AFTER the family excitement of Féile na mBláth last weekend, there’s another great event to look forward to on Saturday around the town.

Cruinniú na nÓg is taking place all over Ireland on Saturday June 23. As the national day of creativity for children and young people, the programme in Tralee looks set to enthuse young people of all ages and families throughout the day. Also, the events are free!

Organised by Creative Ireland Kerry, all events are free and the full county programme is available on  www.creative.ireland.ie/cruinniu but if you are planning on staying in Tralee here is the listing to help you plan your Cruinniú.

Continued below…

The programme opens at Tralee Library at 11.ooam for 3-6 year olds with a Storytime session called Rainbows, Wolves & Bumblebees.

For those slightly older, Horrible History Tours commence at the County Museum at 11.00am, 12noon, 2.00pm and 3.00pm and the event we are told has been fashioned with additional medieval characters and goriness.

A ‘Sing Together’ showcase with young choral singers takes place at the Winter Garden Room in the Brandon Hotel at 12noon.

Participants will showcase what they have learnt from a week of immersion in the art of contemporary singing and will lead the audience in a sing-along to open and close the show.

There is a Creative Writing Workshop called ‘Pull A Story From Your Head’ at 2.00pm at Tralee Library where participants will devise a plot, create a main character and write an opening and closing paragraph.

Back at the County Museum a Punch & Judy Puppet Show commences at 2.00pm and 3.00pm. There is a dance performance taking place outside the front entrance to Tralee Tourist Office and will feature students from Ardfert National School who have been working with dance artist in residence Maria Svensson.

This will take place at 3.30pm and will relocate in the event of rain to the Siamsa Tire Theatre and Arts Centre in the Town Park.

Meanwhile a Create in the Park event with Kingdom Party Pals will take place in the Town Park opposite the Tourist Office entrance from 2.00-4.00pm and will include craft activities, a Kids Karaoke and a Mad Hatters Tea Party with face painting.

This event will also take place in Siamsa Tire if rain comes down on the day. Meanwhile in Brosna the Con Curtin Music Festival is hosting a Young Musician Polka and Slide Session at 2.30pm at the Three Counties Bar and a Fiddle Recital with leading Irish Musicians will perform for young and old at 5pm in Kate Pat’s Bar in Brosna.

All events are free and run from 11.00 to 5.00pm. Brochures and posters are being distributed across the county this week and the events are listed on www.creative.ireland.ie/cruinniu with updates provided on Facebook and Twitter through @KerryCoArts and via @creativeirl #mycruinniu

Co-ordinated by the Arts Office at Kerry County Council with support from Creative Ireland, the day is set as an annual celebration nationally from this year onwards. “It is a great opportunity for our young people to get creative and meet new people. Communities and organisations across the county are set to take part and it is also a chance to connect and celebrate our individual creativity”, stated Kate Kennelly, the Creative Ireland Kerry Co-ordinator and Arts Officer at Kerry County Council.