‘May the 4th Be With You’ festival returns from 3rd – 5th May 2019 to celebrate the Star Wars Universe in Kerry and Donegal
Following the success of Fáilte Ireland’s first ‘May the 4th Be With You’ festival in May 2018, Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin, today announced that the festival will take place again this year, with events along the Wild Atlantic Way in both Kerry and Donegal.
Kicking off on May the 3rd in the Kerry village of Portmagee and for the first time, across Donegal’s Inishowen Peninsula, the three-day festival will include a host of fun activities for all-ages to celebrate May the 4th, the day when fans across the globe commemorate the Star Wars Universe.
Announcing this year’s ‘May the 4th Be With You’ festival, Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin said:
“Last year, we marked May the 4th with a wonderful celebration of the Wild Atlantic Way and the Star Wars Universe and this year’s festival promises to be bigger and better, with an amazing line up. The inclusion of iconic Irish landscapes in the Star Wars films has given the Wild Atlantic Way fantastic exposure around the world and, with events in Kerry and Donegal this year, the festival is a brilliant opportunity to promote the West Coast of Ireland and the country as a whole.”
New to this year’s ‘May the 4th Be With You’ festival will be a geodesic space marquee, where fans can immerse themselves in a galaxy far far away with interactive activities from panel discussions to video game competitions. Also joining the programme this year will be a display of Star Wars themed sand sculptures, an Augmented Reality treasure trail and an epic lightsabre battle, all set against the breath-taking backdrop of the West Coast.
Fáilte Ireland’s Head of Festivals and Events, Ciara Sugrue said:
“One of the greatest movie makers in the world chose the Wild Atlantic Way as a filming location and Star Wars has raised the route’s profile amongst fans both domestically and internationally. The ‘May the 4th Be With You’ festival was designed to build on this connection and attract visitors to explore the West Coast, not only over the May the 4th weekend but throughout the year.
Following the success of our pilot festival in Kerry in 2018, this year’s ‘May the 4th Be With You’ festival will also take in the galactic landscapes of the Inishowen Peninsula in Donegal. We have been working with local tourism businesses to make this year’s festival even bigger and we have a fantastic line up of events, which not only celebrate the Star Wars Universe but the history and natural landscape of the area.”
Filming for recent Star Wars films took place in locations across Kerry, Cork, Clare and Donegal.
A full programme of events for the ‘May the 4th Be With You’ festival will be unveiled soon, please visit: https://www.wildatlanticway.com/may-the-4th
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