Lúnasa Festival ready…set…Grow

Over the last two years one of the region’s fastest growing grass-roots festivals has gone from strength to strength.  The Lúnasa Festival, which is coordinated by the Ring of Gullion Landscape Partnership Scheme (RoGLPS), has worked closely with a huge range of community groups and individuals to bring events as diverse as Zombie Apocalypse Survival Training and teddy bear’s picnics to happy audiences from across Armagh and beyond.

The Lúnasa Festival, established through funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and part funded by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, has grown in size and reach since its inception.  Part of its success is the broad range of partners who work together, bringing their own unique ideas and energy to the different events.  So to enable the continued growth of the Festival in 2017, RoGLPS is opening the door to new groups and people who may be interested in being a partner this year.

The Lúnasa Festival is a month-long festival taking place across the Ring of Gullion area during August.  It showcases the rich and diverse landscape, heritage and talents of the Ring of Gullion area through a wide range of indoor and outdoor events so that there is something for everyone.  In its first year 1200 people participated in the festival, the following year over 2000 people took part and this year we are hoping to double attendance to 4000!

There are two ways the RoGLPS can help partners to run successful heritage events:

As Independent Partners, organisers of established, self-sufficient events can take advantage of free additional marketing under the Lúnasa Festival brand.  Events will be promoted in the events guide, on the Partnership website and generally through Ireland-wide promotion of the Lúnasa Festival.

Alternatively people wanting to start a new event or whose events are not yet self-sufficient can become Assisted Partners and will be able to take advantage of not only the marketing but also additional support, which may be contributions towards things you need to run the event, additional staffing to run the event or support in organising the event.

If you, your club or business would like to become a partner for a bigger and better Lúnasa 2017, further information and an application can be downloaded here or give us a call on 028 3082 8594.

The deadline for applications is 5pm on 28th February 2017.