Dúchas, Damhsa & Dolly Carnival Parade

This year’s Carnival Parade is a harvest time celebration of all things country and community. Over 200 performers will take to the streets of Ballyshannon in a riot of spectacle, music and dance to celebrate the Harvest Fair Day tradition and the memory of Dolly Parton, with a host of local and visiting performers and groups.

Co-ordinated by Maura Logue of Dark Daughter Productions, the Parade will feature one of Ireland’s top street arts companies, Inishowen Carnival and the Aislingí Dancers and their Spirit Animals spectacle, as well as Sligo’s Know Promises Theatre, the Dolly P Dancers, Bundoran’s Surf and Creatives Tribe, Rossnowlagh Farmers Market and Rogue Pirates, In Your Space Circus, Rossnowlagh Ramblers, ATU Sligo Performing Arts, Michelle Belle School of Dance, Stars of The West, Killybegs Youth Accordian Band and Foresters Hall Youth Drama, led out by the talented young performer Séamie Seán Brennan of Rossnowlagh.

Offering a platform for new work by artists from the North West, the Carnival Parade will showcase designs and performances by Orson Sterritt, Maurice McLaughlin, Angel Gallagher, Corrie McDermot, Órla McSharry, Caoimhe Davidson and Niamh O’Brien.

A special feature of this year’s event will be the hotly anticipated Carnival Finalé, with its country music and harvest time theme, devised by Carnival artist-in-residence Zoë Hayter (Footsbarn, Macnas) and Fiona Maria Fitzpatrick (Big Guerrilla Productions).

Co-funded by Creative Ireland.