Photo Corner – Spraoi: Waterford Street Art Festival
Every year in the middle of summer, the streets of Waterford are filled with artists from all over the world performing their art, be it music, dance, acrobatics, theater or anything else. This is one of the biggest and in my opinion the best festivals in Waterford and in Ireland as a whole.
The name Spraoi comes from Irish and means fun or revelry, which beautifully describes the festival itself. It takes place every year at the same time – the weekend over the public holiday in August (always the first Monday of the month). The festival has been running since 1993 and several dozen artists perform in it every year. On top of that, there is a parade and fireworks on Sunday evening.
What’s great about this festival is that all performances are free and are really on the streets in the city center – accessible to everyone. The organizers also make sure every year that there are plenty of food stalls around – so you can spend the whole day in the city and not miss a performance.
I have been to the festival several times, mainly in recent years, before covid I usually spent the long weekend differently (for example, traveling around Ireland and visiting friends on the continent).
I dug up photos from 2018, taken just before the fireworks, and photos of the fireworks themselves from the same year. But then I have photos for you from 2021, 2023 and this year.
In those three years, it didn’t happen that the same artists performed. The organizers always try to keep the program full of exciting performances. In 2021, I forgot that this festival took place (thanks to covid), but I managed to see the British Inverted – a duo that did handstands and various acrobatics in the middle of the city and without suspension. The same evening, I saw and photographed the Irish Fidget Feet. A group of acrobats who really aren’t afraid of it!
Last year, I planned ahead and managed several different performances – for example, a parkour duo that the city let climb a historic building in the city center. In addition, I realized for the first time how much the city is always full of people and had the opportunity to take some snapshots.
This year I went to take photos with my friend A. and we managed to see about 7 different performances – from a lady and a man in a wheelchair who did acrobatics, to a guy who put a lighted flare nearby his crotch to Motionhouse – a group of young people who chased each other between metal structures so quickly that I barely had time to take a picture of them!
For me, last year was probably the best of all the ones I’ve seen so far. But I have to really recommend the festival if you’re ever in Waterford/Ireland over the summer – it’s really worth it!
