Galway SeaFest 2018 has won the Best Cultural Event at the 2018 Event Industry Awards.
The maritime festival, in its fourth year in 2018, has grown by leaps and bounds since it first came into being.
Attracting 10,000 visitors on its first showing in 2018, this year Seafest was attended by over 100,000 people from Ireland and around the world.
SeaFest 2018 was described by the judges as, “a great celebration of Ireland’s maritime heritage, that serves an important cultural purpose and is more than deserving of this award.”
This year’s festival ran for three days over the weekend from Friday June 29 through to Sunday July 1.
Some of the festival highlights included the dazzling flyboarders that took part in daring stunts and acrobatics in the harbour waters using pump-powered jet packs.
Equipment from the Naval and Air Services was on display including an armoured vehicle, artillery pieces, and a whole range of infantry gear.
The LÉ William Butler Yeats spent the weekend docked at the harbour for tours and the occasional unsuccessful attempt to solicit the navy boys into international piracy.
Sinéad Coyne, Communications Manager for the Marine Institute and SeaFest said: “SeaFest is now regarded as one of the biggest and most successful festivals of its kind in Europe.”
“This would not have been possible without the huge support from a wide range of local, regional and national agencies who came together to plan and stage this largescale event.”
“Thanks also to our festival organiser Arcana, our suppliers and to the media who have shown great support for SeaFest, year on year. Also a big thanks to our volunteers, and the people and businesses of Galway – we couldn’t have done it without you.”
Also attached to the festival this year was the Our Ocean Wealth Summit that took place down at the docks.
The summit attracted guests and speakers from government, industries, environmental groups, and ocean cinematographers.
This year it focused on how to further develop Ireland’s marine economy while ensuring sustainable practices that can survive the one-two blows of Brexit and Climate Change.
The award ceremony took place at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin. The overall Best Event award went to Wild Lights at Dublin Zoo.
