City of Dublin Winter Solstice Celebration Festival 2019
Smashing Times and Slí an Chroí, in partnership with TU Dublin, are delighted to announce the 10th annual City of Dublin Winter Solstice Celebration Festival, taking place on Friday, 20 December, 2019 from 4 to 6.30pm in TU Dublin Grangegorman Campus.
Where: TU Dublin Grangegorman Campus
When: Friday, 20 December, 2019, 4-6.30pm
The festival begins at 4pm at TU Dublin, Grangegorman Campus. All are welcome to come and enjoy storytelling, music, face-painting, and workshops on craft-making, as well as an outdoor ceremony, as attendees gather together and celebrate this special turning point in the year. The event is a colourful gathering of local communities and national and international visitors to mark the turn of the seasons. It celebrates the return of the light, as the days begin to lengthen once more, and as such is an occasion of rebirth and renewal.
Audiences have the opportunity to attend wonderful storytelling sessions with artists including Gemma McGowan. Participants can create their own personal ‘withy’ (a decorated twig for your blessings, prayers, wishes). Creative workshops include lantern-making, bee care, and a participatory theatre-based workshop on European creation myths. Celebrated musician Hilary Bow will perform her own original music, while a selection of environmental organisations will have information stands at the event. Creative stalls include the holly brooch and ivy wreath stand, the withy stand, and the face-painting corner.
At 5.45, the festival moves outside to An Croí square of the TU Dublin Grangegorman campus, to watch a colourful, choreographed movement performance celebrating the arrival onto the square of the Snow Queen and Ice princesses, followed by the magnificent Sun Goddess. Smithfield’s Slí an Chroí Holistic Centre then offer a heart-warming, soul-stirring Celtic ceremony celebration to round off this indigenous festival.
The City of Dublin Winter Solstice Celebration Festival is a family-friendly, participatory and inclusive event. The focus is to provide the opportunity for artists and audiences to interact in a celebratory context, raise awareness on our relationship with the environment, and to offer the enjoyment of movement, music, and theatre.
Click here for more information, while booking is available here.
Next Day Event – Winter Solstice Celebration of Ancestral Honouring
Where: Smithfield Square
When: Saturday, 21 December, 2019, 6pm
On Saturday, 21 December, come join John Cantwell and Karen Ward of local Slí an Chroí Holistic Centre for a ‘Celtic Journey’ meditation on Smithfield Square at 6pm by the Christmas Tree. The flame of Newgrange will be lit by a child at dawn from the first rays of the rising Sun. This will be preceded by a Winter Solstice Feast at L Mulligans Grocers, Stoneybatter Village and their co-founder Seáneen Sullivan, to sample the hearty food our ancestors would have enjoyed at the time of mid-winter. The details of this exciting event will be announced on Slí an Chroí Facebook page soon, as booking will be essential.
Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality incorporating Smashing Times Theatre and Film Company and Smashing Times Youth Arts Ensemble
Coleraine House, Coleraine Street, Dublin 7, Ireland.
Tel: + 353 (0) 1 865 6613 Tel: + 353 (0) 87 221 4245
Email: info@smashingtimes.ie Website: www.smashingtimes.ie