Mark Your Calendars, Foodies! And Families! Clonakilty Street Carnival Returns with a Culinary Extravaganza And celebrity chef Kevin Dundon!

 Mark Your Calendars, Foodies! And Families!

Clonakilty Street Carnival Returns with a Culinary Extravaganza

And celebrity chef Kevin Dundon!

Andrew Loane owner of Oak Fire Pizza, Diarmuid O'Sullivan & Mary T Daly of Irish Yogurts at the Irish Yogurts Clonakilty Street Carnival launch 2024. Photo by Andy Gibson

Get ready to tantalize your taste buds and soak up the festive atmosphere! West Cork's beloved Clonakilty Street Carnival – sponsored by Irish Yogurts Clonakilty – is back on Saturday, June 15th, 2024, promising a jam-packed weekend unlike any other. Brace yourself for a gastronomic adventure that will leave even the most discerning foodie grinning from ear to ear.

Pearse Street Transformed 

Imagine

Hats off to the chefs, as Clonakilty’s culinary delights are celebrated at The Irish Yogurts Clonakilty Street Carnival 2023

Hats off to the chefs, as Clonakilty’s culinary delights are celebrated at The Irish Yogurts Clonakilty Street Carnival 2023

Spectacular. All pics by Anna Groniecka Photography.

West Cork’s renowned annual street carnival returned to Clonakilty this weekend on Saturday 17 June, for a spectacular day of food, live music and activities for all the family.

This year’s event was officially opened by award-winning chef Eunice Power. The RTE One Today Show chef celebrated the wonderful talents of all the local chefs, food producers and businesses as she opened the main food tent and sampled the very best cuisine and flavours that Clonakilty has to offer.

Dance and dine

Speaking at the event Eunice said; “I’m absolutely delighted to open The Irish Yogurts Clonakilty Street Carnival, it’s been a fantastic day here in Clonakilty and it’s a great honour to be a part of this brilliant food festival. Events like this are so important for us all to come together to enjoy and shine a light on the wonderful talents within West Cork’s renowned food community, chefs and restaurateurs. I understand the hard work, commitment and ingenuity that it takes to get a festival together. Huge congratulations to the whole community in Clonakilty for such an amazing day and to Diarmuid and Mary O’Sullivan of Irish Yogurts Clonakilty for supporting this day.”

Volunteers at the heart of it

Dishes created by Clonakilty’s finest, award-winning restaurants, bars and hotels tantalised tastebuds with fresh, seasonal and local ingredients. Clonakilty’s long-standing famous food producers Irish Yogurts Clonakilty and Clonakilty Black Pudding featured in the menu alongside Wild Atlantic seafood linguine, poached lobster tornado, curries, Castletownbere crab tacos, burritos, loaded potato nachos, barbequed steak and Clonakilty Black Pudding burgers, and many more. Food tickets included the choice of two main meal dishes with prosecco fruit punch, wine and desserts also included, as the day saw over 1,400 diners from 3pm-6pm tucking into tasty street food dishes on long dining tables, adorned with locally picked wildflowers.

The Clonakilty street carnival is a highly anticipated social event for the town which sees thousands of visitors flock to the award-winning, seaside town to enjoy this special day of food and free activities and entertainment. The entire community of Clonakilty comes together to contribute, sponsor and volunteer their time to organise, set up and promote.

The little ones are well entertained. And fed!

Tim Coffey, an organiser of the event, said; “Without our wonderful volunteers, who effortlessly set up and clear the streets all day from dawn to dusk, we wouldn’t be able to facilitate this memorable day and showcase all our top-class food and entertainment talent. We’d like to thank everyone who has given their time in making this magical day such a huge success and to Eunice Power for officially opening the event and supporting us on the day.”

Headline musical acts throughout the event had audiences dancing in the streets and
drumming groups added extra beat to the festivities. Kids enjoyed their very own carnival experience as they were entertained and dined in the Family Fun Zone, which saw plenty of free activities including face painting, stilt walkers, drumming workshops and giant games and inflatables.

A place for everyone. And a plate also!

