Perhaps you didn’t know that the inhabitants of Cork have a distinct accent, one that sets them apart from other Irish. The tone to their accent tends to be more high-pitched than the standard Irish accent, and the English spoken in Cork has many dialect words that are peculiar to the city and its surrounding area. This is one of the things celebrated by the Cork Midsummer Festival, which will take place over sixteen days, from 11-26 June.
The Cork Midsummer Festival is an annual celebration of contemporary arts and culture that combines local, national, and international events which people of all ages and interests are sure to enjoy. World-class street entertainers, international and local talent, and performers who specialize in outdoor events will be there to appeal to all those who attend.
The Festival, now in its fifteenth year, has always had a tradition of presenting off-beat entertainment—theatre, off-site performances, contemporary and popular music, participatory projects, mass free events, family programmes, circus, dance, debates, and visual and conceptual art presentations. The Cork Midsummer Festival’s organizers are most excited about what has become a festival tradition—the Famous Spiegeltent, one of the few still in existence. A Spiegeltent is a large traveling tent, constructed in wood and canvas, decorated with mirrors and stained glass, and meant to house entertainers.
Cork’s Spiegeltent will be set up in a new location throughout the festival, on the old Beamish and Crawford Brewery site on South Main Street in Cork. It will house concerts and performances, including four evenings by festival favourite Camille O’Sullivan, who is sure to be one of the festival’s top attractions and highlights. O’Sullivan specializes in covering songs by music legends Nick Cave, Radiohead, Bob Dylan, and David Bowie.
Also at the Spiegeltent, the vibrancy of Cork’s social and cultural heritage will be celebrated with many world-class Irish and international acts in its popular Little Big Nights Out series. This is just one of many great attractions at the festival, and is indicative of its eclectic offerings for festival attendees. If you are planning on making your way to this festival and need a hotel, check out the
Leonardo Hotels range of
hotels in Cork.
