Waterford - Europe's City of Christmas 2024 - is Winterval ready!
Mayor of Waterford City and County Cllr Jason Murphy with Winterval Eleves Willow Kenny (8), Teddy Darmondy (5), Jack O’Neill (6) and Katelyn Darmody (8).
On Tuesday evening, October 8, the people of Waterford gathered to see what's in store for this year's Winterval.
With only one month to go until the official launch of the Yuletide extravaganza, festival organisers presented the jam-packed schedule in The Garden Room of the Medieval Museum.
Elves scurried around as gatherers ate Christmas cake and drank hot chocolate, soaking in the sounds of Darlene Love and The Crystals.
Anticipation is high for this year's festival, especially after Waterford was named European City of Christmas 2024.
Waterford will be pairing up with fellow European Christmas capital Brno, the second largest city in Czech Republic.
A portal will be installed in the Apple Market offering a real-time, unfiltered livestream to connect our cities as we celebrate the festivities.
The Winterval ice rink and fairground are set to return to the city’s quayside, while the wonderous Winterval Illuminates Lightshow is bound for the city centre.
Throughout the city, there will be Gingerbread making workshops, the Glow Gardens with over 10,000 twinkling lights at New street, the Wobbly Mirror installation at The Apple Market, the Port of Waterford Eye and one-off events like the Jingle Bells Cycle, carol concerts, Suircon, a light-up tractor parade and much more.
At Garter Lane, the award-winning Dummies Corp, the Australian leader in slapstick children’s comedy, will perform their new show ‘Trash Test Dummies’.
The Winterval Big Top Live on Brown's Lane will feature great acts like Mick Flannery, Gavin James, Stereo MCs and EMF.
Mayor of Waterford City and County, Cllr Jason Murphy said: “I am delighted to officially announce the 2024 programme for the 12th annual Winterval festival and celebrate our City as the European City of Christmas.
"Winterval was a festival that began with a big ambition to lay claim to Waterford being the capital of Christmas in Ireland. Very early on that ambition was fulfilled but its ambitions to grow and offer more never faded.
The Mayor went on: "We are thrilled and honoured here in Waterford to celebrate our first year as a European City of Christmas, a title which will remain with the city from here onwards and one that we can continue to celebrate each year and build upon, just as the Winterval festival team have done over the last 12 years.
"We look forward to the opening of the Winterval Gateway, connecting with our European counterparts in the Czech Republic, who are also celebrating this year with their title as the European Capital of Christmas.”
Winterval Festival Directors John Grubb and Trevor Darmody said: “2024 is a milestone year for Winterval and Waterford.
"As the Mayor says, it is the first year of the celebration of our European title and while that has certainly added some pressure on us at Winterval to deliver more, it was a task that we relished; we took a look at what was happening at other festivals globally but also at what our beautiful ancient city could offer and we have come up with a programme that brings the two together."
They continued: "There are some wonderful and quirky events, held in some of our incredible and unique historic spaces.
"This year’s programme is fun-filled and light-hearted offering escapism and joy for all ages.
"We were especially conscious of the socialisers amongst us, who perhaps don’t have a requirement for Santa, so we have added lots of new elements to attract those audiences to the festival more and more too.”
Winterval 2024 will officially kick off on Friday, November 15, with a special appearance by Santa Claus himself to switch on the Christmas lights.
To learn more about the many events of Winterval 2024, go to winterval.ie
