Wallis Bird, who will perform at the Helium Festival in Ballymahon on Saturday. Photo: Jens Oellermann

Helium music festival to take place in Ballymahon this Saturday

The countdown is on to the midlands' biggest charity music festival - Helium - which takes place in Ballymahon on Saturday.

The one-day event raises funds for Ataxia Ireland and it will headlined by The Stunning; Mick Flannery, Fight Like Apes, Wallis Bird, Hermitage Green, KILA, O Emperor, Kopek, David Kitt and Mark Geary.

Other acts scheduled to perform at the festival include Windings, The Ambience Affair, Liza Flume, Amazing Apples, Shannon & The Shortcuts, Drew de Four and Felix Sonnyboy Wilson.

Athlone artists Nova Key Club, The Orphans of Society, and Trisha Nolan will also be performing on the day.

This year marks Helium’s fifth birthday and organisers say surprises are planned throughout the day and night to celebrate the success of the last five years.

A number of healthy activities will be on offer in addition to the music, and these include a feature associated event: the Helium 5 & 10K Challenge.

This fun run is an initiative by the Ballymahon Traders Association in conjunction with Helium and is set to take place on Saturday morning starting at 11am from the Ballymahon GAA Pitch.

Everyone is encouraged to put on their trainers, get out and get healthy on the morning of Helium Fundraiser day! Further information can be found on the Ballymahon Traders Association Facebook page; the Helium Festival Facebook page and the Run Ireland Website.

Last year's sell-out festival featured fantastic headline performances from Ash, Duke Special, Delorentos, Jape and The Kanyu Tree, and this year's event promises to be just as memorable.

€8,000 was raised last year to support sufferers of genetic ataxias – like Friedreich’s Ataxia - who can find themselves extremely limited and debilitated by their condition.

Tickets sales are reportedly progressing well and tickets are available to buy online at www.entertainment.ie for €40 plus online booking fee.

Tickets can also be purchased at a number of outlets across the midlands: Rochfort’s Music in Mullingar; The Sound Factory in Athlone; Denniston’s in Longford; J.J. Harlow’s Bar in Roscommon and at the festival venue itself - Skelly’s Bar in Ballymahon as well as Daybreak The Country Shop.

For more information, see: www.heliumfestival.com