The newly opened ‘Flourish & Be’ salon on Pearse Street allowed for an autism-friendly space for families and adults, as part of Clonakilty’s continued commitment to being an autism-friendly town. A bespoke, inclusive and occupational therapy led hair salon for children, has sensory toys and activity stations to help create positive experiences.

Live music, entertainment, and street food to tantalise your taste buds, at Clonakilty’s annual culinary food festival.

press release

Live music, entertainment, and street food to tantalise your taste buds, at Clonakilty’s annual culinary food festival.

Kids Zone

Nothing beats dining al-fresco! This June, the annual, family-friendly food festival will see Clonakilty’s streets transformed into a foodie haven on Saturday 17 June. The Irish Yogurts Clonakilty Street Carnival is an opportunity to sample delicious local food, mix with fellow foodies and experience a true taste of West Cork.

An unmissable foodie experience that has something for everyone. Devour your way through flavourful dishes from 3pm that include seafood linguine, grilled beef fillet sandwich, Clonakilty Blackpudding burger, Pizza al Taglio, noodles and curries, and many more. Catered for by Clonakilty’s top local restaurants and local food producers, including, Kirby’s @ The Whale’s Tail, Inchydoney Island Lodge & Spa, Clonakilty Park Hotel, Scannells, The Emmet Hotel, Oak Fire Pizza, Clonakilty Food Company, O’Donovan’s Hotel, Alley Garden Bistro, Abacus Catering, Casey’s and John O’Brien’s Bar and Restaurant.

Kids can enjoy their very own carnival festival experience by dining and playing in the Family Fun Zone. A tasty kids’ menu, musical entertainment, and kids’ activities will all be on hand to keep them amused throughout the day at Astna Street from 11am. Free activities include a drumming workshop, kids’ disco, bouncy castles, penalty shootout, giant Jenga and Connect 4 games, mini golf, face-painting, circus workshop, stilt walkers and an autism family friendly area.

At the launch!

Entertainment throughout the day includes live music by The Kates, Ceomhltas Clonakilty, Clonakilty Brass Band, Andrew Whelton and Shanley’s House Band. Carnival goers will also have the chance to add some jazz to their step as the Clonakilty Swing Dancers (Damhsa Larthar Chorcai) will get audiences on their feet and the West Cork Drumming Group will add extra beat to the festivities.

County Cork has always enjoyed a reputation of being a unique and dynamic food destination in Ireland, and the Irish Yogurts Clonakilty Street Carnival is no exception. A real feast for the senses, this unique food and family fun festival will showcase the very best cuisine and flavours the town has to offer.

Food tickets can be purchased at www.clonakilty.ie €18 for adults, €7.50 for children, booking fee applies. Adult tickets include 2 meal dishes, Clonakilty ice cream, wine or soft drink. Tickets can also be purchased from Fuchsia Footwear and Kerr’s Bookshop in Clonakilty. All other activities throughout the day are FREE and streets fully pedestrianised.

When: Saturday 17th June
Where: Clonakilty Town Centre (fully pedestrianised) Time: All day from 11am

Kids Zone, Astna Square from 11am:

Drumming workshop Bouncing castles Penalty shootout Giant football target Giant Jenga

Giant Connect 4 Street bowls
Small kids play area Basketball Hoop Badminton

Mini Golf
Face painting Circus workshop Stilt walkers PLUS MORE...

Live Music (Stage and music sponsored by Casey’s, Mick Finn’s and Carbery Plastics) Astna Square
12pm – Ceomhltas Clonakilty
1pm – Clonakilty Brass Band

2pm – West Cork Drumming

Notes to Editors:

FULL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS (See attached flyer)

Main Stage (Pearse Street)

3.30pm – Swing Dancers and DJ 4pm – West Cork Drumming Group 4.30pm – The Kates

Shanley’s Stage

6pm – Shanley’s House Band

Delicious Street Food (From 3pm Pearse Street)

