A food and water festival that made a loss of £10,000 last year after booking The Bay City Rollers and selling just 65 tickets will return to Enniskillen this year and will receive £15,000 funding from Fermanagh and Omagh District Council (FODC).

Following last year’s bitter row between the Festival Lough Erne committee and FODC, the Council is now responsible for coordinating and delivering the 2016 festival as well as providing direct financial support.
Festival Lough Erne will take place on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 September at Enniskillen Castle Museums and along the Broadmeadow Basin area.

The total cost of this year’s festival is expected to be £52,000. Earlier this year, the Council accepted ‘in principal’ an offer of £27,000 funding from Tourism NI. FODC has set aside £15,000 and expects to make the remainder (£10,500) from trade entries and general admissions.

A war of words occurred last year when the Council blamed the organising committee for a “series of deficiencies” in planning the inaugural festival. Committee members refuted this, claiming that Council officials had been on-board from the start and that it was Council officers who “conceived” the idea to book The Bay City Rollers at a cost of £11,300.

There will be no headline act at this year’s Festival Lough Erne but local music acts are expected to perform over the two days.

A report was brought before a recent meeting of the Regeneration and Community Committee seeking approval for a proposed programme of activity, including: a food exhibition promoting food producers/traders from the region; chef demonstrations; and a food court with local restaurants preparing food.

The Council will obtain expressions of interest from local licensed premises to provide a bar service throughout the festival.
It is also proposed to offer water based activities including canoe taster sessions and an opportunity to be a crew member of “Row the Erne” curragh over the two days. Council officers are currently engaging with street entertainers and face painters to ensure family entertainment.

The recommendation to approve a contribution of up to £15,000 to ensure effective delivery of Festival Lough Erne 2016 will be considered for ratification at the next Council meeting.