Spraoi 2011

jonnyfingers

I just noticed Spraoi have launched their poster for this year, and I'm starting to get excited.

Unfortunately now that I live abroad I miss most of the goings on in Waterford, for example The Tall Ships. However I am home for Spraoi as I haven't missed it in years and it's my favourite weekend of the year!

Time for a discussion thread perhaps?

Who else is getting excited about Spraoi this year?

Max Powers

im very excited jonny. Favourite weekend of the year no doubt. COuld possibly be eclipsed by the ships this year, we'll see

jonnyfingers

Max Powers wrote: »

im very excited jonny. Favourite weekend of the year no doubt. COuld possibly be eclipsed by the ships this year, we'll see

i know what you mean. But for me Spraoi is an institution. I always meet old friends that I might not see for the rest of the year. There's always great gigs to go to. And, especially if the weather is good, there's a great buzz around the city.

Can't wait to come home for it.

MitchKoobski

The Spraoi After-Party in The Forum.

That is all.

jonnyfingers

MitchKoobski wrote: »

The Spraoi After-Party in The Forum.

That is all.

Very true. Always a good night.

And I just had some great news. My girlfriend might not be coming home with me for Spraoi, so even more uninterrupted festivities for me!

dayshah

jonnyfingers wrote: »

Who else is getting excited about Spraoi this year?

Me

Any sort of provisional programme?

jonnyfingers

dayshah wrote: »

Me

Any sort of provisional programme?

Not as yet. Bits and pieces of info on their Facebook page about various acts that might be appearing but nothing official yet.

Professey Chin

Is the parade back with the main festival this year?
Moving the parade to the spraoi in the park was a horrible idea. Tastes all the atmosphere away from the quay for the fireworks

KevIRL

The Chin wrote: »

Is the parade back with the main festival this year?
Moving the parade to the spraoi in the park was a horrible idea. Tastes all the atmosphere away from the quay for the fireworks

Its all the one this year.

wmpdd3

I recognise a few of the heads from the poster.

nkay1985

jonnyfingers wrote: »

And I just had some great news. My girlfriend might not be coming home with me for Spraoi, so even more uninterrupted festivities for me!

:eek: Oh no, how will we ever cope!

Can't fcuking wait for Spraoi, as always. Turned back the clock last year and basically spent the entire weekend in town. And the parade being back to the Sunday night (I assume) is brilliant. Felt like a bit of a letdown the last few years.

wmpdd3

I dont think people realise the parade is back on Sunday night. A few people were commenting how much better it was that was way.

Cloono-43

The parade wont be on the sunday night its on sunday during the day. Same route as spraoi in the park

Professey Chin

Cloono-43 wrote: »

The parade wont be on the sunday night its on sunday during the day. Same route as spraoi in the park

Ah for fcuk sake :mad:

nkay1985

The Chin wrote: »

Ah for fcuk sake :mad:

Agreed what a load of balls. I'd love to know their reasoning.

dayshah

nkay1985 wrote: »

Agreed what a load of balls. I'd love to know their reasoning.

Though the night parade is great for the older crowd, an earlier parade is more family friendly.

MitchKoobski

Even if they had the parade around 6 or 7 on the normal route. The whole People's Park route is just terrible imo.

jonnyfingers

MitchKoobski wrote: »

Even if they had the parade around 6 or 7 on the normal route. The whole People's Park route is just terrible imo.

Yeah, there's always a slump between the last of the shows on the Sunday and nighttime gigs in the pubs which the parade filled nicely. Watching the fireworks on the quay was always a great end to the day, and a good start to the night!

MitchKoobski

I suppose one valid reason for holding it during the day is the drinking in the streets. We've all experienced some drunk 16 year old stumbling past us at some point while waiting for the parade. They're a minority, but I wouldn't be suprised if this was one of the reasons for avoiding a nightime parade.

jonnyfingers

MitchKoobski wrote: »

We've all experienced some drunk 16 year old stumbling past us at some point while waiting for the parade.

Good thing I'll be a drunk 29 year old!

P.S. Flights home booked. Really looking forward to Spraoi weekend now.

Cloono-43

Em the drinking on the streets is one side to look at but imo no matter what time you have the parade you will have that problem.

I suppose it was just something new dont want to be a one trick poney for 18 years. It could go back to basics soooon

Whatsthisabout

I can imagine lots of artistic reasons to have a day parade.

The new route allows for the crowd to get much closer to the action. Parts of the quay are far two wide and spread out.

Corners mean there are some surprises. On the quay the whole parade is getting spoiled by seeing bits and pieces in the distance coming at you, the new route means you don’t really see anything until you are suppose to.

Night parades are a different animal, lots of lights and flares etc. A day parade is more about how good the floats are finished and the performances etc.

Aoifey!

Can't wait, missed it last year so I have a lot to make up for

garp

nkay1985 wrote: »

Agreed what a load of balls. I'd love to know their reasoning.

Easy... Too many pissed people causing too much trouble for folk during the evening.. Smiple as.

Have done the parade for a very long time and I thought that last years was the best by far... (IMO)

jonnyfingers

Spraoi Programme Baby!



Well a provisional programme. No Rhythm Route yet.

thewhale

Day time parade lets more of the family enjoy the experience.... very hard to keep a 4 or 5 year old happy waiting for a parade at 9 at night! And its supposed to be a family parade. With regard to the park route, i feel its much better... and its actually longer! so people don't have to be 5 and 6 deep in the crowd! And also now there are islands with trees up the middle of the quay, so big floats, like what spraoi are masters in, cannot pass up there, im assuming.... dont know what this means for st patricks day!

wmpdd3

Good point, there's no way the King Kong float on Paddy's day would fit past there now.

ThePinkCage

I don't

It's better for families and less room for eejitry. Atmosphere way warmer than at night. And I don't have children.

Though I do have a view of the Park from my flat so that does sway my judgement somewhat.

jonnyfingers

So I found out there will be no fireworks at the end of Spraoi because they had a few fireworks displays for the Tall Ships. I'm disappointed about that. I'm coming home especially for Spraoi and always look forward to the fireworks.

Oh well, I'll just have to have a few extra drinks on Sunday night in their honour!

libra02

jonnyfingers wrote: »

So I found out there will be no fireworks at the end of Spraoi because they had a few fireworks displays for the Tall Ships. I'm disappointed about that. I'm coming home especially for Spraoi and always look forward to the fireworks.

Oh well, I'll just have to have a few extra drinks on Sunday night in their honour!

Personally I think that is a cop out by Spraoi to blame Tall Ships as Spraoi did not pay for the firworks out of any budget they have. The cash came from the Tall Ships Budget as far as I am aware.

Why Spraoi do not be honest and say look our funding has been cut by Arts Council, fundraising is down and with recession we just cannot stretch to fireworsk this year. People would not mind too much.

jonnyfingers

libra02 wrote: »

Personally I think that is a cop out by Spraoi to blame Tall Ships as Spraoi did not pay for the firworks out of any budget they have. The cash came from the Tall Ships Budget as far as I am aware.

Why Spraoi do not be honest and say look our funding has been cut by Arts Council, fundraising is down and with recession we just cannot stretch to fireworsk this year. People would not mind too much.

I was thinking along the same lines.


Also having the parade during the day around the peoples park and then the fireworks that night on the quay is kind of ridiculous as they events and places are a bit removed. It was good when the parade was on the quay and the fireworks signaled the end of it. Is this years lack of fireworks a sign of things to come for future Spraoi festivals?