Riverfest 2012

iguana

Riverfest will bring powerboats and thousands of visitors to Limerick

By Alan Owens
Published on Wednesday 11 April 2012 15:05

THE IRISH National Powerboat Championships will take place in Limerick as part of Riverfest on the May Bank Holiday weekend, it was announced today.

The city will host a round of the spectacular boating event on the weekend of May 4-7, which has now become one of the biggest in the city’s calendar, with the Great Limerick Run and Munster playing at home adding to an estimated 40,000 visitors who come to the city for Riverfest.

Organisers stress that the festival aims to celebrate “all that is great about Limerick city” across music, sporting, artistic and food communities.

Among some of the highlights announced are the return of the Great Limerick BBQ, live music from the Sawdoctors in the Big Top at the Milk Market, a continental market and artisan craft fair, live fashion and theatre events and a city-wide bar exemption for pubs - the first such application for Riverfest in some four years.

City-based analysts Focus Consulting have estimated that the specific events taking place last year as part of Riverfest 2011 generated an economic value of €3.54m for Limerick city.

Contd>>>>http://www.limerickleader.ie/lifestyle/entertainment/riverfest-will-bring-powerboats-and-thousands-of-visitors-to-limerick-1-3722344

I'm planning on being in Limerick for the bank holiday, is any of this actually any good or is it a bit of a waste of time? I'll probably check out the fireworks on Saturday night anyway.

I thought it was a bit funny that last years Riverfest is now supposed to have generated €3.54m for the city when last year all the pre-fest claims were that it was worth €15-20m.

gaf1983

In my opinion a lot depends on the weather. The market stalls and the barbecue competition along George's Quay on the Saturday are usually very good, there's also a great buzz for the Great Limerick Run what with bands playing along the route - as a half-marathon entrant myself my main gripe is that it's on the Sunday morning instead of the Saturday thereby somewhat limiting how wild I can go on Saturday...

SeanW89

I went to the carnival parade they had on last year, there was some good bands playing on the streets and a good atmosphere for most people. I was outside smyths and the office and there were good crowds. There are a lot of young knackers around who started causing loads of trouble later on in the night though which ruined it for a lot of people.

FutureGuy

There's an event going on Saturday night called 24-hour theatre. The premise is that a group of theatre performers get together on Friday and have 24 thours to write, produce, rehearse and direct 4 brand new pieces for the Saturday night.

Definately a great idea.

http://www.limerickleader.ie/lifestyle/entertainment/limerick-theatre-company-orchard-to-bring-fruits-of-24-hour-theatre-challenge-to-bear-1-3727217#

zuroph

SeanW89 wrote: »

I went to the carnival parade they had on last year, there was some good bands playing on the streets and a good atmosphere for most people. I was outside smyths and the office and there were good crowds. There are a lot of young knackers around who started causing loads of trouble later on in the night though which ruined it for a lot of people.

That wasn't riverfest

Miike

SeanW89 wrote: »

I went to the carnival parade they had on last year, there was some good bands playing on the streets and a good atmosphere for most people. I was outside smyths and the office and there were good crowds. There are a lot of young knackers around who started causing loads of trouble later on in the night though which ruined it for a lot of people.

So would you recommend Mardi Gras to others?

hightower1

Miike wrote: »

So would you recommend Mardi Gras to others?

I was there myself also and IMO I woulnt recomend it but then again my tollerance for knackers is very low. If you dont mind wading through scummers and general trailer trash then yeah, its worth heading out that little bit early if you were going to go out anyway but if not then Id say to avoid.

Also bear in mind that the knacker count will only rise year on year as more hear about what a "daycent" time it is.

maryk123

I was there last year and i thought it was a great weekend - you know there are knackers in every city - just look past them - this is someone who wants to come to limerick and enjoy his weekend a bit of positivity is needed sometimes -there is lots on that weekend and i think its a great weekend to come to limerick. hope you enjoy it.

phog

I see that they're doing a fireworks display this year too

iguana

maryk123 wrote: »

I was there last year and i thought it was a great weekend - you know there are knackers in every city - just look past them - this is someone who wants to come to limerick and enjoy his weekend a bit of positivity is needed sometimes -there is lots on that weekend and i think its a great weekend to come to limerick. hope you enjoy it.

It's ok I'm actually from Limerick and am coming down to see family, I just haven't been home on this weekend since it was Paddy Expo.

Mahna Mahna

I've been going to Riverfest for the past 4 years and I enjoy it. I hope it is dry this year though, barbeques are not that great in the rain.