What to see and do on Cork's opening weekend
Cork 2005 Carnival. Saturday, 2-5.45 p.m.
The street party kicks off at 2 p.m., with acts including the percussion groups Saor Patrol and Torann on St Patrick's Street, as well as street theatre companies Bedlam Oz and Peach on Grand Parade, and Streetwise on South Mall. At 2.30, 3.30 and 4.30 on St Patrick's Street, you can catch the Cork improvisation company Snatch Comedy, while Creature Features hit the South Mall with their gorilla get-up at 2.45, 4.00 and 5.00. In fact, most acts are appearing at regular intervals during the day, so there should be time to see as much as you want of the carnival. There are two chances to catch the juggler and general showman Bill Ferguson: Grand Parade at 2.15 and 3.30.
On South Mall today is the Drogheda samba band Cachimbo at 4.00 and 5.15, while its Dublin counterpart MaSamba will invade the same location at 2.15, 3.30 and 4.30 and the Cork samba band Skibamba will perform throughout the day on St Patrick's Street, accompanied by acrobats. Sounding unmissable are the street theatre groups Weapons of Sound, who create sounds out of pieces of industrial waste (South Mall 2.15, 3.45 and 5.15) and the aerial show The Candle (Grand Parade 4.00, 4.45 and 5.30).
Cork Community Circus will present two performances, one of walkabout theatre (Grand Parade 4.15) and one of fire and percussion (Grand Parade 5.00), while Cyberstein, an 8 ft robot with a mind of its own, will walk the walk on St Patrick's Street at regular intervals all day, as will the Swiss musical duo Urban Drum and Bass. One of Ireland's best-loved street theatre companies, Buí Bolg, will send characters and puppets wandering around St Patrick's Street all day.
Iris. Saturday, 1-6 p.m.
In a project by Daghda Dance Company, hundreds of specially designed stainless steel rings will be distributed to passers-by, each with instructions of what to do upon spotting a fellow ring wearer.
Knitting Map. Saturday, 1 p.m., venue tbc
An outdoor performance that is being described as a "knit-in"; participants and onlookers literally knit their way through the creation of a piece of art.
Awakening and fireworks. Saturday, 5 p.m.-6.15 p.m.
Devised by street theatre company Waterford Spraoi with a team of event experts, Awakening will bring to life a huge serpent stretching over 600 metres of the River Lee, with viewing stands located on both sides of the river. This is a ticketed event but tickets are free and can be obtained from Musgrave Supervalu shops around Cork city.
Barrel Top. Sunday, 1-6 p.m, National Sculpture Factory
A chance to get a first glimpse of the extraordinary Barrel Top wagon constructed and decorated by the Cork Traveller Women's Network and local traveller and settled communities.
Exhibitions
Various exhibitions will be ongoing throughout the weekend. At the Crawford Gallery, there's C2, an exhibition of contemporary work from artists born in or associated with Cork. The Fenton Gallery, Wandesford Quay, is currently running an exhibition of new paintings by the popular Cork artist Billy Foley, while Enlargement!, an exhibition by five young Estonian artists calling themselves FFFF - the first in a year-long series of work from the "new" EU states - is at the Cork Vision Centre on Main Street.
Music
The first of the Cork Live 2005 concerts kicks off at the Lobby Bar this afternoon (2.30 p.m.), with Cork singer-songwriter Eoin Coughlan, followed tonight (9 p.m.) by Stanley Super 800. Karl Nesbitt performs tomorrow night at 9 p.m., and tickets for all gigs are 10.
Readings
The first four readings in the Translations series will take place tomorrow from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Tigh Filí on MacCurtain Street, with poets Liz O'Donoghue, Eugene O'Connell, Gerry Murphy and Gregory O'Donoghue taking part. Admission free.