Thousands take to the spirit of Spraoi festival

Nowhere was the bank holiday weekend sunshine more appreciated than in Waterford, where tens of thousands took to the streets for the city's most successful Spraoi festival yet.

From noon on Friday until late last night the city was transformed as street performers from various countries combined with local talent to provide an extravaganza of free entertainment.

In a 10-minute stroll through the city centre you were liable to encounter a diverse array of spectacles, from the ridiculous sight of two German men on stilts attempting to enter a public phone box at the same time, to the extraordinary exhibition of drumming, using old supermarket trolleys and other available junk, given by Devon group Weapons of Sound.

An estimated crowd of more than 40,000 watched the finale to the event, the night-time street parade followed by a fireworks display over the river Suir. The event is one of the 17 designated millennium festivals which began last March.

While the emphasis was on family entertainment, publicans enjoyed their busiest weekend, with trade surpassing the levels during the run-up to Christmas. "It's probably as busy a weekend as Waterford has ever seen," said Mr Maurice Murray, manager of Geoff's Cafe Bar on John St.

With events spread throughout the city, from the quays to Ballybricken, businesses everywhere benefited. Mr Jimmy Fitzgerald, general manager of the Marina Hotel on Canada St, said foreign guests at the hotel were astonished by the quality of the performances and the atmosphere generated. "We had Weapons of Sound and Bedlam Oz outside the hotel last night and there were Irish, Spanish, Italians and Americans there just loving it. It's been a great weekend."

Locals were particularly pleased the good weather held up, but Spraoi director Mr T.V. Honan said it's something of an "urban myth" that it always rains for the festival. "We had three good days last year but it rained for the parade. The year before we had two good days and it rained the other. But people seem to remember when it rains. One man asked me if `Spraoi' was the Irish for rain," he said.