Pictured at launch: Pictured are Aine Mangan, CEO Into Kildare, Eoghan Ryan Director of Services Kildare County Council, Carmel Kelly, Leas-Cathaoirleach, County Kildare, Conor O’Neill, CEO Punchestown Racecourse and Camilla Grey and Vincent O’Leary of Fletcher’s Pub, Naas.
Into Kildare, the tourism board for County Kildare, has officially launched the ‘Paint The Town Red’ campaign, a best dressed window and building competition which will help promote and support businesses in Naas before and during the Punchestown Festival. The initiative will see shops and traders in Naas being encouraged to decorate their buildings and shop fronts in a racing inspired theme. This fantastic programme, which is being sponsored by Into Kildare aims to highlight and promote local businesses in Naas and will serve to remind racegoers to shop, dine and do business in the town.
The Punchestown Festival this year runs from Tuesday 26 - Saturday 30th April and there are plenty of great places in Naas for racegoers to visit both pre and post racing including some of Ireland’s best boutiques, men’s shops, hotels, restaurants, and pubs to mention but a few.
Naas businesses have already been provided with complimentary, red Into Kildare promotional material which they can use in their displays while Into Kildare has also sponsored flags which will dress the streetscape and Naas Town Centre.
The trader with the best window will win a two night stay at the luxurious Killashee House Hotel for two people. The prize includes dinner on one evening with afternoon tea at Killashee. The lucky winner will also be awarded with a €100 gift card for Kildare Village and tickets for two people to the ‘A Making an Entrance’ concert at Castletown House. The runner up will win hospitality for six people at the La Touche Restaurant at Punchestown Racecourse on Saturday the 30th of April. All entrants in the Paint The Town Red best dressed window competition will be given a pair of complimentary tickets for the opening day of the festival, Tuesday 26th of April.
The top five finalists will be announced via Punchestown Racecourse social media on the 21st of April and the overall winner will be announced on the 26th of April, the opening day of the 2022 festival.
Speaking about the campaign, Aine Mangan, CEO of Into Kildare said “The Punchestown Festival will attract over 130,000 racegoers to the racecourse this year and those racegoers will of course need somewhere to eat, sleep and shop. The Into Kildare, Paint the Town Red initiative aims to encourage those racegoers to eat, sleep and shop in Naas and to spend their money with local businesses. Kildare is known as ‘The Thoroughbred County’ but we also have lots to offer away from the track including fabulous cultural, dining and shopping experiences. Flags and creative displays will help to create a fun, festival atmosphere and will remind people that there is plenty to see and do in the area before and after racing. We are calling on all businesses to embrace the racing theme, decorate Naas and Paint the Town Red! It is up to all of us collectively to attract visiting racegoers into the town with attractive offers and showcase the great community spirit that is alive and well in Naas. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our members in the tourism network in county Kildare - Into Kildare who have been most supportive and engaging.”
Conor O Neill, CEO of Punchestown Racecourse said, “We always say that people make Punchestown and after two years of vacant grandstands and deserted enclosures we are really looking forward to welcoming everyone to our ‘Great Comeback Festival’. Punchestown offers a unique blend of sport, style, hospitality, and of course craic. With 20% of our attendance hailing from the UK we feel it is important to put on a welcome in Naas, our local town. The addition of flags, decals and racing themed window and shop front displays creates a festive atmosphere and we extend a sincere céad míle fáilte to our visitors”.
For further information about Into Kildare please see www.intokildare.ie or email into info@intokildare.ie
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