The Waterford Winter Firedance is six specially curated concerts, exhibitions and displays spread across the County. Each is organised separately and each will have the culmination of a local fireworks display on December 21st 2021.
Funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Media & Sport and produced by the Arts Service of Waterford City & County Council – the Winter Firedance combines the skills of professional curators, community groups, professional musicians, artists and senior event managers and technicians to bring together one of the most spread-out and varied programmes seen in this country all on one evening.
From the North County, South County, East County, Middle County and West County the Winter Firedance covers everything from Visual Arts, Experimental Music, Jazz, Traditional, Rock, Poetry, Story telling –on the longest evening of the year – The Winter Solstice. Then at 9pm SHARP – the sky across the County explodes in a massive coordinated display of fireworks – for seven minutes the skies above the Deisce will be dominated by Brocades, Chrysanthemums, Comets, Waterfalls, Dragon Eggs, Palm Trees, Strobes, Tourbillions and Willows – What a way to celebrate the longest and most mysterious night of the year.
The twin goals of the Waterford Winter Firedance are to give as many people as possible the chance to get out, be entertained and celebrate in a safe fashion as well as to employ the professionals who were hit especially badly over the past two years.
Ballyduff Upper:
Featuring The Booley House, CCÉ Ballyduff, The Boofs and Two’s Country. Please observe social distancing. Admission: 6:30pm. Concert: 7-9pm.
Fireworks: 9pm (no pets, please bring your pets inside between 8:50pm and 9:15pm).
Venue: St Michael’s Hall Car Park, Ballyduff Upper.
Ballymacarbry:
Featuring: DJ Mike from 7pm, Supersoul Machine from 8-9pm. A family friendly event. Please observe social distancing. Fireworks at 9pm. (No pets, please bring your pets inside between 8:50pm and 9:15pm).
Venue: Ballymacarbry Community Centre.
Cappoquin:
Festival-In-A-Van comes to Cappoquin – A fun filled show with great music and craic galore! Free, family friendly event. Featuring: Opera and Christmas show tunes from 6:10pm, Padraic Di Fusco & Peter O’Sullivan from 6:50pm, Ad Hoc: Caroline King & Eoghan O’Neill from 7:35pm and Nyle Wolfe & Ryan Morgan – The big Christmas show tunes finale! Fireworks at 9pm. No alcohol is permitted. Please observe social distancing.
Venue: Cappoquin Carpark (please note that the carpark will be closed from 4pm to facilitate Winter Firedance event)
Dungarvan:
Outdoor concert featuring: Tunefest Céilí Band, Danny & Tommy Dunford, The Loungeroom Lizards, Special guests and a super special appearance from Santa. A Free, family friendly event. Please observe social distancing. Time: 5pm to 9pm.
Venue: Grattan Square for the concert.
Kilmurrin Cove:
Viking Promotions in association with The Art Hand presents SuperSonic Sand Live featuring: Banba, Stephen Brennan, Nylon Primate, Lapse, Andy Killian, WOB! And Mixile. A Free, family friendly event. All children must be supervised by an adult at all times. This is strictly a non alcohol event. Please observe social distancing and make road safety and water safety a priority. Time: 4:30pm to 9pm. Fireworks at 9pm.
Venue: Kilmurrin Cove, The Copper Coast, Waterford.
Waterford City:
An open air concert featuring Music Generation, Paul Dillon, Ailíse O’Neill, Bill Stuart, Caoimhe Power and Amber and The Bear. AFamily friendly event. Please observe social distancing and note that no alcohol is permitted at the event.
Venue; William Vincent Wallace Plaza, Parade Quay, Waterford.
The Quays will be closed from 8.30pm to 9.30pm on the night. While some delays can be expected, Gardaí and stewards will be at major junctions to assist with diversions
Livestreaming: And for those who dont want to venture far… The intention is to live stream everything! Come back for further details.
The Waterford Winter Firedance is funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Media & Sport under the Local Live Performance Programming Scheme 2 (LLPPS2). Its predecessor, LLPPS1, gave the county the fantastic Anseo programme concerts in Dungarvan and the City. Both ventures were produced by the Arts Service of Waterford City & County Council.
The Winter Firedance combines the skills of the following curators, producers and organisers: Anna Jordan, Rebecca Cappuccino, Sean Corcoran (and the Art Hand), Robin Whelan (MediaHelm), Louise Byrne, Tom Hyland and Gillian Lynch (Booley House), Festival In A Van, Donnacha Gough, DBL, Every Event, Music Generation Waterford and Rocket Pyrotechnics.
Go to http://www.winterfiredance.ie for further information.
How do you book one of these events for winter firedance? Thanks
I think there is capacity at Ballymcarbry and I know the Waterford City Gig is looking for volunteers – check Anna Jordan’s FB Page.