Festival organisers from Youghal Medieval Festival, Clonakilty International Guitar Festival and Timoleague Harvest Festival have embarked on a new Cork County Council pilot programme to support the greening of festivals in the county.
Funded by Cork County Council, the programme will include training workshops, virtual support sessions and in-person support at each of the festivals to assist in the implementation of environmentally friendly initiatives. Tailored specifically for festivals and delivered by 
Native Events who hold vast experience in the delivery of sustainable festivals and events, the Green Festivals Pilot Programme will enable waste reduction at festivals throughout the county and help to support festival organisers in meeting sustainability goals. From practical advice on how to reduce single use plastic, to the introduction of electronic ticketing and online promotional materials to reduce paper consumption, new initiatives will be supported by guidance on how to establish the appropriate infrastructure. For the waste that cannot be avoided, festival organisers will receive advice on how to ensure recycling is maximised, enabling festivalgoers to segregate waste appropriately.
Welcoming the launch of the programme, Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Gillian Coughlan commented, “Cork County Council is delighted to launch the Green Festivals Pilot Programme, which will be of great benefit to the participating festivals. In excess of 60 festivals are supported annually by the Council and we are pleased to expand our support to include this programme, which I know will yield positive results for our environment. There is also opportunity for the festivals involved in this pilot programme to share their experiences, grow their support network and develop best practises for more sustainable events long into the future.”
Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Tim Lucey highlighted how, “Cork County Council is committed to finding sustainable solutions to waste management. We readily recognise the opportunity to support our much-valued festival organisers in implementing simple green initiatives which can produce significant environmental benefits for all.”