Returning for its second year on Sunday July 23rd, the countdown is now well and truly on for Joy In The Park 2023!
Fitzgerald’s Park, Cork
Sunday July 23, 2023 – 11am – 6pm
A free event for everyone, Joy In The Park is a celebration of life, whilst supporting mental health & well-being, in partnership with Cork Mental Health Foundation.
This year’s stellar line-up includes The Frank & Walters, John Spillane, Aoife Scott, Karen Underwood, Pontious Pilate & The Naildrivers with loads more music, spoken word, children’s entertainment, circus, storytelling, arts & crafts, food stalls, wellness activities and a mental health support hub.
In addition, organisers are delighted to welcome back Minding Creative Minds (MCM) both as a partner and in person, when they host The Couch Sessions; MCM, Ireland’s first 24/7 (also, free and confidential) wellbeing support programme for everyone working in the Irish Creative Sector will present a career focused panel conversation. With the title ‘Broaden Your horizon As A Creative’ and moderated by Cork’s own Mary Crilly of Safe Gigs, who will be joined in conversation by a number of panelists talking about their own careers including Dublin poet, Stephen James Smith and comedian and co-presenter of Cork Red FM’s Breakfast; Laura O’Mahony, Dundalk musician Sophie Coyle and more.
Completing the line-up, Cork brass and percussion big band BoolaBoom take over the park at various stages during the afternoon – Expect catchy brass licks and scintillating horn solos mixed with air-punching Latin-flavoured beats!
Joy In The Park will balance that sense of fun with connection and understanding, whilst raising awareness for mental health and well-being through an engaging programme of wellness, sensory activities and workshops, provided by the HSE Cork & Kerry Community Health Action Zone and a number of organisations and community groups including SHINE, MyMind, GROW, Cork Counselling Services and Jigsaw. They will be joined by PIETA, Samaritans, Shine A Light, Aware.ie and the National Learning Network who will be at the event as part of the support hub, offering their support and information throughout the afternoon.
Joy In The Park is a free event for everyone and is able to take place because of the financial support provided by a number of institutions to include HSE Cork & Kerry Community Healthcare, HSE Cork Connecting For Life Programme, Lottery Funding, Cork City Council: LCDC, Arts Office, PARKS and Ward Funding, IMRO and Minding Creative Minds.