In pictures: Blackpool rocks as it hosts 'Block Party'

The Blackpool Block Party took place last weekend on Great William O’Brien Street.

The event featured music from Two Time Polka, Arundó; The Heppsters Jazz Trio; French folk indie singer, Delta Plane, and the Spangle Hill Band. Lunch was prepared by the Tiger Balm Supper Club, with all the ingredients coming from the many fantastic community gardens across Cork city.

Gardeners from the Health Action Zone and the Blackpool Men’s Shed also gave away seasonal produce from the local community gardens, as well as free planters, pots, compost and seeds, so people could grow their own at home.

There were also flash fiction workshops with Graffiti Theatre, an art installation called ‘Hope Has Wings’ produced by Cork City Partnership, acrobatics workshop by Streetacro extraordinaire Ally Futto and DIY bike repair workshops with Cork Community Bikes.

The event also featured DIY clothes repair workshops and sustainable fashion related events with Cork Environmental Forum and Restyle Ireland, gardening displays from Meitheal Follaine and NICHE Community Gardens, smoothie bikes for a healthy shake, a repair café where visitors could learn to fix broken items, knitting classes run by the Blackpool Knitting Group, a Creative Garden display by Corlann Blackpool, a céilí on the street, street games, and craft stalls.

The Blackpool Block Party was produced by Cork Community Art Link and supported by SICAP, Cork City Council, Slaintecare, Safefood, Health Action Zone, HSE, Blackpool Community Centre, Cork Environmental Forum, Blackpool Credit Union, Cork Volunteer Centre, and local businesses.