The Family Fun Day begins in Ranelagh Gardens at 1pm with a lively performance by Ireland’s oldest band, St. James’s Brass and Reed Band. The band’s oldest member, John Gannon, has over 70-years’ continuous service. In the meantime, the Children’s Pirate Parade will be setting out from Scoil Bhríde, in the company of the Pirate and Crooked Crew, making its way to Ranelagh Gardens via Beechwood Road and Annavilla, led by Grand Marshall Michael Bourke and the Mad Hatters.

The Tin Drummers’ Percussion Ensemble will entertain the crowd and later puppet-master Conor Lambert will enthral us with his unique adaptation of Punch and Judy.

Watch out for the Mad Hatters’ performance on the bank! The Brazilian martial arts group Capoeira will perform their specially adapted stage show and also test the agility of some young members of the audience.

The renowned Independent Theatre Workshop will bring the Family Fun Day to a close with a music and drama production. This has proved to be a great crowd-pleaser every year.

Other attractions during the Family Fun Day include traditional games, clowns, face painters, stilt walkers and lots more. These fringe events are supported by Dublin City Council.

Mouth-watering food will be available free-ofcharge for everybody at the Family Fun Day in Ranelagh Gardens. Throughout the day, A Taste of Ranelagh will offer a selection of delicacies from the growing number of food outlets in the village.

Children of 6th class in the four local national schools are invited to submit photographs of Ranelagh as part of a competition on the theme ‘Ranelagh Outside’. This is an exciting opportunity for young photographers to have their work on display in Morton’s Supermarket on Dunville Avenue during the festival. Maybe renowned Magnum photographer Martin Parr, a special visitor at this year’s festival, will ‘discover’ you!