows designed to appeal to a broad cross-section of interests and age-groups. The under 6’s can enjoy Teddy In The Spooky Wood with Barking Dog Theatre (0-6 years), joining Sammy Ragdoll and her best friend Eddy The Teddy on a fun adventure through the woods! The Monster Making Machine is a 30-minute show followed by a hands-on workshop from The SketchCan Caravan where children will witness how 2D cardboard shapes transform into monster puppets inside the Monster Making Machine. Older children (age 5-10years) will also enjoy The Whittaker's Ghost an exciting tale that follows Anna Ducane and her sisters as they uncover eerie events during a summer stay in Montreal where a looming storm brings more than just bad weather!

And all the family can enjoy a selection of events: Jackula is Dracula’s younger brother who is on a spooktacular quest to step out of his brother’s shadow and become the world’s first fun vampire! Leading Italian Female Clown Franmarto (from Circus 250) performs in Out Of The Blu where she will wash away your troubles with the wonderfully interactive circus show about laundry – where cleaning has never been so much fun!! Also from this troupe come’s Juanita's Big Problem a must see show about climate change where Juanita tackles plastic pollution with dance, circus and several bin loads of humour! Ta Tum Tum! Is an interactive music show for all the family to experience the joy of playing authentic Brazilian instruments, creatively exploring music in a fun and engaging way. This year’s family film is Pixar’s Coco where Miguel dreams of becoming a musicians like his idol Ernesto de la Cruz and embarks on a journey in the Land of the Dead with charming trickster hector to prove his talent.

The festival continues to bring quality arts experiences to children across the county at a very affordable cost. Bookings can be made directly through the website www.HullabalooFestival.ie

Get your tickets now!! Rumour has it that the tickets are selling out fast, so early booking is advised, to ensure you get your Hullabaloo! fill this Midterm break!

Hullabaloo! is made possible with the support by Offaly County Council Arts Office, Birr and Tullamore Municipal Districts, Offaly Library Services, Birr and Tullamore Lions Clubs and private donors.