Find Joy in the Park this July

A new eclectic free summer festival will be launched tomorrow which will be both a celebration of life, along with a focus on minding our mental health and wellbeing.

In partnership with Cork Mental Health Foundation, Joy In The Park will take place in Fitzgerald's Park on the afternoon of Sunday 17 July and promises to be a free, fun filled family afternoon. The Cork Independent is proud to be media partners for the event.

Featuring a carnival atmosphere, it will also boast an eclectic mix of live music, spoken word, storytelling, children's entertainment, circus, workshops and wellness activities alongside a delicious food market.

The event will feature a fabulous music line-up with ringmaster Jerry Fish performing the John McCarthy Main Stage alongside innovative world music band Kíla and Cork favourites Pontious Pilate & The Nail Drivers.

A diverse programme of performances will take place throughout the afternoon, including the Mad Hatter's Tea Party Tent, hosting the acoustic stage headlined by Cork’s own John Spillane and featuring some of Ireland's finest musicians.

The Joy Sylvie Spoken Word Stage will present a superb line-up of poetry, hip-hop and spoken word as well as a magical musical experience with Cork Pops Ensemble.

The Couch Sessions in association with Minding Creative Minds, Ireland's first 24/7 wellbeing support programme for the entire Irish creative sector, will bring the living room outside, hosting a number of mental health panels and podcast interviews whilst the Sensory & Wellness Haven will create a space of serenity, forming the backdrop for the shimmering and soothing sounds of the Cork Community Gamelan, a Javanese gong and percussion ensemble.

The Cork Circus Factory will entertain families with their dynamic shows and the chance to participate in their workshops following the performances, whilst various happenings will take place including the parade of the Pompous Creatures presented by the Cork Puppetry Company, a New Orleans jazz procession by Rebel Brass and Rap A'Mile by Cork's young rappers as part of the Music Generation Cork City Programme, who will deliver a number of performances by some of Cork’s most talented young musicians.

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 Healthcare Community Work Health Action Zone Team and a number of organisations and community groups including Shine, MyMind.org, GROW, Cork Counselling Services and Jigsaw.

They will be joined by Pieta, Samaritans, Shine A Light and Aware.ie who will be at the event as part of the support hub, offering their support and information throughout the afternoon.

The event is supported with funding from the HSE through the Connecting for Life Cork programme, as part of the HSE suicide prevention mental health strategy and Cork Kerry Community Healthcare; Cork City Council's Arts Office, The Community Section and the LCDC community grant, PARKS, Environment & Amenities; IMRO's sponsorship programme; Jacobs Engineering and Shine A Light with additional programming support from Minding Creative Minds and the Music Generation Cork City Programme.

Joy In The Park is a free event and open to the public from 12 noon until 6pm on Sunday 17 July. For more visit joyinthepark.com.