This April saw a whole range of events throughout Temple Bar and across the city to celebrate Handel and his Dublin connections, paying particular attention to the 250^th anniversary of his death. We are sure the jam-packed streets, concert halls, churches and ships would have made GF Handel very proud!

Midsummer in Temple Bar was a bit of a wet day in Dublin (no surprises there!) but, thanks to the magical festivities on Meeting House Square, spirits were not dampened. The longest day of the year was celebrated with fire, feasting and film on Meeting House Square that appeared like never before as it was covered in grass for one day only!

There were plenty of belly laughs and fun at the Temple Bar Circus Festival this July when the streets and spaces of Temple Bar echoed with peals of laughter and gasps of amazement while visitors experienced the biggest Circus Festival in Temple Bar to date.

In September, thousands of Irish people and visitors to the country came out to experience Culture Night and they were not disappointed with more than 120 venues opening their doors with free events for the public in Dublin and 10 other towns, cities and counties across the country getting involved for the largest late night cultural event this year.

Choc-a-block is the only word to describe our weekend-long Temple Bar Chocolate Festival that took place throughout Temple Bar in October. All events were fully booked and thoroughly enjoyed by people wanting to get stuck into all things chocolatey!

On behalf of all the team at TBCT, we would like to thank you all for your support in 2009 and for choosing a TBCT cultural event this year. We look forward to seeing you all next year for another year of cultural discovery.  A full programme of events will be announced in January so be sure to keep in touch with us.  In the meantime, if you have any suggestions or if you’d like to share some ideas with us, please do at feedback@templebar.ie.

As for the event on Sunday, solstice revelers sprawled out on the urban green lawn were treated to a bounty of gourmet treats and merriment including lovely cheeses, coffees, ice cream - and live music and face painting. Families flocked with their picnic baskets, buggies and bicycles despite the drizzle (we’re a hardy bunch) to chill out in Meeting House Square and watch the world go by. And the Saturday evening outdoor screening of Dead Poets’ Society was a unique treat for Dubs which should (in our humble opinion) absolutely be repeated.  So kudos to TBCT for another successful event! We sensed a tangible buzz in the air – and it wasn’t just the overexcited kids – that lead us to believe that summer has truly arrived!      

John O’Connor is one of 37 artists who trades each week at Designer Mart at Cow’s Lane in the Old City area of Temple Bar. He is a Fine Art graduate from the National College of Art and Design and a MSc graduate from Trinity College Dublin. John works with various media and computer illustration to produce original pieces of art. His artworks are in numerous private collections. More recently John was nominated for tow Adidas Originals Design Awards.

Midsummer in Temple Bar
Date: June 20th-21st 2009
Venue: Meeting House Square and other locations in Temple Bar
Admission Free

The longest day of the year will be celebrated with fire, feasting, film and a fair to mark Midsummer in Temple Bar taking place20th and 21st June. Bring your picnic blankets into Temple Bar as we recreate a green meadow for one day only to celebrate the magic of Midsummer!

Saturday 20th:
4:00pm Talk: ‘Midsummer Eve – A Folkloric Perspective’ (Venue: The New Theatre)
6:00pm Music: ‘Music for Midsummer’ (Venue: The Contemporary Music Centre)
9:00pm Brightspark Fire Entertainment (Venue: Meeting House Square)
10:00pm Outdoor Film Screening – Dead Poets Society (1989) (Venue: Meeting House Square)

Sunday 21st:
11.00am – 5.00pm Midsummer Fair in Meeting House Square
A grass covered Meeting House Square with 20 stalls including food, fruits, flowers & hand-made crafts.

Features on the day:
11:00am ‘The Mad Hatters’ Samba Drumming Group
12:00pm Trad Music from musicians from ‘The Irish House Party’
1:00pm Mr Whizzy Walkabout & the Juggling Jester
2:00pm Free Face-painting
2:30pm Really Grand Events presents the ‘One Man Show’: Punch & Judy / Magic Show / Balloon Modelling
4:30pm Maypole Dancing by Drumreilly Active Retired Community Group
6:00pm Dublin City Summer Solstice Walk

Event/Booking Information
Midsummer in Temple Bar 20th- 21st June is brought to you by the Temple Bar Cultural Trust. Entrance to all events as part of the Midsummer Festival are free and do not require tickets. For information and booking details on Midsummer in Temple Bar please contact Temple Bar Cultural Information Centre,12 East Essex Street or telephone the Culture Line on 01 888 3610. Website www.templebar.ie

HOW TO ENTER

1. Join the Midsummer in Temple Bar Photo Competition group.

2. Upload photos to your account.
3. Go to the page of the photo(s) you want to submit to the competition.
4. Click the “Send to Group” button between the photo title and the photo.
5. Choose the “Midsummer in Temple Bar Photo Competition” group and you’re done!

