Skibbereen Arts Festival
As visitors to West Cork will have noticed over the past few weeks and indeed years, the Arts in all its forms are prominent in many of West Corks festivals. This weekend, starting this Friday 25th July and running for nine days finishing up on Saturday the 2nd August, our own town of Skibbereen where our Cork hotel is based will have its own celebrated Arts Festival. Now in its 6th year of running the arts festival has quickly grown to become one of the pre-eminent festivals in the region and one of the top festivals for those looking for things to do in West Cork.
The popularity and well regard of the Skibbereen Arts Festival is no surprise as West Cork has always been known as a haven for the arts, the remote region with its stunning scenery and one of a kind laidback nature and culture, drawing people from all walks of life particularly from the arts to its shores. Skibbereen in particular is an epicentre for the arts with a number of art galleries of note.
Bringing all aspects of the arts from standard art exhibitions to music concerts, film showings, theatre, family friendly shows, dance events and everything in between to the popular west cork town, the festival throws up something for everyone and this year comes with a theme that recognises and promotes the importance of the arts to mental health.
Of the wide range of things happening over the nine days shows to watch out for include the return of the amazing ‘Poetry Marathon’, the ‘Mad Pride’ Family Day and ‘Skibb Smiles Youth Festival’. There will be a day devoted to Skibbereens Ilen River with a river inspired art exhibition and special events among which, a boat trip around Fastnet Rock that gives passengers a different view of the river along the way, could be one of the highlights of the week.
These events aside the nine day festival is chock a block full of events both ticketed and free to the general public that will have something for everyone, no matter where their interest in the arts may lie. Families and children of all ages will be well catered for with a series of special events and interactive educational shows and events for children. Music fans will be delighted with the many different types of excellent concerts available from the closing nights evening concert featuring the ever popular Mick Flannery, to singing events, harp music and the annual Canon Goodman Gala Concert with Liam O’ Flynn & Paddy Glackin.
As well as music there will be a performance by contemporary dance company ‘Croí Glan’ while drama and film lovers will be happy with the inaugural running of ‘Drama Day’ which will have 4 plays in 4 venues around town and the many film-screenings held both indoors and outdoors, special sound installations and a special two day film workshop. And fittingly for a town that counts many art galleries and has the largest Arts Centre in the region, there will be hundreds of pieces of art to view at ones own time and leisure in many venues all over the town. Along with special concerts, shows, art exhibitions and the many arts events there will perennial and informative festival favorites including workshops in a variety of mediums (art, film etc), walks, talks, readings and discussions.
With a jam packed programme of events covering all the different arts in that inimitable West Cork fashion, Skibbereens annual Arts Festival will have something for everyone and offers a great reason to stay at our hotel in West Cork and visit this bustling vibrant town in the heart of west cork. Catch some of the huge variety of events that the arts festival throws up as well as the many draws of the town and surrounding region: the fine food, evening entertainment, pubs in skibbereen and scenic attractions close at hand. Before an evenings entertainment enjoy a range of locally-caught seafood, and locally-sourced produce in our restaurant in Skibbereen.