The Winterval Festival in Waterford is set to open with three days of celebrations as the City begins its 12th annual Winterval Festival and its title as the European City of Christmas.
Starting today Friday, November 15th, festivities will be opened by the Mayor of Waterford City and County, Jason Murphy, and Santa Claus will be arriving just in time from the North Pole to switch on the Christmas lights at 6 pm.
On Saturday, November 16th, at 5.30 pm the Winterval Parade will take place in the city with a ceremony to officially declare the European City of Christmas title. It will feature acts from The Trash Test Dummies, the cast of Waterford Panto's 'and the delightful Waterford Viking Elves, 'old world' choristers, the Winterval Mini Express Train, visitors from The North Pole, Monster Trucks, Nutcracker Brass Band, Fire Performers and some of the big man's naughtiest elves and even Mrs Claus.
The parade will make its way from Parnell St and travel onto The Mall with a spectacular special effects display to be showcased from the roof of the Bishop's Palace.
On Sunday at 12 noon the ‘Gateway to Brno’ will be officially opened, with the first exchange taking place between Europe’s City of Christmas - Waterford, and Europe’s Capital of Christmas Brno in the Czech Republic. Throughout the festival visitors to Waterford’s Apple Market will be able to enjoy a cultural exchange with the people of the Czech Republic along with a calendar of festive performances planned for airing during the festival's opening hours.
There are over 50 events in total for the duration of the festival and over half are free of charge.
Some of the free events on the programme include a magical GLOW garden, a Viking Elf trail hunt, a Viking Yule Village by Deise Medieval, storytelling sessions with Kitty Caboodle, a roaming 'Old World group of carolers' a free music stage, a model circus and fairground exhibition and lots more.
Other events on the programme include festival favourites like the Winterval Illuminates Lightshow offering an enchanting evening spectacle, the ice rink on the city's Quayside, the vintage Ferris wheel at Arundel Square, a vintage carousel in John Robert's Square, the Port of Waterford Eye and the Winterval mini Express train, the Elf workshops, Polish Christmas, Santa's VR sleigh ride in Cathedral Square, helter-skelter and more. Santa takes centre stage of course at the festival in the City's medieval caverns underneath the stunning Medieval Museum in the Viking Triangle.
The 12th annual Winterval Festival programme is available to view and book online at www.winterval.ie
Winterval is supported by Waterford City and County Council as well as a host of other local, national and international businesses, with a keen interest in Waterford and the South East region.
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