Over 100 events lined up for exciting 55th Birr Vintage Week

Over a hundred events have been lined up for the 55th iteration of Birr Vintage Week, which, on paper, looks as if it will be one of the best festivals ever in the town.

Vintage Week takes place this year from August 4 until August 12.

The jam-packed and beautifully produced festival programme was officially launched in Townsend House B&B, Townsend St, on Friday evening.

Caroline Conway, Chairperson of Vintage Week, said the evening was about launching and focussing on the exciting programme, and also about thanking all the sponsors “in the community and all the businesses without whom we couldn't go ahead.”

She thanked Martin and Lorraine Kearns of Townsend House for hosting the programme launch.

“We also want to thank the publicans for their generosity." The publicans last week presented the committee with a cheque for €12,000. "The support of the town's publicans for Vintage Week is huge. People in general have been so generous. It is obvious that Vintage Week is still a very big thing for the town."

She thanked the different premises, including the European Tech Hub on Brendan St, for kindly providing venues for the various festival events. “Thank you to Birr Theatre. We couldn't do without the staff there and their fantastic facility.

“I want to thank our great committee. We have two interns this year. It's lovely seeing new, young people, new blood in the committee.

“What is Vintage Week? It is a huge tradition where friends and family come home for the week. More people come home for Vintage Week than for Christmas. During the week we show off our beautiful town.

“Now in its 55th year we are very conscious of the huge tradition of the festival and we are determined to maintain its traditional strengths. But we also want to innovate. One of this year's innovations is the use of the old cinema on Brendan Street, the transformation of which is underway. The old cinema will host the stunning Longford Lights on Tour exhibition featuring a magical world of animals and illumination. We are very happy to partner with Longford County Council to bring this immersive experience to Birr, with works created by artists and community groups. A huge thanks to Denis Madden from European Tech Hub for loaning us this incredible space this year."

She advised everyone to keep an eye on the website and on social media, because not every event will have made it into the programme because there will be some late entries.

She appealed for volunteers to help the committee during the festival. “We need people's help for the various odd jobs. 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.” 

Emma Nee Haslem of the Vintage Week Board of Directors said the Board has an oversight role and supports the committee in their work. Janine Wilson is the Chairperson of the Board.

Janine said it was great to see the excellent turnout in Townsend House. “It's great to see so many here in this lovely setting. We are also blessed with the weather this evening.

“Festivals like Birr Vintage Week are the beating heart of communities. We are very lucky to have so many creative people in the town who are willing to put their shoulder to the wheel for the festival.

“I'm blown away by the programme. It has something for everyone. There are over 100 events during the week. They are also over 100 sponsors.

“It's great to see some of our recent Ukrainian arrivals also in the programme.

“Looking at this programme you feel in your bones that Vintage Week is back with a bang, after the difficult Covid years. The committee deserves massive praise for putting together such an exciting and big programme.”

Caroline Conway pointed out that last year Paul Barber donated a Perpetual Shield for the window competition. “We have a new prize this year, in honour of Ann O'Meara (who supplied vintage costumes for decades to participants in the festival) for the best dressed.” The new prize will be a €100 voucher for Dooly's Hotel for the best dressed on Vintage Sunday, to be held from 3pm in Emmet Square. Ann O'Meara was deeply involved in Vintage Week for over fifty years. The judges of "Ann's Best Dressed on Vintage Sunday" will be Ann's daughter Maria and granddaughter Sarah, who will be on the Parade Viewing Stand.

Emma Nee Haslam said people could look at the programme on the website birrvintageweek.com

The events in 40+ locations across the festival's 9 days will feature visual arts, theatre, music, street theatre, workshops, exhibitions, together with a host of community events from 4-12 August.

Much-loved traditional events are back including the Vintage Sunday Parade, Fireworks Night & Gig Rig, Birr Air Display, the Crinkill Soapbox Race and a Visual Arts programme including 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.

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 will be crowd pleasers, as well as Out of the Ordinary, the world’s first community VR Opera by Irish National Opera at Birr Theatre & Arts Centre.

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

 The committee is holding Parade making workshops for two weeks this month from July 17th where participants will be making a hand pulled float and parade props with the community. Contact birrvintageweekarts@ gmail.com to book.

  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 5 August and at other locations around the town.

  The Parade Route will be the same as it has been in recent years, starting at Marian Hall (for registration), and proceeding along Castle St, Market Square, Main Street, Emmet Square and Emmet Street, and finishing on Oxmantown Mall. Floats will be welcome, however there is a size limit which means articulated lorries will not be allowed. The Vintage Car section will be going first to avoid overheating by being slowed down by the on foot performers. For queries about entries to this year's Vintage Parade, email birrvintageweekparade@ gmail.com The programme is online now and booking is open: www.birrvintageweek.com  For bookings over the phone, contact the Box Office at Birr Theatre & Arts Centre on 057 91 22911. Open Monday-Friday, 1pm-5.30pm.