'Winterval' Festival

Jason Todd

SPQRI wrote: »

''A few hours of your time during the month of December would help enormously. Enjoy the magic of Christmas by volunteering for some of the events that are planned from November 30th to December 23rd''


Are these people really for real? Do ye live in the real f...... world?
'Enjoy the magic of Christmas by volunteering'
Is this the limit of the Waterford City Councils thinking?
I'll assume 'you' are asking people to donate their time to promote Waterford City for absolute nothing??
There are both enough idiots volunteering & more than enough councils literally taking advantage of people by using them without payment using the excuse of limited funding.

Anyone who volunteers for this needs their heads examined...
Wait....maybe B.... will be at the forefront or will he be doing his shopping in Kilkenny!!!

Nice first post, you'll go far :rolleyes:

Cabaal

SPQRI, if people want to volunteer that's their business and its none of your concern, you appear to have some chip on your shoulder

stefan idiot jones

SPQRI, for your information, I have done some volunteering and it's not just about what you can give, it's what you get back in return i.e. a bit of satisfaction that you are doing something positive for your community. Enjoy your Christmas.

Max Powers

SPQRI wrote: »

''A few hours of your time during the month of December would help enormously. Enjoy the magic of Christmas by volunteering for some of the events that are planned from November 30th to December 23rd''


Are these people really for real? Do ye live in the real f...... world?
'Enjoy the magic of Christmas by volunteering'
Is this the limit of the Waterford City Councils thinking?
I'll assume 'you' are asking people to donate their time to promote Waterford City for absolute nothing??
There are both enough idiots volunteering & more than enough councils literally taking advantage of people by using them without payment using the excuse of limited funding.

Anyone who volunteers for this needs their heads examined...
Wait....maybe B.... will be at the forefront or will he be doing his shopping in Kilkenny!!!

Thankfully, this mentality is not common but is visible none the less, truly pathetic post, i can only assume the person is very young and very immature. Fair play to all involved in what looks like a great initiative

Luckycharms_74

SPQRI wrote: »

''A few hours of your time during the month of December would help enormously. Enjoy the magic of Christmas by volunteering for some of the events that are planned from November 30th to December 23rd''


Are these people really for real? Do ye live in the real f...... world?
'Enjoy the magic of Christmas by volunteering'
Is this the limit of the Waterford City Councils thinking?
I'll assume 'you' are asking people to donate their time to promote Waterford City for absolute nothing??
There are both enough idiots volunteering & more than enough councils literally taking advantage of people by using them without payment using the excuse of limited funding.

Anyone who volunteers for this needs their heads examined...
Wait....maybe B.... will be at the forefront or will he be doing his shopping in Kilkenny!!!

What a retarded post. You obviously have some serious chip on your shoulder. As Ziedth said if people never volunteered for various things in this City they wouldn't happen. I think anyone who donated their free time as volunteers should be commended not ridiculed. We gotta help get this city back on its feet. It's people like you that keep putting those hard working people down.

Sully

I have given this thread a small clean up to avoid it going completely off topic. Valid responses were fine but its gone a bit messy at this stage in the topic!

I think its best that the immediate replies to such are left at that, rather than to completely derail this thread. I have merged it with the existing thread also on Winterval.

Cabbage_Head

SPQRI wrote: »

''A few hours of your time during the month of December would help enormously. Enjoy the magic of Christmas by volunteering for some of the events that are planned from November 30th to December 23rd''


Are these people really for real? Do ye live in the real f...... world?
'Enjoy the magic of Christmas by volunteering'
Is this the limit of the Waterford City Councils thinking?
I'll assume 'you' are asking people to donate their time to promote Waterford City for absolute nothing??
There are both enough idiots volunteering & more than enough councils literally taking advantage of people by using them without payment using the excuse of limited funding.

Anyone who volunteers for this needs their heads examined...
Wait....maybe B.... will be at the forefront or will he be doing his shopping in Kilkenny!!!

