The RTÉ All Ireland Drama Festival, which gets underway in Athlone later this evening, kickstarts a summer of national and European events which will raise the town’s profile and boost the local economy.
Local businesses are set for a bonanza this coming week, when the first major event of the summer, the annual All Ireland Drama Festival, attracts hundreds of visitors to the town. Athlone Chamber are estimating that the week-long event could be worth up to €3 million to the local economy.
The festival kicks off a summer in which Athlone will host the HSE Community Games National Finals in May and August, the Goldsmith International Literary Festival in June, and two major European events in July, the European Triathlon Championships and the European People’s Festival.
The local chamber is viewing these events as an opportunity to showcase the town, and is encouraging visiting drama groups and their supporters to experience all the town has to offer with a package of special offers and shopping incentives to be included in welcome packages.
CEO of Athlone Chamber, Siobhán Bigley, says the drama festival “kickstarts the summer party for Athlone”.
“The festival runs for nine nights, and all the groups and their supporters are staying in accommodation in town. The Dean Crowe theatre holds 460 people every night, and of this over 80 per cent will be from outside Athlone. Lots of people will stay for the whole week to watch the other competitors, and will take advantage of the town’s restaurants, entertainment, fringe events, and shopping,” she said.
“Local businesses have been very supportive of the festival, and lots of small businesses have sponsored it, even in these recessionary times. The many festivals will keep hotels, shops, and restaurants busy over the summer.”
President of Athlone Chamber, Carmel Connolly, says the aim is to encourage local businesses to embrace the opportunty to welcome this boost to the local economy.
“It is a great social week and shines the spotlight on Athlone in a positive way. The obvious beneficiaries are hotels, etc, but the social element is very important too. We have worked with the committee to encourage visitors to experience all the facets of the town, such as eating out and the social scene.”
The 2010 RTÉ All Ireland Drama Festival takes place nightly at the Dean Crowe Theatre, Athlone from Friday April 30 to Saturday May 8.
Groups from Nenagh, Ballyduff, Carrigallen, Lifford, Leixlip, Kildare, Ennis, Charleville, and Dundalk will vie for the All Ireland title in an engaging feast of drama.
A schedule of fringe events will take place at various venues around Athlone during festival week, with the aim of presenting a programme of cultural events free of charge to a wider audience, and of heightening the profile of the arts in general, and the drama festival in particular, throughout the town.