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION MONDAY 29th JUNE

To mark the event we have a deliciously juicy mixed case of apple juice, cider, cider vinegar and balsamic vinegar from Llewellyn’s Orchard Produce to give away. David Llewellyn will be just one of the 23 producers and traders on Meeting House Square on Sunday June 21^st as part of the Midsummer Fair which will run from 11am-5pm.

Other events happening over the weekend include fire performances, a free outdoor screening of Dead Poets Society and plenty of superb children’s entertainment.

To be in with a chance to scoop these juices leave us a comment here on our blog about your Midsummer experiences.  Perhaps you have spent Midsummers day or night in an exotic place, played a part in A Midsummers Night Dream or maybe it’s your wedding anniversary! Tell us about the significance of Midsummer to you and be in with a chance to win this lovely prize. The winner will be notified on Friday 19^th June.

As the sun sets on Saturday the 20^th of June, Meeting House Square will burn brightly with performances from Brightspark Fire performers who will mark the start of the Summer Solstice festivities with a breathtaking visual display of fire dancing and juggling.

If things get too hot for you, “view the world from a different perspective” immediately after the fire performance and grab a seat on the grass for the outdoor screening of Dead Poets Society (1989). Join English teacher John Keating, played by Robin Williams as he introduces his students to an array of poetry and literature including William Shakespare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Grab your picnic blanket on Sunday morning and come back in and join us from 11am for the Midsummer Fair which will feature Temple Bar’s three outdoor markets including foods, handmade crafts, books and flowers.  Make sure that your father feasts like a Midsummers King this Fathers Day( June 21^st) and treat him to lunch at the fair where, he can sample spit roast hog, homemade ice-cream from Burke’s Farm, Raclette Irish-Style or freshly baked Irish potatoes from ‘Dinner Jackets’.

Children and adults can pick their space on the grass and enjoy all the fun of the fair and be entertained by the ‘One Man Show’ including magic shows, a Punch & Judy show, games, gags, dance-a-longs, face painting and much more. Make sure and keep and eyes yours peeled for ‘Mr Whizzy and his Friend the Juggling Jester’ as they get up to all kinds of mischief. Why not look into the future with a visit to the 7^th Sun Tarot Card Reader or enjoy a very special Maypole Dancing performance from the Drumreilly Community Group. Music at the Fair includes ‘The Mad Hatters’ samba band and traditional musicians from ‘The Irish House Party’.

For those who seek something a little calmer, why not rediscover Dublin city with a Summer Solstice Walk organised by Dublin City Council (Lets Walk and Talk), Friends of the Elderly and Dublin Simon Community. The Summer Solstice Walk 2009 will kick off at Dublin Castle this is a unique opportunity to explore the city by foot and listen to tales of bygone years from renowned local historian Pat Liddy.

Midsummer in Temple Bar 20^th- 21^st June is brought to you by the Temple Bar Cultural Trust. Entrance to all events as part of the Midsummer Festival are free and do not require tickets. For information and booking details on Midsummer in Temple Bar please contact Temple Bar Cultural Information Centre,12 East Essex Street or telephone the Culture Line on 01 888 3610. Website www.templebar.ie

Click here to download the festival programme

Bring your picnic-blankets into Temple Bar on Sunday as this urban city centre setting will be transformed into a meadow for the day!  Grass covering will adorn the ground of our Midsummer Fair where Temple Bar’s three outdoor markets will be amalgamated into one.   Other features on the day include The One Man Show bursting with kid’s entertainment value with a magic show, a Punch & Judy show, balloon-modelling, dance-a-longs and face-painting.  For those of you who want a peak into the future visit our Tarot Card Reader on Meeting House Square.  And keep your eyes peeled for our walkabout butterfly, live music and Maypole dancing around our own Temple Bar Maypole!  To complete your Midsummer celebrations why not join the Summer Solstice Walk organized by Dublin City Council (Lets Walk and Talk), Friends of the Elderly & Dublin Simon Community which gives you the perfect opportunity to rediscover our great City by foot!

A full programme of events and booking information will be available on our website in May.