firmus energy event brings fun to Maiden City’s streets

Held in the city’s picturesque Peace Garden on the Saturday, and the Walled Garden in Saint Columb’s Park House on the Sunday, both days had a real carnival atmosphere to them.

The sun made a welcome return for the mini festival, with the individual and group performances from fully trained street artists bringing lots of colour and music to the streets of the Maiden City.

Jitterbug Jackson – a roaming entertainer who uses stilts and a unicycle – and Frankie Magilligan – who combines questionable fashion sense with incredible juggling acts – headlined the event.

Young people were also given the opportunity to sample some of the equipment frequently used by circus performers, including diabolos, juggling balls and rings, hula hoops and even a unicycle.

Reflecting on the two-day event, Barry Cassidy of firmus energy – Northern Ireland’s largest supplier of natural gas – said: “It was fantastic to see so many people make the trip to Derry/Londonderry for the Family Fun Day which In Your Space Circus helped organise and firmus energy sponsored.

“The Family Fun Day proved to be a huge success, and the weather made such a difference. As for the performers, they were brilliant, entertaining people and bringing a big smile to their faces.

“We have many customers in the Derry/Londonderry and north-west area, so this was one way for firmus energy to say thank you, and to give something back to the local community,” he added.

In Your Space Circus Creative Director Rachel Melaugh was on hand to help across the weekend.  “We want to say a huge thank you to firmus energy for helping us to deliver ‘big circus energy’,” she said. “We had a day of circus shows and celebrations in the City side at the Peace Garden, and one in the Waterside in St. Columb’s Park.

“We had a great turn-out and it is just great for us to get out into the community, delivering circus which is what we are passionate about and what we love to do.

“We also want to say thank you to firmus energy for supporting our local artists, because without them we would not be able to do what we do,” added Rachel.