There is an amazing arts festival for children kicking off in Galway tomorrow

Baboró, Ireland’s flagship festival for children and families starts in Galway this Monday, 15 October. Now in its 22nd year, this year's festival promises to be well worth a visit, bursting with theatre, dance, music, exhibitions, film and literature as well as talks and workshops for children and adults. There are artists from Ireland, Australia, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Scotland and England involved, who will present a feast of 51 events across seven days designed especially for children and families. According to organisers, Baboró enables children and families to experience first hand the transformative power of the creative arts. Its mission is rooted in its commitment to children and ensuring that each child’s experience of the arts is enriching and deeply engaging. Commenting on the 2018 festival, Executive Artistic Director, Aislinn Ó hEocha said: "At Baboró we passionately believe the arts enhance childrens’ lives and expand their worldview. We’re delighted to share our 2018 programme with children, families and schools. From October 15-21, it’s all about the kids when artists from Ireland and all over the world will bring creativity and colour into the lives of children and their families.” Some of this year’s international theatre and dance highlights include The Young Kings, a beautiful piece of immersive theatre with the tender language of Oscar Wilde; Tetris, a fun, interactive performance, based on the game Tetris, exploring the way we interact with each other; and Black Beauty, a vibrant retelling of the much-loved classic story which blends storytelling, music and puppetry. And don't miss Branar Téater do Pháistí presenting How to Catch a Star, based on the beloved book by award-winning Irish author, Oliver Jeffers, and Brú Theatre presents Cleite, which tells the story of an old woman who waits for her husband to come back from sea and features live singing as Gaeilge. There are amazing workshops taking place throughout the week, and this year's Creative Connections strand offers children and adults the chance to enjoy interactive art experiences while spending quality time together. It includes Roaring Rockets, a STEAM challenge for budding designers and engineers; Wonder Walls which brings together expert illustrators Niamh Sharkey, PJ Lynch and Tarsila Krüse, for a unique live drawing experience, and The Colour Factory, from Toodelou Creativity Lab, an interactive art experience where children are the creators and curators. Other workshops for children include a ‘design your own board game’ workshop with one of the world’s leading game designers, Brenda Romero. DJ Donal Dineen will lead a Tiny DJ workshop on how to use vinyl record decks as well as a Tiny Dancer event where kids can throw some shapes. Heck, there’s even a workshop on how to repair your toys. For more information and the full programme details, check out Baboro.ie