Sunday Parade is still a major highlight of festival week in Offaly town

THE crown jewel of Birr Vintage Week & Arts Festival returns again this year on Sunday August 6th at 3pm.

Like 2022, this year's parade will be an all-local affair with award-winning nature photographer, Tina Claffey giving this year’s Opening Address, Emma Nee Haslam returning as Parade MC, local soprano Yvonne O’Toole performing the National Anthem and Parade Grand Marshals Lucie Pardy (World Champion Irish Dancer) and Fionn O’Carroll, who completed the incredible challenge of rowing across the Atlantic.

To celebrate 55 years, they will also be expanding the Parade this year with a brand-new Community Participation project in collaboration with Cloughjordan Circus Club and Gravity Dance School.

OPENING ADDRESS: Tina Claffey

Tina is an award-winning nature photographer who has a unique perspective of the flora and fauna of the unspoilt raised bogs and wet woodlands of the Irish midlands. She has been honoured with awards from highly-prestigious world competitions including International Photography Awards, Fine Art Photography Awards, BigPicture-Natural World Photography, Close Up Photographer of the Year and IGSPOTY (International Garden Photographer of the Year).

PARADE MC: Emma Nee Haslam

Emma Nee Haslam became a member of the Vintage Week family as vice-chair from 1994 to 1996 and continues to be involved at many levels since then including festival secretary for many years, festival chair in 2007 and currently is a member of the board of directors.

Emma has been the Manager at Birr Theatre & Arts Centre for over twenty two years and has extensive experience in event management, running approx. 180 events per year.

During the past twenty years she established, and currently co-produces, both Hullabaloo! Offaly’s Children’s Arts Festival with Offaly County Council and Scripts Ireland’s Playwriting Festival with Jasango Theatre and was a member of the team that established OFFline Film Festival and Birr Festival of Music.

NATIONAL ANTHEM: Yvonne O'Toole

With over twenty years of experience, Irish Soprano Yvonne O'Toole has a number of achievements to date when it comes to her singing career.

Having studied the art of singing from a young age, she holds an honours Diploma in Associate of the Victoria College of Music, London in Performance.

She is also successful with Distinctions in her grades in Voice with The Royal Irish Academy of Music and a number of placements at Feis Ceoil.

Yvonne has also spent the last 16 years performing in the wedding industry throughout Ireland and abroad.

She is also Director of Voice by Yvonne O’Toole. In her singing lessons, she assists and guide young singers from the area to be the best they can be; giving them the tools and knowledge they need to progress their voice and acquire a better understanding of their own instrument.

TINY FANTASTIC

In honour of the Parade Opening Speaker, Tina Claffey, Cloughjordan Circus Club are bringing Tiny Fantastic to the Vintage Sunday Parade with a giant spider, butterfly stilt walkers, flowers, and bees and throughout July, workshops were held with artist Caoimhe Dunne to make all sorts of bugs, blooms, flags, a microscope to along with this float. It will definitely catch the eye during this year’s parade!

TRADITIONAL PARADE ENTRIES

Whether it's a Vintage Car, a float or to register your local group to walk in the Parade, do get in touch! Email Festival Manager Cha Cahill on: birrvintageweekparade@gmail.com

AFTER-PARADE ENTERTAINMENT: 4pm-7pm

Green Street

4pm: Vintage Cars on Display

Emmet Square

4.45pm: Frankie Magilligan Comedy Juggling Show

5pm: Children’s Vintage Costume Competition

Courthouse Yard

4.30pm & 6pm: Baubo Theatre

Frankie Magilligan Comedy Juggling Show

With his incredible smile and impeccable fashion sense, Frankie will leave you in stitches with his hilarious antics and incredible juggling skills. And if that wasn’t enough, he'll be performing on a stunning gold unicycle that will leave you in awe. Frankie's show is the perfect combination of skill, humour, and style, and he'll have you on the edge of your seat as he juggles everything from balls and clubs to knives and fire.

BAUBO THEATRE - Cabinet of Curatrocities

Step right up and prepare to avert your eyes! Hold your breath, hold your tongue, hold your nose... Baubo Theatre’s world-famous Cabinet of Curatrocities is in town. Join the Baron von Munchcracker and the irrepressible Spud as they traverse the nine corners of the earth and the five seas to bring you the sights, sounds and smells of their cabinet of curatrocities. These two hideous and lovable characters use an inventive mix of puppetry, song and dance to tell the tales of how they came by their treasures! Developed with support from the Irish Arts Council and Spraoi Festival as part of the New Emerging Street Talent residency.