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Tables all set at the Rose Ball at the Kerry Sports Academy at the MTU last August Photo by Dermot Crean
THE Rose of Tralee International Festival will not be organising a Rose Ball or financing street entertainment for the festival this year.
In a statement issued this morning on their website, the Festival’s Executive Chairman, Anthony O’Gara, did confirm that the Rose of Tralee selections will be broadcast live from MTU’s Kerry Sports Academy again in August.
The reason cited for discontinuing support for street entertainment is due to rising running costs and financial support not increasing over the past decade.
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While the Rose Ball will not take place, there will be what is described as “a new, more affordable and accessible community event, providing local people with an opportunity to meet and to celebrate with the Roses, their families and supporters.”
The move to a new intimate gala event is planned for the Sunday afternoon of the festival.
The statement says the Rose of Tralee International Festival have been in discussion with local partners over the past six months to advise them that responsibility for the delivery of future festivals needed to be rebalanced and placed on a broader local platform.
“The festival has now decided to pass the organisation of the street’s events back to Tralee town, with a commitment to provide any support and advice required to allow a smooth transition. The cost of running the Festival has been increasing exponentially but financial support has not increased over the past ten years,” reads the statement.
“This move provides an opportunity to enhance and develop the streets festival which can best be activated through community ownership. This repositioning should facilitate better corporate and local support and strengthen the event’s capacity to gain a fairer share of tourism and arts grants.”
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Anthony O’Gara, executive chairman, has said that the festival team remain passionate about the event, its proud history and heritage.
He said he looks forward to focusing on core responsibilities, including centres development, hospitality for Roses, Centres, and families, community events rollout, the RTÉ live broadcast and the promotion of Tralee and of County Kerry.
He said he is confident that Tralee people will rise to the challenge provided by this opportunity, and that their involvement will enhance the festival.
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There go the rose gone by next year