St. Patrick's Day Festival Baby Rave

There’s certainly something for everyone in Dublin for this year’s St. Patrick’s Festival - even for parents who miss their clubbin’ days! I took my daughter to SS Michael and John in the West end of Temple Bar yesterday for her first rave party, where “the only drug is calpol,” according to the group’s MySpace page. The Baby Rave is being put on for this year’s St. Patrick’s Festival by Belfast arts charity, Young at Art.



Even at five-and-a-half months old, Caitlyn was wide-eyed in wonder as she watched the colourful flower-shaped lights float up the walls and across the ceiling. The music was just the right volume to “thump,” but not so high that I felt my little one’s ears were at risk. The staff were also very helpful, friendly, and sensitive.

Just seeing the happy faces of the 3 and 4 year olds pushing the fit balls around the room was enough to make my daughter beam and even giggle. At times, the curious toddlers would come over to the felt padded islands where my daughter and I sat for a break, just to see the baby and reach a finger out to give a careful poke. (Parents were usually close behind with a cautious admonishment to “Be gentle with the baby.”)

The only inconvenient thing about the event was having to take the lift (and a small one at that) to get up to the first floor where the party was going down. Even then, it wasn't so much the lift as it was the people who went up ahead of us who could not figure out how to work the lift.

[UPDATE: A quick little video I threw together.]