With the weather we’ve been having lately, you wouldn’t be blamed for shunning thoughts of camping and standing in a rainy field for hours on end – but you may be interested in casting your mind back to the (sort of) hazy days of summer momentarily, then casting your vote in the Irish Festival Awards.

Public voting is now open for the awards, which honour the best of the multitude of festivals, big and small, that run nationwide throughout the year. Voting will be open through December and January, and the winners will be announced in a ceremony early next year, which will be open to the public to attend.

Organised by Cherrycool Promotions, the company that also runs the Castle Palooza festival (which is excluded from nominations in the interest of fairness), the IFA was founded in 2007, and comprises more than 20 categories for patrons to vote in, including best-value festival, best one-day festival, best line-up and even best toilets.

Those who vote are eligible for a competition for festival tickets for 2011. festivalawards.ie