Night and Day unveils family friendly schedule

Night and Day has unveiled its family friendly lineup for this year’s festival. Now entering its fifth year, Night and Day is one of the premier family friendly festivals in the country and junior festival goers will be able to partake in a range of immersive activities while attending from May 29th-31st in Boyle.

The family area, which is sponsored by The Courtyard Apartments Carrick on Shannon, opens at midday on Saturday, May 30th and includes robotics workshops, kite making.

The schedule also includes a children’s disco, circus skills, kids yoga, samba drumming, pottery making and much more. Children are also encouraged to take part in a festival parade at 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at the festival The festival takes place in the mature woodland setting of Lough Key Forest Park, Boyle.

Children can also forage for medicinal plants in the woods and take a guided tour of the forests with ecologists and experts from Coillte.

Family area co-ordinator of Night and Day Declan Hurley said: “This year sees the return of many regular favourites, along with some exciting new additions such as kite-making and robotics. As ever, the focus is on interactive activities catering to children from toddlers to early teens,” he said.

Musical acts performing across the weekend include: the Saw Doctors, Imelda May, the Boomtown Rats, the Hothouse Flowers, Imelda May, Jenny Greene, Soda Blonde, Big Country, Kíla, Richard Thompson, Paddy Casey and many more.

In all round 100 acts will perform across four new stages, including the newly added ‘Sound Bar’ stage which is a collaboration with iconic Galway music venues the Roisin Dubh and The Blue Bote as well as Sligo Brewery The White Had.

The main Queen Medb stage will host award winning Kila on the Friday night, the Saw Doctors on the Saturday and the Boomtown Rats on the Sunday as well as a host of other acts.

The Sol Stage will host DJ Jenny Greene on the Friday night. Last year, revellers were treated to a spectacular lights and dance music performance from the site of the iconic Moylurg Tower on the grounds of Lough Key with this year’s experience promising to be even better.

The Luna stage will see emerging Dublin group M(h)aol and Lemoncello both performing on the Saturday while local artist Arlene from Balintubber will also perform that night. Another locally based performer, Deirdre Cunningham will perform on the Una Bhán stage on the Saturday with Mayo singer-songwriter James Biggins taking to the same stage on the Sunday.

Night and Day is supported by Roscommon County Council and Coillte who are the shareholders in Lough Key Forest Park.

Speaking ahead of the festival, arts officer with Roscommon County Council Rhona McGrath said Night and Day kick-starts an extensive range of creative events in the county this summer. “Night and Day has become a vibrant and much anticipated addition to County Roscommon’s music calendar. It continues to grow and diversify each year, featuring established artists alongside a strong platform for emerging talent.

“The festival has found a fitting home in the beautiful setting of Lough Key Forest and Activity Park  where visitors and locals alike can enjoy the music, the unique atmosphere, and the ideal lakeside amenities.

“Roscommon County Council’s Creative Ireland Programme is pleased to support a range of engaging creative activities at the family area over the weekend,” concluded Ms McGrath, ahead of a busy summer of creative and artistic expression.