Clonakilty Park Hotel
Inchydoney Lodge & Spa
Kirby's @ Whale's Tail Restaurant Casey's Bar & Restaurant
Scannells Pub
Emmet Hotel
Oak Fire Pizza
O'Donovan's Hotel / Alley Garden Bistro Clonakilty Food Company
Clonakilty Ice Cream
Abacus Catering (Kids Food)
John O'Brien's Bar & Restaurant

• Clonakilty is a multi-award-winning, cosmopolitan town in West Cork. It became Ireland’s first ever official Fair-Trade Town in 2003 and Ireland’s First Autism Friendly Town in 2018. Awarded Best Town in Europe 2017 and winner of Irish Tidy Towns competition in 1999 (and Ireland’s Tidiest Small Town in 2012, 2017 & 2022).

• Clonakilty is home to long-standing famous food brands including Irish Yogurts Clonakilty, Clona Dairy, Shannonvale Foods and Clonakilty Black Pudding.

• Clonakilty is renowned for its history and picturesque scenery and is host to a vibrant music scene, regular festivals and events, cafes, and restaurants with the finest locally sourced produce, as well as a huge selection of independently owned boutique shops.

• The first ever Clonakilty Street Carnival took place in 2016 and is an annual event in June. Since 2020, Covid restrictions put the carnival on standby and the last event was in 2019 with a maritime theme.

• Irish Yogurts Clonakilty is an award-winning family run business making many different varieties of delicious live yogurts and Crème Fraiche since 1994. www.irish-yogurts.ie

  For press enquiries and images please contact Melissa Clarke on melissaclarke52@gmail.com | 087 435 7543 

My Favourite Festival Returns for 2023: Irish Yogurts Clonakilty Street Carnival, a feast for foodies and fun for all.

A 2023 feast for foodies as 

Irish Yogurts Clonakilty Street Carnival returns  

Dancers Paul Hogan and Mae Kiely add some jazz to their step as they celebrate the return of the ‘Irish Yogurts Clonakilty Street Carnival 2023

Amazing summer day of food, live music, and activities for all the family!

West Cork’s renowned annual street carnival returns to Clonakilty on Saturday 17 June 2023 after a four-year break due to Covid restrictions.

Since its inception in 2016, the Clonakilty Street Carnival has seen huge crowds flock to the multi- award-winning sea-side town. The colourful main streets are transformed into a foodie haven of culinary delights, and first-class dining is catered for by local restaurants and an array of excellent artisan producers.

The Carnival is delighted to announce Irish Yogurts Clonakilty as their main sponsor again for this year’s event, an award-winning family-run company based in Clonakilty since 1994.

Diarmuid O’Sullivan, Managing Director at Irish Yogurts Clonakilty said; “We’re excited to be involved once again in supporting the wonderful Irish Yogurts Clonakilty Street Carnival. It’s a highly anticipated social event in the town’s diary, and we are absolutely thrilled it’s returning this year after being so sorely missed. It’s sure to be an exciting day out and we can’t wait for all the festivities to begin again.”

This year’s event will be officially opened by renowned chef Eunice Power, a regular on the RTE One Today Show where she hosts live cooking demonstrations of her delicious recipes in the studio. Eunice Power Catering is one of Ireland’s leading gourmet event caterers, offering first-class food made from scratch with the very best seasonal ingredients. As well, she owns an award-winning restaurant AndChips located in Dungarvan, Co Waterford.

Eunice Power said, “I am absolutely delighted and honoured to be opening the Irish Yogurts Clonakilty Street Carnival on Saturday 17th of June. This is such an important event for Clonakilty, where a spotlight will shine on all the wonderful local producers, chefs and businesses. I understand the commitment and hard work that communities put into these events, and I am looking forward to spending this wonderful day with the Clonakilty community."

The gastronomic day out promises a unique dining experience unlike any other! Rows of tables will line decorated streets to create Clonakilty’s longest dinner party, as thousands of diners get to feast on mouthwatering dishes from street food stalls by the town’s top restaurants, with meal tickets priced at €18 for adults and €7.50 for children.

