IF you can just make it to one festival over the summer, this is definitely the one to head for. Choosing which events to catch is almost a juggling act, but top on everyone's list this year are Macnas's new show, Rhymes from the Ancient Mariner, at the Black Box Theatre UK theatre company Towering Inferno's multimedia tale of the European Jewish experience, Kaddish and author Bill Bryson both in person and depicted in a one man show, The Lost Continent a stylised version of Bryson's travels.
An absolute unmissable is the Macnas street parade on Sunday starting from Eyre Square at 3 p.m. Meanwhile clowns, magicians and the Fred Garbo Inflatable Theatre Company will keep the younger folk entertained at Baboro, the children's festival which continues until next Saturday week.
Dun Laoghaire Festival
DUN LAOGHAIRE will weekend with music on the streets, street theatre, art exhibitions and a festival carnival. Don't miss the Harbour Dance tonight which will launch the stunning new ferry boat plaza. The fireworks display on Dun Laoghaire's East Pier at 10.45 p.m. on Saturday is also worth catching. Young and old alike can join in the family day in the People's Park on Sunday.
Temple Bar Blues Festival
TWO time Grammy award winner Buddy Guy will begin three days and nights of a blues extravaganza with a free concert at College Green tomorrow night from 7.30 p.m. Temple Bar's architectural piece deresistance, Meeting House Square, will be awash with musicians on Saturday between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. for Country Blues in a City Square. The line up includes the Slightly Bewildered String Band, Big Joe Louis and his Blues Kings and Rev Charlie Jackson.
Temple Bar Square is the venue for a Blues `n' Roots afternoon on Sunday and the Mississippi born blues man Otis Rush will wrap things up with Sunday's closing concert in Temple Bar Music Centre
Festival of Europe, Athlone
HELD in Ireland for the first time this year, the Festival of Europe is a community based festival which draws together the peoples of Europe. Belgian, French, Dutch, Danish, Spanish, Portuguese, German and Italian visitors will converge on Athlone this weekend to join in cultural and sporting events.
Guests and locals will participate in theatrical meanderings and cookery competitions as well as displaying their country's cultural specialities in the Euro Village situated in the courtyard of Athlone Castle. Check out the carnival festival parade on Sunday (starting from Golden Island at 3 p.m.), the children's day on Tuesday and the fireworks display next Thursday at 10 p.m.
Longford Summer Festival
POSSIBLY the most successful summer festival in the midlands for attracting top bands, Longford town will be reeling to the likes of The Glam Tarts, the Whipping Boys. Frances Black and Sine ad Lohan over the coming days. Mary Coughlan and Four Men and a Dog will set the ball rolling once former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds has dispensed with the formalities at Sunday night's opening ceremony.