They're not asking people to volunteer to pick up needles or do physical labour.. Looking for a hand to make the city a nicer place for families, children, residents, visitors. Will get some people out of the house, give everyone a sense of feel-good while in general adding to community spirit. I don't know what you have shoved up your ar$e but you should probably see a doctor about it

nkay1985

I'm going down there this evening anyway. See what they're looking for help with. I get the benefit of all the things that happen in Waterford, why not give something back?

Sully

Sully wrote: »

I have given this thread a small clean up to avoid it going completely off topic. Valid responses were fine but its gone a bit messy at this stage in the topic!

I think its best that the immediate replies to such are left at that, rather than to completely derail this thread. I have merged it with the existing thread also on Winterval.

As above. Please stay on topic, rather than derail the thread any further. Not fair on the crew working on the festival!

beazee

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aO8wHqtTTek

YT description:
On Saturday the 31st of November, shoppers in John Robert's Square in Waterford City got a huge surprise when over 100 children broke into seemingly spontaneous festive song and dance where they expressed their love of Christmas and their excitement about Winterval, Ireland's Christmas Festival which will take place in Waterford for the month of December. For more details please go to www.winterval.ie

looksee

YT description:
On Saturday the 31st of November, shoppers in John Robert's Square in Waterford City got a huge surprise when over 100 children broke into seemingly spontaneous festive song and dance where they expressed their love of Christmas and their excitement about Winterval, Ireland's Christmas Festival which will take place in Waterford for the month of December. For more details please go to www.winterval.ie[/QUOTE]

Huh? That has to be Saturday 1st December...and as far as I know its still November.

beazee

well looksee, looksee

nkay1985

I just put the following status up on Facebook. I wonder if everyone else would do something similar? It really is looking like it's going to be great but, as the organiser said last night, it's now our job to make sure it's not Ireland's best-kept secret. Let's spread the word and get people here in their droves. I, for one, can't wait for the buzz that will surely be around.

I was at the trail walk for the Winterval festival (Ireland's Christmas Festival, as the branding goes) last night, led by the organiser, Barry Monaghan. Hearing him talk about the events that will be happening really brought home to me what an amazing festival this is going to be. Of the 27 events, over 20 are free and the paid events are very good value.

It ALL sounds great but highlights for me are the Hasbro Toy Museum, featuring toys from all over the world and from many decades, the Georgian Christmas at the Bishop's Palace, the Hot Chocolate and Movies at The Bowery where 'The Santa Clause' and 'It's a Wonderful Life' will play a few times a day and Waterford Illuminates, a 3D audio-visual show along the lines of what was done with Buckingham Palace for the jubilee celebrations.

Waterford is going to be taking taking full advantage of its amazing heritage with buildings hundreds of years old being used as venues for the various events.

Check out the details of the festival on the Winterval site which I've linked. If you're from Waterford, get out there and support this great initiative. If you're not from here, consider a day trip or an overnight stay - the hotels are doing great deals.

Spread the word (share this status if you like) and let's all do our best to ensure this is as successful as it deserves to be.

One final note, if any of you could give even a couple of hours of your time to volunteer it would help greatly. Winterval are looking for volunteers for the following activities: to help with the Toy Museum in City Hall, to steward the audio-visual show in Cathedral Square, to help with the story-telling (I think it's in Reginald's Tower) and to act as "welcome ambassadors" like we had during the Tall Ships, to ensure everyone has as good an experience as possible while they're here.

I don't think it's a lot to ask considering the potential benefits of this initiative.

wmpdd3

I think this is brilliant and an excellent use of money.

I'd love to help out but I work in retail!

I have spread the word and have relatives coming form Wexford for a 2 night stay.

deisemum

Who do you contact about volunteering?

nkay1985

deisemum wrote: »

Who do you contact about volunteering?

