Embracing the outdoors for health and well-being, planet-conscious living and quality Irish food are some of the many themes that will be explored at Bord Bia Bloom 2024. Ireland’s favourite festival of flowers, food and fun, returns to Phoenix Park, Dublin, this June bank holiday weekend (May 30th – June 3rd) and promises attendees a great day out with its colourful collection of show gardens, tantalising displays of Irish food and drink, inspiring talks and demos, and live interactive entertainment for visitors of all ages.
Now in its 18th year, the festival expects to welcome more than 100,000 visitors over five action-packed days for another experience that is rooted in sustainable living. Speaking at the launch of this year’s event, Jim O’Toole, CEO, Bord Bia said, “We are immensely proud of how Bord Bia Bloom has developed as a unique festival experience. Bloom was originally founded to provide a premier platform for showcasing Irish horticulture, food, and drink and we have succeeded in delivering on this vision.
He continued, “As we look forward to the eighteenth year, the festival is more relevant than ever. Bloom offers visitors the opportunity to sample quality products and innovations, while also providing an interactive, national platform to address important societal issues and hear stories from communities around Ireland.”
Gardens Galore
At the centre of Bord Bia Bloom, a total of *22 small, medium and large show gardens and feature gardens will reflect colourful examples of the most recent trends and advancements in garden design. Environmentally conscious gardens, designed with nature to enhance biodiversity, is a returning theme this year, including Rewild! by Nóra Tombor, Cultivating Talent co-winner, sponsored by Westland Horticulture: In Perspective by Oliver and Liat Schurmann, sponsored by the European Commission: Coming Home to Nature by Nicola Haines, sponsored by Fingal County Council: Above & Beyond by Gavin Saunders and Stephen Mackle, sponsored by Natural World Products and New Leaf Compost; and Love that Keelings Feeling Garden by James Purdy, sponsored by Keelings. Many of this year’s spectacular gardens will be relocated after the festival as permanent gardens elsewhere.
Crafting clever garden designs in small spaces is highlighted with the Sun Harness Garden by Hendrik Lepel, sponsored by Peppermint Farm Glasshouses, which demonstrates how to create a microclimate by harnessing the sun’s energy; A Space for Possibilities: The Modular Container Garden by Louise Checa, which showcases a garden that can adapt and move in tandem with different life stages; and two balcony gardens which show how to maximise smaller spaces, including Óir – The Zarbee’s Garden by Leonie Cornelius.
Along with a dazzling display of show gardens, gardening enthusiasts will find plenty of inspiration in the ever-popular Postcard Gardens, which include 13 small but perfectly formed pop-up gardens that are designed and built by community groups, schools, and training groups from across Ireland. A lively Nursery Village featuring some of Ireland’s leading nurseries, floral displays from the Ireland’s finest floral artists and a botanical art exhibition.
A unique festival experience
According to Laura Douglas, Head of Bord Bia Bloom and Brand Partnerships “A ticket to Bloom promises a great day out whether coming with friends, a partner or family. With our beautiful show gardens, live entertainment, fantastic selection of food and drink and five stages jam packed with talks and demos, there is simply no other festival like Bloom in Ireland!”
Food and Entertainment
Across five stages in the 70-acre site, visitors can discover tips and tricks on gardening, gastronomy and sustainable living in a series of talks and demos. The bustling Food Village will feature almost 100 of Ireland’s leading Irish food and drink companies along with a host of foodie features. Attendees can also enjoy live cookery demonstrations from some of Ireland’s leading chefs including Darina Allen, Neven Maguire, Catherine Fulvio, Rory O’Connell, Fiona Uyema, Edward Hayden, Trisha Lewis, Adrian Martin, Erica Drum, Shane Smith and Brian McDermott. The Quality Kitchen stage will also host interviews with more than 40 Irish food producers.
On the Sustainable Living Stage, 40 insightful talks will take place throughout Bloom which will tackle issues such as food waste, plastic pollution, the importance of pollinators, while sharing sustainable food solutions, tips for home energy saving, natural skincare hacks and much more! A series of expert panel discussions will be MC’d by broadcaster Suzanne Campbell.
Meanwhile, the Garden Stage will welcome Bloom show garden designers past and present, garden experts such as Fiann Ó’Nualláin (Holistic Gardener), Monica Alvaréz (Super Garden Judge) Jimi Blake (Huntingbrook Gardens), Paul Smyth (RHSI Bellefield House), Niall McAuley (Gardening influencer); along with specialist plant nurseries, floral art groups, conservation groups and more for a mix of inspirational, helpful talks about gardening and garden design.
There is also plenty to do for all the family with live entertainment on the Main Stage, while the ‘Budding Bloomers’ area promises to keep children engaged and entertained with a food school, workshops on bugs, books, birds and bubbles; games, toddler play area and much more! RTÉjr will offer a selection of science and magic shows. For shopping enthusiasts, the Design & Crafts Council Ireland area, the indoor Retail Pavilion and outdoor retail area and the Plant Emporium will feature an array of quality products for home and garden.
Finally, RTÉ Radio 1’s Roadcaster will be onsite over the weekend with a mix of live broadcasts from RTE 1’s Countrywide, and Lyric FM’s Niall Carroll, Lorcan Murray and Evelyn Grant. The Main Stage will host Lyric FM’s Marty in the Morning and Simon Delaney, along with special guests and performances from musicians.
Tickets
Bord Bia Bloom takes place Thursday May 30th – Monday June 3rd 2024 at the Phoenix Park, Dublin, with the show open from 9am – 6pm daily.
Tickets are on sale and priced at €30. Up to two children aged 12 and under go free with every adult ticket. For more information see bordbiabloom.com
Note: Media accreditation is open, please register interest here.
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