November 22nd in Waterford at Winterval Festival ‘The Gateway to Brno’ will be officially opened by the Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Ireland Pavel Vošalík and the Ambassador of Ireland to the Czech Republic, Alan Gibbons as they participate in ‘A Two City Selfie’ moment at Waterford’s Apple Market at 3 pm.
Waterford is celebrating its title as the ‘European City of Christmas 2024’, while Brno in the Czech Republic is also celebrating its award as ‘Capital of Christmas 2024’.
The ‘Gateway to Brno’ is one of the Winterval festival’s hotly anticipated features – a live portal that now connects Waterford to the Czech city of Brno, a fellow European city of Christmas celebration.
Earlier in 2024 each city was awarded with their new titles following an extensive judging process and visits to each city from a European delegation of experts in December 2023. These awards have been facilitated by the European Christmas Cities Network, which aims to promote the cultural European diversity values and especially the different and varied Christmas traditions in Europe, which are transcended to the whole world.
Located in the public Apple Market space, the Dolmen-shaped ‘Gateway to Brno’ offers a real-time live stream, inviting people of different cultures to meet above borders and differences. Bringing together technology, engineering and art to bring communities from across the world closer together and to allow people to meet and connect outside of their social circles and cultures. The gateway will be open and manned during festival hours.
The Gateway to Brno is sponsored by The Southern Regional Assembly who play a key role in coordinating and promoting economic growth, infrastructure improvements, and community development within our region. Southern Regional Assembly is the Managing Authority for the ERDF Southern Eastern and Midland Regional Programme 2021 – 2027
The Winterval festival is open every weekend from now until December 23rd. The festival programme is packed with ‘over 50 events, with half on offer for free and this is our latest addition’ say the festival directors. “We want to thank our friends in Brno for coming on board with our Gateway to connect these two beautiful European cities and forge greater bonds.
We hope that people on both sides of the gateway get involved, share a cultural exchange, take a selfie like our Ambassadors and enjoy this wonderful new connection.”
The ‘Gateway to Brno’ is the latest addition to a vast array of events at the Winterval festival, which includes the Winterval Illuminates Lightshow, the ice rink on the city’s Quayside, the vintage Ferris wheel, a vintage carousel, 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 to name but a few.
Waterford’s Viking heritage takes centre stage at the festival with a beautiful Viking Yule Village hosted by Deise Medieval, on offer every Sunday in Blackfriars Church and the festival market, The Glenveagh Christmas Market is set out in the City’s oldest streets and squares, there are over 100 food, craft and drinks producers and creators with lots of Christmas craft and food stalls from local, regional and national producers.
New events at Ireland’s largest Christmas festival include a brand new Gingerbread Making Workshop event for all the family, an Igloo Exploration Dome offering a 5D experience with audiences travelling through time inside; a gigantic Circus Museum will be on offer at City Hall’s Large Room; what is sure to be a sell-out at Garter Lane is a new show titled ‘Trash Test Dummies’ by the award-winner Dummies Corp., the Australian leader in slapstick children’s comedy, and for the adventure seekers and a ‘boys day out’ opportunity there will be a huge Monster Truck and stunt show in Ireland’s largest circus tent and lots lots more.
Winterval also offers a new after-dark programme of events for adults, ‘The Winterval Big Top Live’ will host a series of events, artists and performances throughout the festival with artists like Gavin James, Mick Flannery, Stereo MCs, EMF, and 30 Years of House Music with Tasty Choons for Tasty People.
Winterval is supported by Waterford City and County Council as well as a host of other local, national and international businesses, all of whom have a keen interest in Waterford and the Southeast region. For further details on Winterval, see www.winterval.ie
