With a very heavy heart we have accepted that it is not feasible for this year’s Vantastival to go ahead in September. While the lockdown restrictions have been lifting and the Government Roadmap accelerated, there is still no concrete information surrounding the holding of mass gatherings in the autumn. Following consultation with the Gardaí in Drogheda and the relevant government departments, unfortunately at this point we feel the only responsible course of action is to cancel. We know that everyone was very hopeful that Vantastival could be the end-of-lock-down party to beat all, but we have to be realistic and take into consideration the health and safety of our patrons and their families, as well as the local community.

An event like Vantastival involves a huge amount of advance planning and logistics. Each day and week the Covid 19 goalposts are moving and while currently the overall outlook looks positive for September, the absence of guidelines or certainty on numbers makes it impossible for us to plan. We also feel strongly that even if the event were permitted to go ahead, the intimate and friendly nature of Vantastival would suffer greatly with strict social distancing requirements, and we do not want to put on an event lacking in the atmosphere so loved by our patrons.

We are so very appreciative of your support and we hope to return in 2021 with the party we’ve all been craving. All ticket-holders will be contacted by email and offered a full refund. We want to take a moment at this point to say THANK YOU. We couldn’t do what we do without you. Right now our small business, among so many others in our industry, is feeling the effects of this shutdown. We need your support more than ever, so please continue to follow us on social media, stay up to date with all things Vantastival, and keep listening to great Irish music!