The Street Performance World Championship is bigger & better this year with its brand new name of Laya Healthcare’s City Spectacular.
With over 300,000 attending last year’s events, this year’s Laya Healthcare’s City Spectacular is set to be the highlight of the summer. It will transform parks in Dublin and Cork with free festivals, as well as celebrate Dublin city with 3 weeks of citywide collaborative events.
When is it?
DUBLIN: Merrion Square, Dublin 2
Friday 11th – Sunday 13th July, 12 - 8pm daily
CORK: Fitzgerald Park
Saturday 19th - Sunday 20th July, 12 - 8pm daily
DUBLIN: Various venues across Dublin
Friday 11th - Sunday 27th July
Full listings on cityspectacular.com
Merrion Square Map:
The performers:
13 international street performers will be participating at this year’s event. Six-time Guinness World Record Holding Sword Swallower Aerial Manx, YouTube loop artist sensation Mr.Woodnote, strait-jacket escapologist Rob Roy Collins and last year’s World Champion acrobatic duo Lords of Strut join this year’s line up of performers.
Lords of Strut (Ireland) - neon hi-tops, spandex unitards, gravity defying acrobatics and kick-ass dance routines. Performing in Dublin & Cork
Mr.Woodnote & Lil Rhys ft. Eva (UK/Australia) - bouncy beats, funky horn lines and fat bass lines all live on the spot with the aid of a loopstation with his saxaphone. Performing in Dublin
Aerial Manx (Australia) - combines sword-swallowing with acrobatics. Performing in Dublin & Cork
Rob Roy Collins (UK) – the strait-jacket escape artist is a master of movement, expert of escapology and adept at all things acrobatic. Performing in Dublin & Cork
Dan Raspyni (USA) - his original juggling routines have won him international championships. Performing in Dublin & Cork
Jack Wise (Ireland) - comedian, ventriloquist, sword swallower, magician and all round messer. Performing in Dublin & Cork
B-Xtreme (USA) - NYC break dance troupe. Performing in Cork
Dream State Circus (UK/Australia) - fire, acrobatics and comedy. Performing in Dublin & Cork
Les Freres Taquins (Belgium) - this magical mime act brings happiness and laughter to all who watch it. Performing in Dublin & Cork
Derek Derek (USA) - combination of Chinese pole acrobatics, audience participation, nerdy dancing, clowning, a family friendly striptease, and a love story. Performing in Dublin
Pyromancer (The Netherlands) - one of the world’s most accomplished fire- breathers. Performing in Dublin & Cork
Yukinko Akira (Japan) - this crazy Rhythm Painter bops, yawps, whoops and gets down all while painting a one off master piece. Performing in Dublin & Cork
Woody Woodman (Germany) – this figure comes to life by carving himself out of a tree stump, to tell a tale of the symbiosis between man and nature. Performing in Dublin & Cork
Blanko (Germany) - the world's best human statue and interactive live art movement that allows audience members to paint on 'Blanko' turning his white canvas into a colourful masterpiece. Performing in Dublin
The 13 international street performers are joined at Dublin’s free festival by 13 musicians, including: Ireland’s only New Orleans-style Brass Band, The Booka Brass Band; Dublin’s The Young Folk; and Interskalactic, a 10 piece ska and reggae band.
What else is going on?
In addition to the international street performers, this year’s free festivals include live music on the festival’s first ever Go Metro Music Stage, a food village, petting zoo, Laya Healthcare’s Family Area and much much more. Find out more here
Come and see us in the Today FM Irish Summer area - a throwback to all we love about summers in Ireland. Think red lemonade, 10p bags, windbreakers and tunes from your favourite summers. Definitely not to be missed is the chance to see Mums and Dads getting pied in the face or super-soaked at the Kid’s Court with Ray D’Arcy where it’s the children’s turn to get their own back on their elders. Find out more about Judge Ray D'Arcy's Kids Court here
The ESB Spark Your imagination area is brain food for little ones with educational workshops galore, with the Outdoor Living Room being your home away from home.
Dublin's 3 week citywide festival
A 3 week collaborative citywide programme including music concerts, walking tours, vintage gaming night, art exhibitions and much more will take place from 11th – 27th July at various venues around the city.
Featuring free and ticketed events, the festival is collaborating with those at the heart of the city, including a Street Art Walking Tour with acclaimed street artist Will.St.Leger, Art Exhibition with screen printing group Damn Fine Print, Midsummer Night’s Dream themed banquet dinner with Dublin’s cutting-edge and hip collective Hunt and Gather, and a Vintage Gaming Night at Lighthouse Cinema with Fade Street’s video game store R.A.G.E.
Dublin’s City Soul Festival, now in its 8th year, is rebranded as City Picnic and this free music concert will run in Merrion Square on July 26th and 27th.
Come see us!
As well as Ray D'Arcy holding court at Kid's Court on Saturday 12th July, Martin King will be broadcasting Summer Saturday from the Today FM Irish Summer area on the same day and Alison Curtis will be broadcasting The Mix-Up from there on Sunday 13th July.
More information
Check back soon for timetables of the events.
The full city wide programme is available at cityspectacular.com and tickets are available on entertainment.ie.
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