As night falls this Friday, the Marina Park will spark to life with a free community fire show, celebrating the launch of Circus Factory\u2019s Pitch\u2019d circus and street arts festival 2026.<\/p>\n
It promises to be an evening of sparks, flames, and breathtaking skill in a performance created by and for the local community.<\/p>\n
Circus Factory\u2019s marketing manager, Megan Cronin, described last year\u2019s fire show as \u201cincredible\u201d and she said this year\u2019s offering would be even better.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe expected 300-400 people last year but got close to a thousand,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe show had to change halfway through to perform to the audiences behind the performers. This year we\u2019re preparing a 360-degree show and people will love it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The fire show marks the busiest weekend of the festival celebrating circus and street arts in Cork city.<\/p>\n
Alongside high-energy performances, the programme includes a variety cabaret along with gravity defying and thought-provoking performances.<\/p>\n
Circus Factory is also hosting family-friendly circus workshops, aerial tasters and stage presence workshops at its space on Centre Park Road.<\/p>\n
One of the festival\u2019s feature shows is Quare Fruit by Jude O\u2019 Neill and Jean McMahon.<\/p>\n
The performance follows a sold-out run at Cork Fringe Festival earlier this year and is a second opportunity to catch the show.<\/p>\n
The show is centred around community and otherness featuring circus, dance and original music.<\/p>\n
As part of this year\u2019s programme, Circus Factory is hosting the national shared island youth exchange where children from circus schools all over Ireland come to Circus Factory for a week of workshops and play.<\/p>\n
Pitch\u2019d Circus and Street Arts Festival is organised by Circus Factory Cork and is Cork\u2019s longest running circus festival.<\/p>\n
Now in its ninth year, the festival brings together circus and community in Cork city and further afield.<\/p>\n
The fire show is free, but the Circus Factory is encouraging registration so it can contact attendees if needed.<\/p>\n