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The Festival is almost here and many of you plan to make the most of the craic. If you’re going to throw caution to the wind and are determined to soak up every last bit of entertainment that you can find we’ve a few tips and tricks to help you get the best out of your Rose experience…
1. Plan your nights out
There’s nothing worse than gearing yourself up for that big first night out of the festival and you ending up wandering aimlessly around Denny Street or watching a 90 year old gypsy performing a finger-puppet show about the Holocaust in the doorway of Penney’s. Not fun.
Make sure to take a look at the festival programme and see who’s playing where and when. There’s a great acts planned over the next few nights…t’would be a shame to miss them.
Remember, it’s always good to have a plan…
Make a plan and stick to it.
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2. Surviving the morning after
We’re all culpable of enjoying ourselves a little too much now and again and over the weekend of the Festival, you can be guaranteed there will be a lot of sore heads in town when the mornings roll around.
It’s imperative that you have the materials for that all important fry-up stockpiled in the fridge, or a best friend who you can beg to grab you that life-saving hot chicken roll.
A pint of water by the bedside table never hurt either…just don’t spill it when clambering into bed at four in the morning.
Oh, and open a window too, unless you want to blind the person who enters your room the following morning with the stench of stale Heineken and body odours.
You don’t have to completely suffer the next day.
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3. Check out the daytime activities
On the quieter and infinitely more sensible side of the festival, there’s a whole host of day time activities on offer to keep those of all ages entertained for hours on end.
Now we don’t recommend an early spin on the Waltzers if you’re feeling delicate, but the market stalls up Denny Street are always an excellent place to whittle away the time, with everything from food and sweets to beautifully made arts and crafts on offer.
With petting zoos, puppet shows, the bazaar and much more, it’s up to you to make the most of the (hopefully) sunny weather.
There’s so many things planned for the festival that it will make your head spin.
4. Be prepared
If it’s your first ever time heading to the festival from outside the town, then there’s a couple of things you will want to be prepared for.
The Rose Parade is still as popular as ever and if you want to grab yourself a prime viewing point, it’s imperative you head down to Denny Street as early as possible on Saturday to get your place.
Otherwise, you face a long two hours of craning over the necks of every tall person to ever live. They always seem to congregate in front of where you’re standing.
Have a place to stay lined up before you arrive as well…unless you’re sure of charming your way to accommodation on the night.
It’s important to get to the events early to get a good viewing spot.
5. Relax
The thought of leaving the comfort of the couch on festival nights is absolute madness to some people, and that’s perfectly fine.
But many prefer to take a breather from the madness after the weekend and since the Rose of Tralee will be broadcast on RTE on Monday and Tuesday, stick the kettle on, put the feet up and settle in for the night. There’s nowt wrong with that at all (except on Tuesday when most people get their asses into town for Midnight Madness).
Some of us will prefer a few quiet nights in over the next few nights.
