ROSES and festival-goers will be ‘walking on cars’ to get to Kerry next month for the 2014 Rose of Tralee International Festival which takes place from 15-19 August.
The Rose of Tralee, Haley O’Sullivan and a bunch of this year’s Roses were in Tralee this week to announce details of this year’s entertainment line-up which will feature over 80 hours of free and affordable entertainment in the Dome and around the streets of Tralee.
The General Manager of the Rose of Tralee International Festival, Oliver Hurley, said: “We pride ourselves on being able to stage such a wide-ranging programme of FREE and affordable entertainment to suit people of all ages. It would not be possible without the input of the local business community, our sponsors, Rose Centres and the thousands of people who travel from all over the world to enjoy the Festival.”
Among this year’s highlights will be the Union J and Walking on Cars concerts on Denny Street on Friday 15th and Sunday 17th respectively. Priced at only €10 from www.roseoftralee.ie, tickets to these events are limited, much sought after and selling fast.
A festival is not a festival without a parade and unlike many other popular festivals in Ireland and abroad, the Rose of Tralee can boast that it will successfully stage three parades again this year on Saturday 16th, Sunday 17th and Tuesday 19th August.
With over 700 people taking part in the parades, spectators are encouraged to come early to grab the best vantage points to see the marching bands, floats, costumed performers, the Rose of Tralee Haley O’Sullivan, RTÉ Selection Host Dáithí Ó Sé and this year’s 32 International Roses.
The skies over Tralee will light up with two spectacular fireworks displays and the annual Skyfest Air Display on Sunday 17th.
From the Dome to Denny Street and along The Mall to The Square, the public will enjoy five daily schedules of entertainment including Nathan Carter, Derek Ryan, Brendan Shine and Birds Amusements.
Family town is a kaleidoscope of fun and colour that will come alive at midday every day during the Festival. A fun-packed programme of events to suit children of all ages in the comfortable, family-friendly setting of Pearse Park will feature – Circus Workshops, Planetarium Dome, Face Painting, Balloon Modelling, Art Attack, Cheeky Chalk, Water Walkers & Human Gyroscope, Fun Races, Crystal Fountain Wishing Well, Carnival Cut-outs, Giant Bubble Throwing & much more.
Instead of walking on cars, many people will be visiting this year’s Festival to exercise their legs by taking part in the second Rose of Tralee International 10k Run around the streets of Tralee, driving home the message that there is something for everyone at the Festival.
The lead sponsors of this year’s Festival, Newbridge Silverware, will send the Roses off on their Rose Tour of Ireland on Sunday 10th August and the 32 Roses will arrive in Tralee on Friday 15th August after visits to Limerick, Roscommon, Leitrim, Kildare and Dublin.
The Festival Dome will be the venue for the Kerrygold International Rose Ball, the first official event of the 2014 Rose of Tralee International Festival. The Kerryman Rose of Tralee Autumn Winter Fashion Show on Sunday 17th August will be guaranteed to fuel dreams and keep the paparazzi cameras flashing.
The Newbridge Silverware Escort of the Year will be announced on RTÉ One television live from the Dome during Part One of the Rose Selection on Monday 18th and the 2014 Rose of Tralee will be crowned in the same venue on Tuesday 19th.
The Festival is as popular as ever with Tralee’s hotels, self-catering and camping accommodation already under pressure to meet the visitor demand for beds.
“The legacy of the Rose Gathering looks set to produce another bumper week for Tralee’s accommodation providers with many already reportedly booked out weeks ahead of the Festival,” said Oliver Hurley.
Full details of all the FREE and affordable events at the 2014 Rose of Tralee International Festival and tickets to all Dome events, as well as the Union J and Walking On Cars Concerts on Denny Street, are available from www.roseoftralee.ie.
