Birr embraces the past and the town's Georgian heritage with a vintage festival.
Birr Vintage Festival now in its 38th year and offering a larger than ever programme of events.
Now run by a voluntary committee headed by Michelle de Forge the festival was orginally started by a group of local business people who wanted to have another event after the local agricultural festival wound down. As Birr is a Georgian heritage town, they latched onto the vintage theme.
The highlight of the festival is the Vintage Sunday Parade, which will include street theatre and marching bands. An exhibition trail includes the work of over thirty visual artists and there will be entertainement for children, sports events and fireworks.
Michelle de Forge is ten years younger than the festival and looks to keep the festival fresh by getting more young people involved. Many local people get dressed up in vintage costumes during the week of the festival.
This episode of 'Nationwide' was broadcast on 18 August 2006. The reporter is Michael Ryan.
