Ireland will win the World Cup, giant toys will roll around and the world will be briefly turned upside-down tomorrow during Dublin's St Patrick's Day parade.
Mick McCarthy, the Irish soccer team manager, is the grand marshal of the parade, which this year carries the "Dream" theme. A pageant by more than 100 children from the South West Inner City Network will centre around a dream that Ireland wins the World Cup.
Performer Jean Connolly will show spectators what the world would look like if it were turned upside down.
Monsieur Culbuto has already arrived in Dublin and is spending the weekend rolling around on his ear. Happily, alcohol has nothing to do with his condition. Monsieur Culbuto is a giant human skittle, who is being transported on a trolley to various parts of the city. He bounces off the trolley and proceeds to roll around in circles.
This year's festival will have a very surreal feel to it, according to Ms Maria Moynihan, festival chief executive. "It will be very strange and unusual, like a waking dream. Expect absolutely anything," she advises.
The most spectacular event will be tonight's Skyfest on the quays, she says. "The fireworks event will be very different this year because they will be fired from several floating platforms in the middle of the river."
The fireworks start at 8 p.m. and are expected to attract about 400,000 spectators. Organisers recommend that you get to the quays before 6 p.m. for a good viewing position.
For wheelchair users, viewing will be available at the north quay (Citibank) via Commons Street and at the south quay via Creighton Street.
Some 500,000 people are expected at tomorrow's parade to see what organisers describe as "a fantastic array of colourful and creative pageants, marching bands, pomp, ceremony and celebration". Organisers urge people to get to the city centre early.
Pre-parade entertainment kicks off at 11 a.m. and the parade starts at noon. Wheelchair viewing platforms will be available at stands, including the one on Westmoreland Street.
It probably won't rain on Dublin's parade but festival organisers in Munster might not be so lucky. Met Éireann has predicted some rain for the south and south-west tomorrow. This will move up the country, possibly hitting Connacht and Leinster by nightfall.
Performers planning to perch precariously on stilts might like to know that parade day is expected to be fresh and breezy. The winds are expected to ease on Monday and, while sunny spells are forecast, there is a possibility of rain. Today is likely to be bright and breezy with heavy showers early in the day. Met Éireann says the rain should dry up before the fireworks.
The Big Day Out music event, usually held at College Green, has moved to Merrion Square to accommodate bigger crowds.
The four-day festival will be brought to a close on Monday with the Treasure Hunt - a new event, which begins at City Hall. Apart from the funfairs at Customs House Quay and Merrion Square, all festival events are free.
