Cork Midsummer Festival has unveiled a diverse and exciting programme of events for 2017. Taking place across 10 days from 16-25 June, this year’s festival features over 400 artists.

More than 50,000 people are expected to attend Cork’s largest annual multi-disciplinary arts festival, with a choice of 51 events in 40 venues and city wide locations. For full details and tickets visit www.corkmidsummer.com.

The 2017 programme includes 11 premieres, showcasing some of the most exciting talent in Ireland. A fusion of opera, literature, theatre, dance, music and visual art, it also includes family-friendly festivities, talks and a wide choice of free events.

Speaking ahead of the launch, Cork Midsummer Festival Director, Lorraine Maye said: “This is truly a festival for Cork. From the diverse programme to the plethora of venues dispersed across the city, this is about making the arts accessible and enjoyable to all. Over the 10 days, festival goers can expect spectacular installations, ground-breaking participatory events, gripping productions, and magical experiences – all within a city known for its vision, colour and creativity.”

Highlights include Luke Jerram’s giant replica of the moon, Museum of the Moon at the Nexus Hall, Cork Institute of Technology (21-23 June). Run in partnership with CIT, and sponsored by O’Flynn Exhams Solicitors and JCD Group, pioneering NASA astronaut Dr Buzz Aldrin will also give a lecture in front of the installation on June 27.

Returning for its 10^th year with the Festival, pioneers of site-specific theatre Corcadorca Theatre Company will use the former prison site of Spike Island as their stage for the anti-war play Far Away (June 19- July 1).

Lorraine added: “We are hugely appreciative to all our sponsors, partners, patrons, friends, and colleagues who have supported this festival, and ensure that Midsummer remains one of the most vibrant summertime arts events in the country.”

Chair of the Arts Council, Sheila Pratschke stated: “Cork Midsummer Festival is an important part of the festival ecology in Ireland, not only playing a key role in providing a much needed platform for artists, but providing quality levels of engagement across a broad demographic.

“It is a festival much rooted in Cork’s heritage, encouraging conversations with its local community and providing opportunity to become involved in a broad range of innovative arts happenings that take place city wide.”

Award-winning playwright Lynda Radley brings her hit play Futureproof to the Everyman Theatre (June 16-24), while Like Mother, Like Daughter (June 20-25) at The Village Hall on Patrick’s Quay, will see Complicite Creative Learning weave together stories from real life mothers and daughters into an unscripted conversation, performed by the mothers and daughters themselves. Seven-time Tony Award-winner and Cork native Bob Crowley will be one of several distinguished speakers at a free City of Ideas talk running throughout the festival.

Festival favourite Picnic in the Park is at Fitzgerald’s Park on June 18, and will feature Ireland’s largest ever maypole dance with ProdiJIG. The innovative dance troupe also return to the stage with ProdiJIG: The Revolution from June 16-25 as part of an exciting new collaboration between Cork Opera House and Cork Midsummer Festival. The popular outdoor banquet Long Table Dinner will also be held on South Mall on June 18.

Further highlights include Fleischmann in the Glen, a homage to Irish composer Aloys Fleischmann at the Glen River Park on Ballyhooley Road on June 21, and Toilers, a reconstruction of the lost play by Irish feminist and novelist Suzanne R Day (June 16-18 & 23-25).

The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Des Cahill said: “For these 10 days of the festival, Cork as a city inspires artists across all art-forms – national and international – and makes all of her citizens sit up and look around our city with new and delighted eyes.”

Cork Midsummer Festival is proudly supported by the Arts Council, Cork City Council, Fáilte Ireland and by media partners RTÉ Cork, the Irish Examiner, 96FM and C103, and RTÉ Supporting the Arts.

For full details of all events and bookings visit www.corkmidsummer.com