Cork pubs plan for decades in a new festival approach
Cork's internationally known jazz festival started from humble beginnings in a small room in the Metropole Hotel, and now city publicans are hoping for similar success with their Decades Festival --which will see punters hitting pubs in the style of various decades.
The Decades Festival, which will take place in 40 pubs in Cork city on Friday and Saturday, is the publicans' attempt to draw punters back to Cork city centre as the trend continues for drinking in suburban pubs or at home.
Festival-goers are being asked to dress in fancy dress in the decade of their choice be it "Roaring Forties" or "Swinging Sixties". Pubs involved will be making an effort to create the illusion of times past, with venues decorated to reflect their chosen decade. Music and entertainment from various decades will also be provided.
Publican Con Dennehy, who is one of organisers of the event, said he hoped the festival would one day be as successful as the Guinness Jazz Festival.
"The Jazz Festival started in one room in the Metropole Hotel and it has put Cork completely on the map. We have drawn a lot of ideas from the Jazz Festival and we are having a decades trail similar to the jazz trail.
"Forty pubs in the city will all be doing different decades from the Twenties through the Forties and going on to the Eighties. We are asking publicans to dress their staff in the style of the decade and to play the music of the decade. It is completely free and we are calling on people to come in and enjoy themselves."
The publicans who are organising the event plan to expand it out to Cork city suburbs next year and they are also looking at the feasibility of having a big name band from the Seventies or Eighties play in a venue such as Pairc Ui Chaoimh or Musgrave Park.
Mr Dennehy said the event was being completely organised by publicans in conjunction with support from Carlsberg and media sponsors 96FM. He added it was about time that the city got another major new festival.
"We saw the need for something in the city. Galway has the races and so on. We want to get people used to going back in to Cork city. People have to get re-acquainted with the city as so many people are staying local."
A trail map will be available soon around the city, which will be a guide to the venues and their decades.
A website, www.decadesfestivalcork.ie, has been launched providing information on the bands and entertainment on offer over the weekend as well as tips and hints for fancy dress costumes.
- Olivia Kelleher
