THERE MAY be over seven weeks of shopping left, but the spirit of Christmas arrived early in Dublin yesterday as the programme of events for the festive season was unveiled.
A fairground at the docklands, movies at Temple Bar, and visiting deer in Phoenix Park were among the attractions announced by Dublin City Council and the Dublin City Business Association.
Dublin on Ice returns to Smithfield and will feature a "kiddie's rink", a Santa workshop and a Christmas market. Also making its annual appearance will be the 12 Days of Christmas festival at Dublin Docklands, with 80 market traders and fairground attractions, including a restored galloping horses carousel.
Those seeking an encounter with Santa's four-legged helpers can take guided walks in Phoenix Park to see the fallow deer there on Saturdays and Sunday during December.
For panto fans, Dublin will host Aladdin, starring Susan McFadden, at the Olympia Theatre; Cinderella, featuring You're a Star winner Leanne Moore, in the Gaiety; and former Big Brother contestant Brian Dowling in Peter Pan at the Tivoli Theatre.
Elsewhere, the Temple Bar Cultural Trust will run a series of free events, including street performances, a Christmas-themed movie, book readings, and children's workshops.
A new 60-foot-tall Christmas tree on O'Connell Street will be switched on by Lord Mayor Eibhlin Byrne this Sunday. The tree is comprised of nearly 100,000 energy-efficient bulbs.
Speaking yesterday, Ms Byrne stressed the importance of shopping in Dublin over Christmas.
"If we want to keep our city vibrant and open for business, there is an emphasis on all of us to do what we can to promote Dublin," she said. "It is very important in these difficult economic times that all of us send out a clear message that Dublin is very much open for business."
Asked why people would want to visit Dublin when they could go to suburban shopping centres, Ms Byrne cited the atmosphere in the city's Georgian heart.
"The buildings lend themselves to the whole magic . . . and I think it's also part of tradition, and it's very important in the modern world to keep traditions for kids."
Dublin City Council says that the average daily number of visitors to Dublin increases to over 700,000 during the Christmas season.
A list of Christmas events can be found at www.dublincity.ie in the Recreation and Culture/ Events section.