Headline acts throughout the day will keep audiences dazzled with live music, activities, and dizzying carnival style antics. The popular Family Fun Zone will return with hosted activities and street entertainment including bouncy castles, giant games, face-painting, and an enclosed area to keep the smallies amused, as well as a sensory play area as part of Clonakilty’s continued commitment to being an autism friendly town.

Kevin O’Regan, an organiser of the Irish Yogurts Clonakilty Street Carnival said; “We’re excited to be back and we’re hugely grateful to all our contributors, sponsors, and volunteers. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to create such a magical and memorable experience for locals and visitors to the Irish Yogurts Clonakilty Street Carnival. Clonakilty is a thriving town and a top-class food destination, and we’re thrilled to be able to showcase again the wonderful talents of our local food producers, businesses, and hospitality to everyone who comes to visit us on the day.”

The Irish Yogurts Clonakilty Street Carnival dinner places are ticketed so to avoid disappointment please reserve your meal tickets in advance. Tickets include adult and children’s meals with meat, seafood, vegetarian and vegan meal options, including drinks and desserts. All other festivities and event activities are FREE and accessible to all throughout the day as the town will be fully pedestrianised from 9am-6pm and open for business.

To keep up to date with the Irish Yogurts Clonakilty Street Carnival news and full schedule please follow @Clonakiltystreetcarnival on Facebook or visit www.clonakilty.ie / Instagram @Clonakilty.ie

Tickets can be purchased here: https://buytickets.at/clonakiltychamberofcommerce Or use the smaller link here:
https://tinyurl.com/bdfbwbjk Booking fee applies.

press release

The Incredible Clonakilty Street Carnival

The Incredible Clonakilty Street Carnival

Volunteers Rise To The Occasion Again!

Volunteers. What would we do without them?

You've just got to hand it to the magnificent community behind the annual Clonakilty Street Carnival who once again provided a marvellous day's entertainment in the West Cork town last Saturday.

Finalising a table in the morning.

Lots of meetings ahead of the big day of course and it all came together in the most delightful way, even the weather cooperated!

Food is an essential element here. And, before the big event, the kids had their Long Table meal, a healthy one as well. Indeed, the children are very well catered for here. Lots of activities for them, everything from face-painting to penalty shootouts, from table tennis to learning circus tricks.

Chefs get ready

And for everyone, there’s so much to see and do. Music, music, everywhere. Brass bands, jazzy bands, solo singers on the side streets, big bands on the stage on the main street. And all of this is free!

You do have to pay for the main event, the long table dinner. Three long rows of tables along the main street have been prepared by those volunteers from early morning. The restaurants, cafés and hotels in the area, all get together to provide the food, a great variety of it.

Volunteer at the carnival stall

For just fifteen euro, you have a choice of main courses (all street food style), a glass of wine or beer (the local brewery did a special for the occasion), and a dessert from Irish Yogurts (a big sponsor of the event). All this for just fifteen euro per adult, half that (I think) for kids.

No wonder the queue for the 3.00pm “eat-off”, began about thirty minutes earlier. But it was all very mannerly and good-humoured, lots of banter and you could still hear the music and take in some of wandering acts.

The superb Clonakilty Brass Band. Well, half of them!

And no big rush once the "gates"opened! Just a few are let through at a time to pick up their chosen dishes from the restaurant stall of their choice. And when you emerge at the other end, there's a smiling volunteer there with a tray to help you to a vacant seat.

After that sit down and relax. Eat that food, sip your drink, listen to the band, chat to the neighbour, watch that stilt-walker go by. Just enjoy. The day is young, the sun is where it should be, and Clon is buzzing.

More photos below and more on my Facebook and Twitter accounts

The big drum proved a major hit

Wind section

"Applause for the band please". Another volunteer in action

Helping out at the children's long tabler.

Children tuck in.

This guerrilla band of would-be chefs, complete with pot lids and wooden spoons, led by a noisy broccoli-biting whirling dervish, made quite an impact!

This volunteer led the queue in a sing-sing!

Tempting!

Clon by the sea

Teaching a juggling trick

Full marks here for this quick-learner

On the first tee

Super stuff from the team at Celtic Ross!

Music. Music.

Diners relax in the sun

Earlier in the day.