Join in the fun for Headfest 2012

HEADFEST is a three-day festival with a great mix of arts and music that takes place in Headford over the August bank holiday weekend. This ambitious undertaking sees the Headford community celebrating the tremendous pool of established and emerging talents available locally. The festival kicks off at 6 pm on Friday, August 3 with a vintage car parade. This will bring the Queen of the Festival, Avril Conneely, to Monaghan's showrooms, where the official festival opening and reception takes place. The venue will also host a pop-up art and photography gallery. An eagerly anticipated performance from the newly formed Sketches Tav Theatre Group starts at 8.30 pm in Campbell's Tavern, where there will be live music each night throughout the weekend. The festival aims to cater for all tastes. The programme incorporates a fishing competition in Greenfields, while Headford Gymkhana has organised a dog show in the grounds of the Presentation College. People can try their hand at clay pigeon shooting courtesy of the Black River Game and Conservation Club. Moyne Villa Soccer Club and Headford GAA have all sporting needs catered for with an underage soccer blitz and an 11-a-side GAA senior inter-club tournament. If you're not that sporty then perhaps a historical talk hosted by St Fursa's Historical Society in the Angler's Rest on Friday, August 4 at 9 pm with guest speaker historian Peadar O'Dowd may be of interest. Local artists show Headfest is fortunate to have secured the participation of many local artists, photographers and craftspeople in a selection of exhibitions, which will take place over the weekend. The festival will see many local musicians, singers and dancers perform and among the many highlights will be the performance of 30-member Kilcoona Community Choir in Campbell's Tavern on Saturday, August 4 at 5 pm. People will be able to sample the delights of local producers at the extended farmers' market with face painting and children's entertainment on Saturday, an arts and crafts exhibition that afternoon, and you can dance the night away with Matt Cunningham from 9.30 pm in St Fursa's Hall. Family fun is well catered for throughout the weekend and all mums, dads and children up to 12 years are invited to get their groove on at the family disco on Sunday from 4 to 5 pm at St Fursa's Hall. If your moves need improving then pop over to the hip-hop workshop with Judith Higgins between 3 and 4 pm. The festival closes with a finale concert on Sunday at the Headford GAA pitch. Gates open at 4.30 pm and the event will feature the Hernon Family, Mark Roberts, Don Stiffe and The Timber Tramps.