Step back in time for decades festival

THOUSANDS of people dressed up in the styles of the ’20s through to the ’90s are expected to flock to Cork for the city’s second Decades Festival, next month.

Dubbed Ireland’s “largest fancy dress party”, music from the different decades will blare out from 64 pubs in the city and suburbs step back in time on August 13 and 14. Each venue on the festival pub trail has picked a decade and are organising staff, decor and entertainment to reflect that era.

The number of venues participating has nearly doubled since last year’s inaugural festival, which is supported by Carlsberg and media partners The Evening Echo.

This year there will also be a prize for best costume chosen from all the participating pubs, something that festival organiser Adrienne Hickey is keen to promote.

“The key to this festival is that people get into fancy dress and out onto the Decades Festival trail. We want to make this festival as accessible and as much fun as possible and to reward the people who make the effort.

“We are really looking forward to seeing what people are going to come up with,” Adrienne said.

There will also be a pocket-sized trail map distributed to all venues and across Cork to help visitors find their way through the 64 venues and eight decades over the two nights

“The combinations are endless, so don’t be surprised if you start your trail in a ’20s gin joint and end it at a ’90s rave,” Adrienne said.