Free community fire show at Cork's Marina Park expected to draw huge crowd
Circus Factory will set Cork ablaze on Friday. Last year, the festival’s marketing manager Megan Cronin expected around 300-400 people, but almost 1,000 enjoyed the event. This year, the festival is ready and prepared to excite the elevated crowd numbers.
As night falls this Friday, the Marina Park will spark to life with a free community fire show, celebrating the launch of Circus Factory’s Pitch’d circus and street arts festival 2026.
It promises to be an evening of sparks, flames, and breathtaking skill in a performance created by and for the local community.
Circus Factory’s marketing manager, Megan Cronin, described last year’s fire show as “incredible” and she said this year’s offering would be even better.
“We expected 300-400 people last year but got close to a thousand,” she said.
“The show had to change halfway through to perform to the audiences behind the performers. This year we’re preparing a 360-degree show and people will love it.”
The fire show marks the busiest weekend of the festival celebrating circus and street arts in Cork city.
Alongside high-energy performances, the programme includes a variety cabaret along with gravity defying and thought-provoking performances.
Circus Factory is also hosting family-friendly circus workshops, aerial tasters and stage presence workshops at its space on Centre Park Road.
One of the festival’s feature shows is by Jude O’ Neill and Jean McMahon.
The performance follows a sold-out run at Cork Fringe Festival earlier this year and is a second opportunity to catch the show.
The show is centred around community and otherness featuring circus, dance and original music.
As part of this year’s 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.
Pitch’d Circus and Street Arts Festival is organised by Circus Factory Cork and is Cork’s longest running circus festival.
Now in its ninth year, the festival brings together circus and community in Cork city and further afield.
The fire show is free, but the Circus Factory is encouraging registration so it can contact attendees if needed.
For more information on all the events taking place during this year's festival see circusfactorycork.com.
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