10 June 2017
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
What: Laya Healthcare’s City Spectacular
Where: Fitzgerald’s Park, Cork
Supported by: Cork City Council and Fáilte Ireland
When: Saturday July 15 & Sunday July 16, 2017
Times: 12 – 8pm daily
Laya Healthcare’s City Spectacular will return to Dublin’s Merrion Square this July 7th – 9th and to Cork’s Fitzgerald Park on July 15th and 16th. Entry to this family friendly festival is entirely FREE of charge. The festival runs over three days in Dublin and two days in Cork, showcasing the best in international street performance, interactive family activities, delicious artisan producers and street food from around the world as well as a pet wellness area with DSPCA.
Speaking in anticipation of this year’s Laya Healthcare’s City Spectacular, Festival Director Shell Holden commented, “This year’s free festival will be brought to life through our spectacular line-up which includes world record breaking street performers, healthy heroes The Happy Pear, spandex sporting comedy duo Lords of Strut and this year’s festival ambassador – Ireland’s favourite turkey Dustin the Turkey.’
“Areas to explore at this summer’s biggest festival include Laya Healthcare’s Greatest Place on Earth; a spellbinding land with family health and happiness at its heart, a world street food village with a live music stage and waiter service, and pet wellness area with the D.S.P.C.A where festival-goers can get pet health advice or be the star of the Scruffs Dog Show. We would love everyone – families, friends, couples and pet pooches – to come join in the celebrations and enjoy our FREE festival this July,” added Holden.
Laya healthcare, Ireland’s second largest health insurance provider, has once again committed its support to the family festival, and will focus on children’s health and wellbeing at this year’s event. “This year looks set to be the most spellbinding yet in terms of talent and unique performances and we’re excited to welcome families from all over Ireland to Dublin and Cork to enjoy this free event”, said D.O. O’Connor, Deputy Managing Director of laya healthcare.
“At laya healthcare, giving back to our members through free events like Laya Healthcare’s City Spectacular is another demonstration of our brand promise of ‘looking after you always’. This year the Greatest Place on Earth will once again provide a haven of fitness and fun including family yoga and aerobics, healthy talks and food tasters from The Happy Pear and lots more free activities to keep all the family moving and entertained.”
Family health, fitness and wellbeing will be central to Laya Healthcare’s Greatest Place on Earth area with Ready, Steady, Grow a fully interactive children’s show from Imaginosity, Dublin Children’s Museum, and free drama and dance classes. Join Dustin the Turkey in this jam-packed area at the Dublin festival for the Birdbrain quiz where kids will go head to head with their grown ups. Francie Boylan (RTÉ’s The Den and What’s Snots fame) will co-host and keep Dustin under control…well, try to at least!
Just Eat Street – the international street food village within Laya Healthcare’s City Spectacular – is a feast of food, fun & entertainment running the length of Merrion Sq South in Dublin and the Rose Garden in Cork’s Fitzgerald Park.
Visitors are invited to devour over 25 different cuisines from around the world and enjoy music from international musical acts. Chill in the sunshine with friends and family, while the Just Eat Waiter Service takes and delivers food orders for festival-goers, bringing the best of Just Eat’s online ordering service to life at Laya Healthcare’s City Spectacular.
This year’s official charity partner has been announced as the Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA) and Laya Healthcare’s City Spectacular is celebrating all things pets. Bring your pooch along to PET-acular with the DSPCA and they could be the star of the ‘Scruffs Dog Show’, hang out in the King of Paws agility arena and set tails wagging in their very own photo shoot. The wonderful team at the DSPCA will have a vet on site to provide pet health advice and our friends at Purina will be on hand with a range of pet food & a photobooth to have your photo taken with Felix. When we say fun for all the family we mean fun for ALL the family, including the 4-legged members!
