Festival of the Sea 2007

June 22-29, 2007

Counties Waterford, Wexford & Kilkenny, Ireland

Festival of the Sea Official Website

Schedule of Events (To be updated)

About the Festival of the Sea

Newfoundland hosted the second annual Festival of the Sea, September 15-23, 2006, where the festival events took place along the southern Avalon.  The Festival provided a prime opportunity for collaborative exchange of ideas regarding social and economic development issues. 

It has the potential to become a permanent linkage, celebrating the shared culture and heritage of Newfoundland & Labrador with that of the Waterford and Wexford counties.  It is a positive and visible expression of the renewed commitment to this relationship already enforced by the policy initiatives of Republic of Ireland and the Government of Newfoundland & Labrador.   

The Festival of the Sea is an annual Ireland/Newfoundland collaborative event linking the southeast of Ireland (the Waterford/Wexford areas) and the southern Avalon in Newfoundland.  The festival is designed to promote the cultural, historical and community ties between Ireland and Newfoundland and Labrador and to facilitate the exchange of ideas in each region through collaboration in such areas as sustainable development in coastal communities, fisheries, tourism, heritage and culture etc.  The festival alternates each year between Ireland and the Province.  The inaugural event occurred May 27 – June 6, 2005 in Waterford-Wexford, Ireland.  Twenty participants from the Southern and Cape Shore along with a number of federal and provincial government resource people attended the festival where they actively participated in various lectures, symposiums, demonstrations and performances carried out in a series of communities throughout the counties.

 

A key objective of the Festival of the Sea is to explore common interests, opportunities and challenges to living in coastal communities in times of dramatic and rapid change.  Issues around sustainable community development are key.  Much was learned through year one events and it has been decided by both the NL and Irish community leaders that going forward, a greater emphasis is being placed on keynote speakers and resource people from government, non-governmental organizations and industry from Ireland and from NL who can discuss various challenges and opportunities for economic development in their communities.    In addition, there is a strong cultural component to this event, drawing visitors through a series of readings, storytelling, and traditional song and dance.  Increased visitation to the area in the shoulder season is a secondary benefit from the Festival. 

Official Launch Press Release: June 27, 2006

                                                                                   Last updated: May 7, 2009