Drumcliffe Christmas Tree Festival

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CHRISTMAS has already started at Drumcliffe Parish Church as preparations get underway for the first Drumcliffe Christmas Tree Festival in six years. The festival, which is building upon its last successful event in 2016, is taking place at Drumcliffe Church and grounds between the 7th and 12th of December.

More than 60 Christmas Trees will be erected and displayed throughout the iconic North Sligo church, which attracts 180,000 visitors annually. Organisations such as disability services, local schools, and scouting and youth groups are amongst those who are preparing trees.

The festival runs from Thursday 7th at 11am, and will continue daily until the evening of Tuesday 12th. An opening concert given by musical artist, Australian-born Sligonian, Kieran Quinn, will take place on the Thursday evening at 7pm. Other highlights include a schools’ carol service at 7pm on the Friday, a show by the Sligo Concert Band on Saturday afternoon, at 3.30pm, a community carol service on the Sunday evening at 7pm, featuring the participation of various local groups, and a showing of the classic children’s Chrismas animated short film ‘The Snowman’ at 6pm on the Monday. The committee advises all those interested in attending the carol services to arrive early as spaces will be limited. Those who cannot attend the festival in person will still have a chance to partake, as it will be streamed live around the globe.

To add to all this, there will be an outdoor live crib experience, whose sights and sounds will surely prove to be a favourite with children and adults alike, and Michelle Howley and her team at the Pink Clover café, eagerly preparing for the festival, will have something warm and tasty for those attending during that week.

Curate of Drumcliffe church, Revd. Luke Pratt, describes the Drumcliffe Christmas Tree Festival as an “exciting and community-enriching must for the calendar” and one which will “unite people at a time when togetherness is especially important, all around a celebration of the world-changing events which took place in Bethlehem 2000 years ago”.

Festival proceeds will be donated to participating local charities and Drumcliffe Church. For further information and regular updates, check the X (formerly known as Twitter) handle @drumcliffeCOI, or the festival’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/766437875254916?active_tab=about.

This is an event not to be missed!”