I'd say the easiest way is to give the Winterval office a shout on 051-856526 or, if you're in town, call in there. It's just down the Quay from Reginald's Tower.

You could also email them on wcityv@gmail.com. That's the email address I've gotten any correspondence from.

It'd be great if you could help out at all.

Max Powers

deisemum wrote: »

Who do you contact about volunteering?

im sure the winterval office on the quay near Jordans pub could put you in contact with right person/s. Think its open 11-3 most days

deisemum

Thanks, I've just sent an email to the above email address.

old gregg

I've just received an email from ALA Events in Dublin who are apparently managing the festival. I've no connection with event management but surely a local company would have been able to do this?

Psychedelic

old gregg wrote: »

I've just received an email from ALA Events in Dublin who are apparently managing the festival. I've no connection with event management but surely a local company would have been able to do this?

The Christmas market and the festival was always organised in-house by Waterford City Council, or they hired a local person. I think ALA are just managing the market, and not the whole festival.

I'd assume that the Winterval organisers thought they needed a big company to bring in more traders for the market (i.e. more money for the festival budget) than could be achieved locally, as presumably ALA would have more contacts and manpower to do so.

beazee

old gregg wrote: »

I've just received an email from ALA Events in Dublin

Not sure what's the story with ALA Events but "led by the organiser, Barry Monaghan" is definitely a chair of a local, Waterford based company.

beazee

old gregg wrote: »

I've just received an email from ALA Events in Dublin who are apparently managing the festival. market
FY

ALA events will be supplying 3 types of stalls for traders to rent.
- Traditional walk in wooden chalets.
- Traditional front serving hatch chalets.
- Hexagonal wooden chalets
These are being offered at an introductory rate to allow the festival to develop & increase the turnover for traders.

http://alaevents.ie/brochures/Waterford%20_wintervale_2012.pdf
http://alaevents.ie/?portfolio=waterford-winterval

old gregg

No, my wording was correct to start with, thanks.

Their web site confirms this: http://alaevents.ie/?portfolio=waterford-winterval

with ALA Events being very proud to have been chosen to manage what can only be described as a spectacular and exciting Festival for the city of Waterford

Their email also confirms this.

It would be curious to learn who made the decision to take the business out of Waterford and their reasons. There is a level at which I find it interesting that locals are encouraged to volunteer for the good of the retail/tourist trade yet a Dublin company will make money out of this at a time when a local business might have been able to do just as good a job. It's not a big issue with me, just curious.

skinnyboy

Are the christmas lights bein turned on this friday??

Psychedelic

Yeah the lights are being turned on this Friday, probably around 5.30pm. WLR are doing an outside broadcast on the day.

Hoffmans

AS GABE BYRNE would say its "a shakedown" designed to lighten your pockets if you have anything left after the xmas shopping, would say its aimed at well above the working class natives....

wellboytoo

Christ ye are a cynical crowd of Grinch's no doubt.

Kracken

Jaysus, all we hear is bitchen and moaning about how nothing happens in Waterford, or waterford this and waterford that.

And when something does happen, you whine about it. Get over yourselves. Having Winterval is great, they could have hired Joe from Timbuktu for all I care.

The fact is it drawing attention, people and money to the city. Not only that, what about the spending of money in the secondary services like the local coffee shops or native retailers. All that extra revenue, might actually stop another shop from going under.

Why don't you turn that negativity into something positive and help out. Because the fact of the matter is we not only have to save the hospital but we have to save the city from ourselves.

I for one will be at the festival, enjoy the festivity, the joy and the fact that there is something going on in the city for once.

old gregg

Personally I don't have a problem with the festival as such. Anything that brightens the streets is great. My query was purely in relation to local businesses being bypassed which does impact upon local prosperity. It is unfortunate that that an opinion can be twisted by some resulting in inane statements like 'get over yourselves'.

jad2007

As old Gregg mentioned above Im all for Winterval, it does seem odd that the event company hired is run by the main orgainiser of the festival.