Weekend set to be Vantastival

DUKE Special, Whipping Boy, The Alabama 3, The Frank and Walters and Jamie Lawson are just a handful of the top names lined up for this week’s Vantastival 2011 event in Dunany Estate, near Annagassan.

Vantastival gets underway this Friday April 29 and runs right through to Sunday May 1.

This is the second year that it has been held in County Louth with a number of local acts, including Bill Coleman, Black Svan, Sanzkrit, I’d Fight Gandhi and the Curtain Thieves also on the billing.

Vantastival is one of Ireland’s newest independent festivals and is also one of the most affordable. The bring your own beer policy and €85 weekend camping tickets make it among the most recession-friendly events you are likely to encounter in Ireland this summer.

The idea behind the festival is to celebrate campervan culture while also showcasing some of the finest up-and-coming acts. Vantastival is a family-friendly event and has a full range of children’s entertainment and a dedicated family camping area.

Additional features include the Gramophone Disco, a cinema tent and an open mic stage, as well as a Campervan Cook-off, Scrapheap Challenge and a number of other quirky campervan activities.

The festival runs from Friday 29 April to Sunday 1 May and €40 day tickets are also available, with €30 weekend entry for 14-17 year olds and free entry for children under 14.

Tickets can be purchased from the Spirit Store in Dundalk or online at www.vantastival.com where all the information about the event will be available.