Cork's Urban October: Nordic walking, chalk drawing — celebrate city life

Chalk it down — Cork’s city streets are set to come alive next month thanks to a series of free and quirky events to celebrate city life.

You can take part in chalk drawing workshops on Emmet Place, enjoy a currach concert on the river Lee, try out some Nordic walking up St Patrick’s Hill, or sample the delights of a night market during the Urban October initiative which hopes to encourage citizens of the People’s Republic to look at their city anew.

You can even take to the river Lee for SUP, or stand-up paddle-boarding classes, down the Marina.

The initiative is supported and organised by Cork City Council and EcCoWell, the movement designed to promote the positives of all aspects of city and urban life.

The council’s city centre co-ordinator, Paul McGuirk, said they hope the events will showcase how well-designed and managed public spaces have a positive impact on people who live in, visit, or work in the city.

"During October, people are invited to look at Cork city centre through fresh eyes — to re-discover and re-engage with our city and to celebrate its advantages and attractions,” he said.

Cork prides itself as the rebel city and is always different, so our Urban October programme actually starts in late September.

It will kick off with the Douglas Street Autumnfest on September 30 which will see the street closed to traffic for family-friendly activities, and will finish on World Cities Day, October 31, with the spectacular Dragon of Shandon Halloween parade.

Sandwiched between the two will be dozens of events, including a concert on currachs by young musicians from Music Generation who will perform on the river Lee on Sunday, October 7.

The Cork Sports Partnership has organised a number of events including Nordic walking workshops — the new fitness innovation which transforms normal walking into a complete body workout by using walking poles — in Fitzgerald’s Park and up the landmark St Patrick’s Hill.

The urban regeneration group, Mad About Cork, will host guided tours of its guerrilla gardening and street-art projects. There will also be other guided walks around the South Parish and Shandon.

The Ripple Effect Night Market will be set up in the garden of Triskel Arts Centre on South Main St on October 25. And people have been invited to celebrate the refurbishment of the 160-year-old Berwick Fountain on Grand Parade by taking a selfie next to it and posting it on social media to be in with a chance of winning a restaurant voucher.

The programme is available from the city’s main library, in City Hall, St Peters on North Main St and other venues and cafes around the city, or at corkcitycentre.ie.