Films, fun and everything else at autumn arts festival

THE stage is set for the autumn arts festival in Killaloe and Ballina with a host of free activities for children.
The fifth annual Féile Eile takes place in a number of venues this weekend. Events include singing, storytelling, drumming, dance, drama, art, crafts, cartoons, puppets, music and other entertainment. Parents and children can sit back and enjoy the shows or join the workshops. The festival is organised by Boris Hunka and Diane Daly from Music in The Glen.
Children from the seven local national schools will come together to perform with each other before uniting to sing the Féile Eile anthem as a single choir of over 200 in the Lakeside Hotel, Ballina at 9.30am this Friday.
Later that evening at 6pm, children will return to the same venue for the showing of Ponyo from the world famous Studio Ghibli in  Japan.
Ponyo is no ordinary goldfish and when she is caught by a little boy, a great adventure begins.
The Midnight Court Film Society present His and Hers – an Irish story through the voices of 70 women for adults at 8.30pm.
Following the huge success of last year’s fun day, Music in the Glen presents the second Great Big Free Fun Day with facilitators featured on the BBC, RTÉ and the Irish Times on Saturday. Children can learn hip-hop and Bollywood moves or make some noise on a massive collection of drums.
Local artists will also share their skills in St Anne’s Community College from 11am to 4pm on Saturday. Participants will be grouped by age from four to 11 years of age.
Booking is essential and for more information contact  musicintheglen@ftml.net or call Boris on 087 2104583.
Last year, storytellers told the Tale of the Blue Monk in the Bell-Chamber of St Flannan’s Cathedral. This year they go one stage higher to the very top of the Cathedral on Sunday at 1.30pm.
The performing groups of the area will also come together with a show for all tastes including Irish dance, ballet, classical, trad, rock and the Killaloe Ballina Children’s Orchestra in St Anne’s Community College on Sunday at 4pm.
The festival concludes with a new music theatre show Malcolm the Marmoset at the Lakeside Hotel, Ballina next Monday at 4pm.
Malcolm is a normal sort of a marmoset, but when his melodica goes missing, he has to assemble a crack team to get it back.
The musicians and singers of the Irish Improvisation Orchestra combine with local artists for this new show, which harnesses a mix of musical styles, comedy, songs, puppets and audience participation.
The show also includes the return of the now legendary Killaloe Ballina Community Orchestra and Choir and the Killaloe Ballina Gospel Choir.