Imagine That : Waterford Arts Festival Hits It's Teens

I have lived away from Waterford for most of the last twenty years but have been a frequent visitor for holidays .  The county's charm during the Summer months is easy to see in the miles of beautiful coastline and above average hours of sunshine. (They don't call it the sunny South East for nothing.) But even during the darker days of  late October,while jazz fans beat a path to Cork and opera aficionados  bored of the big house repertoire converge on Wexford, my arts destination of choice has usually been  Waterford, the attraction being  one of the best and quirkiest small arts festivals on offer in our festival infested isle; Despite the odds, Imagine Arts Festival is hanging in there and this year, it celebrates 13 years of  activity in the arts arena.

What appealed to me was the conviviality and the broad range of arts experiences at low cost running throughout the day. You could start with Booze Blaas and Banter (a uniquely Waterford event), carry on to a history talk and finish with a rare  music gig in the evening and that was not to consider at all the arts exhibitions which usually escaped me. 

This year, I am viewing the festival through the prism of a being a Waterford resident and involved in the team of volunteers assisting director Ollie Breslin.  I am looking forward to blogging on the festival. 

The festival programme is being launched this Thursday in the newly refurbished St Patrick's Church. The special guest invited to launch the programme is the esteemed editor of The Irish Times. Kevin O Sullivan hails from Tramore and it will be a rare opportunity to hear one of the most influential figures of the fourth estate off the page so to speak.  See you there! 

Report from the archive Cathys Reviews Ten Best Arts Events of 2013