Winterval Festival Partners with two Local Charities for 2022

The 2022 Winterval Festival is aiming to ‘give back' as much as it can to those in need in Waterford. The festival has two particular events planned in association with Waterford-based charities.

The magical GLOW @New Street Gardens is a brand new project which has just commenced at what are currently the boarded-up and disused gardens at New Street in Waterford City. Just this week diggers, skips and most importantly the team at Winterval in conjunction with a volunteer group from the Brothers of Charity in Waterford arrived at the site to commence the creation of GLOW.

“The result will be magical,” says John Grubb of Winterval. “Visitors to the festival will get to enjoy the fruits of the labour of the people supported by the Tori Services Brothers of Charity as they are putting in the hard work to help Winterval to create what will be a beautiful garden filled with twinkling lights in the centre of the City. Every branch and every corner will be alight and it will be an oasis for everyone to enjoy. Whether it's children looking on in wonder or adults needing a peaceful space amidst a busy day, the magic of Glow will soothe the senses.”

Access to the gardens will be free of charge each day of the festival once darkness falls, and on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the festival there will be a FREE Shadow Puppet Show at the GLOW Gardens which will be hosted by Ben Hennessy.

In addition, Winterval will organise and host BUSKAID 2022. Buskaid is a charity appeal with the goal of raising much need funds for Tinteán Housing, a Waterford-based homeless charity

BuskAid is Waterford’s city-wide busk for charity in aid of the homeless. It aims to raise awareness of and funds for local homelessness charity Tinteán Housing, through music an volunteering. The 2022 event is hitting the streets on Thursday the 22nd of December. Highlights will include a performance by the High Hopes Choir, as well as Irish pop folk band Key West who are widely known for their rise from the street busking scene to the mainstream music industry. Donation buckets will be all around Winterval on the day, but you can donate at any time on www.winterval.ie

Waterford festivities will commence on November 18th and continue until December 23rd 2022. A total of 38 events are on offer with 25 of those available free of charge.

There will be a gigantic and magical talking postbox where boys and girls can post their Christmas letters but also be entertained by an elf post-collection show each weekend, a hall of magic mirrors and a host of free children’s workshops. There will be Winterval Illuminates plus all of the Winterval firm from the ice rink on the city’s quayside to the vintage Ferris wheel at Arundel Square, a vintage carousel, the Waterford Eye, a Winterval Mini Express train plus a virtual ride in Santa’s sleigh, a Wizard and Dragon interactive exhibition which offers the thrill of seeing fictitious characters brought to life through simulations, gigantic animatronics and visuals.

Santa will be taking centre stage at the festival in the heart of the city on Broad Street. He will be ensconced in Santa’s Central Station. There will be live music on stage each weekend in Waterford’s cultural quarter. The Winterval Christmas market will be set out in a series of attractive wooden chalets through the spine of Ireland’s oldest city into the cultural quarter. The market will connect with Waterford Crafts at Garter Lane Gallery, all-encompassing a variety of over 100 food, drinks crafts and gift producers and creators.

Waterford’s heritage takes prime position with Déise Medieval will host a traditional Viking Settlement and brand new and novel elements including an opportunity for visitors to book a date for their doggie with Santa Paws plus the Gerbola Circus will be hosting a festive circus show each weekend.

The full Winterval Festival programme is available to view and book online at www.winterval.ie