Busy harvest weekend in Dunshaughlin
Dunshaughlin has the bunting up and is all set for the 2016 Harvest Festival, which will see a busy weekend in the village.
Fresh from celebrating the Royal Gaels victory in the ladies intermediate football championship final last weekend, the village will be en fete again this weekend, with both the Harvest Festival and the Nicolas Roche Summer Classic Cycle taking place there.
The Harvest Festival starts with a much anticipated Ghost event followed by the big movie night in St Seachnall's National School. Family favourite, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is hitting the big screen and tickets are selling quicker than a box of Wonka bars.
Saturday sees street markets, food markets, floral demonstrations, music, puppet shows, vintage car displays and more, and a special dedicated Teen Zone, while The Hit Machine returns with their drumming show to lead the St Seachnall's pageant and the Inferno fire, light and music show.
Sunday sees a crafts fair, fashion show, talent competition, kiddie disco and military display, as well as a village parade to showcase the 'Spirit of Dunshaughlin', passing through the main street to the park for an afternoon of fun.
Also on Sunday, Dunshaughlin and District Historical Society is hosting an exhibition of 1916 memorabilia, marking the centenary of the Easter Rising, from 1pm to 5pm.
It will include a list of local men involved in the struggle, present locals whose families were also involved, lifestyle and crafts before the advent of electricity, short talks on the area in 1916, a map of the village and its inhabitants then, and photos, a re-enactment of the Battle of Ashbourne by the Ashbourne Group, and an opportunity to taste the 'war' fare of the day - gur cake, and griddle bread, and trench cake, sent by Irish women to their loved ones in the trenches in World War One.
Country music star Mike Denver plays Dunshaughlin Community Centre on Sunday night, 25th September.
Saturday morning sees the annual Nicolas Roche Summer Classic set off from the village led by the cyclist himself, fresh after riding the Tour of Spain. Nicolas is always very generous with his time before, during and after the event with those who want to get autographs signed or simple have a cup of coffee and a chat with him. The leisure cycling event will start and finish at Dunshaughlin Community Centre. Nicolas will start with the 100km event and cycle with it for an hour. He will then be transported back to the start of the 50km where he will start the event and cycle with them for 25kms. He will then return for the family event where he will cycle with the famiies to the feed station at 6km where he will be able to mix with the participants before returning with them to the finish in the community centre.
Festival highlights - see facebook/dunfest for further details
Ghost Tour
Kick your festival weekend off with a visit to the Dunshaughlin Asylum for the Criminally Insane on Friday night. This event will run between 7pm - 10pm, with sessions running every 20 minutes.
Print your own t-shirt
Print your own T-Shirt with lots of stencils, including our very own#dunfest2016 logo. Print and collect a few hours later once it's dry :)
€5 for kids. €7 for adults
DunFest Krazy Kart
It's time to get the wheels in motion and begin to build or doctor up last year's kart for this brand new event.
Act now and channel your inner Mario as you design and create a super Krazy Kart. Put yourself in pole position for the off. Picture the red light as it turns green and you're half way there. All you need to do then is complete the course in the park and collect the coloured tokens along the way.
Points are awarded for finishing position and bonus points for tokens andstars collected along the way...
Movie Night
Open air movies come to Dunshaughlin this Harvest Festival. Taking place in the yard at the back of St. Seachnaill's National School.
The movie of choice, as voted by you is.... Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. (1971)
Single Ticket €5
Couples €9.50
Family (2 Adults, 3 Children) €24
(Excluding booking fee.)
Teen Zone
Book your wrist bands early for what promises to be one of this year's festival highlights... It'll be a fast paced, fun and competitive environment for all to enjoy with....
A bungee run
Sumo suits
An inflatable gladiator jousting
An inflatable obstacle course
A penalty shootout
A velcro wall
Bubble machine
Village Parade
We are asking you to gather your club mates, colleagues and friends to tog out in your best club colours, kit or costume... be as mad, crazy, colourful and silly as you want as there is €250 up for grabs for 'The most creative entry in the spirit of the festival.' Woop wooo... get your creative juices flowing folks. It's now or never. What could your club, society or group do with €250. We know what the Dunshaughlin Mothers and Others would do with it, that's for sure!!