On Saturday July 9th, after two years in hiatus due to COVID, Foróige’s Drug and Alcohol Free Music Festival Amplified made its debut in Ballina, Co. Mayo, with nearly 2000 in attendance, from all over Ireland.
Amplified boasted a main stage with iRadio DJs Steven Cooper and Louise Clarke who pumped out the tunes all night while MC Fabu-D kept the crowd energised. The night kicked off with DJ Avocado and SeamusD who warmed everyone up.
After the sunset, fire jugglers lit up the second stage, and as the tunes kept coming there were dance offs on stage. The night also featured a silent disco marquee which was extremely popular, as well as food stalls and a chill out and games zone featuring tug of war, giant jenga, and more.
There was also a space for volunteers to refuel with drinks, sandwiches and sweet treats, and information on Foróige programmes, including VR demos and build-it-yourself challenges for the YES! Programme.
The non-alcohol event was a huge success, according to organising committee member Anne Marie Thompson from Lacken Foróige club:
“We’re so happy to be back hosting this festival, it’s been sorely missed by everyone involved! After the tough time young people have faced during COVID, this festival is a cause for celebration to see them back enjoying themselves in person. This festival gave nearly 2,000 teenagers from across the country the chance to experience a fantastic festival where they can enjoy their favourite music, meet friends and generally have a great time - all in a safe environment. 2023 is already in the making and we couldn’t be more excited!”
Seán Campbell, CEO of Foróige said “This event has been organised entirely by volunteers and young people and is a huge achievement by everyone involved. I want to thank the volunteers for the immense amount of work that has gone into organising this event, and for facilitating the work of Foróige with young people, empowering them to be the best that they can be.”
“This event is about celebrating young people, what it means to be young and about coming together as a community and supporting young people in their journey which is all too often a difficult one. Here’s to more events like this!”
