There’s a morning of family fun planned.

Taoiseach Micháel Martin TD will be in town this weekend to officially open phase one of Cork’s newest park this Sunday May 22nd.

Marina Park will be six times larger than Fitzgerald’s Park and equivalent in size to Dublin Zoo when phase two is completed. The 146 hectare Cork Docklands is the largest regeneration project in the country and the 70-acre Marina Park will be its playground and a haven for biodiversity.

To celebrate the official opening on Sunday, there will be a sustainability-themed morning of acrobatics, sport, play, music and fun for all the family from 10am-1pm with DJ Stevie G acting as MC.

Thanks to Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts Gaeltacht, Sport and Media funding under the Local Live Performance Programming Scheme Phase III, children can take part in Circus Factory’s ‘ Super StarCircus Show’ and ‘Circus Disco’ and Stevie G will also run an ‘Everybody Dance’ event – an inclusive dance experience which caters for adults and children who are often excluded from events including those with additional needs.

Sunrise at @MarinaParkCork pic.twitter.com/Og59PIotVm

— conn donovan (@conndonovan9) March 28, 2022

To further mark the occasion, Cork GAA will run a Rebel Óg underage blitz at the 4G all-weather pitch in front of Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

Cork Healthy Cities’ ‘Playful Paradigm’ will also be at Marina Park with their outdoor game pack including giant Connect 4, giant Jenga and will be organising a tug o’ war.

Expect face painting, chalk art, balloon modelling and hot food vendors.

The second and final phase of the Marina Park project is due to go to public consultation later this summer. Phase 2 will extend from The Atlantic Pond to Church Avenue and will include the “Nature” zone of the park, accommodating picnic areas, boating facilities, adventure play areas, preserved marshland zone and several architectural heritage sites.

Main image: Colm Mc Donagh Photography & Media