Big Top returns to Arts Festival

Date Published: 15-May-2008

The iconic Galway Arts Festival Big Top returns to the city for this year’s festival – and the good news for fans is that it’s set to be a regular festival fixture from now on.

A new Big Top has been manufactured in Italy specially for the festival, following a special grant by the Department of Arts Sports and Tourism. It cost €450,000 to build and has a capacity of 1,000 seated and 3,400 standing.

The new Big Top, which will be located at the Fisheries Field, will be launched on July 14 with the European premiere of the new show from Australian dance company, Circa, by the light of the stars which are no longer….

Circa returns to the festival after its success last year with the superb The Space Between. Their new show combines Circa’s physical virtuosity with a soundtrack featuring works by MUM, Sigor Ros, DJ Shadow and Leonard Cohen, and a spectacular use of projected light. Suitable for audiences of all ages by the light of stars that are no longer… runs from July 14-20.

The highlight of the Big Top events is a concert by legendary New York City icons Blondie, fronted by Debbie Harry who have sold over 40 million records in a career spanning over 30 years.

This Festival appearance comes on the heels of the 30th anniversary of the breakthrough album Parallel Lines. Blondie perform at the Festival Big Top on Thursday July 24.

In the first of two top double bills……………..