Even if you don't part with a penny or cross the threshold of an auditorium, it would be hard not to brush against the Arts Festival in some form in Galway this weekend.
There's street theatre from Australia all over the place - including stilt-dancers, percussionists and "surrealist window theatre", and huge plastic tunnels full of light and colour (Archipelago) brought to Fr Burke Park by the UK's Architects of Air. Tomorrow evening (starting at 6 p.m.) Macnas, with the help of legions of community groups, takes to the streets for its annual parade: this time the theme is flight, as mythical birds, air balloons and flying machines are blown off-course. For those who prefer their arts under cover, theatre openings continue this week with Eugene O'Neill's excavation of family secrets: Long Day's Journey Into Night from the Irish Repertory of Chicago. The French/Chilean Teatro del Silencio presents Alice Under- ground, which uses the Lewis Carroll tale as a springboard for examining 20th-century history. Irish theatre will be well represented this week also: Pan Pan's award-winning Standoffish will be followed by Bedrock's Wideboy Gospel by Ken Harmon, while Druid continues its adventurous "Druid Debuts" series. Beth Orton, Richard Thompson and Shane McGowan play the Black Box, and there are exhibitions all over town. Information and booking for all events at: 091-566577. www.galwayartsfestival.ie