Kia Ireland continue partnership with St. Patrick's Festival 2024

Published on 8 March, 2024

Kia continue as EV partner to the St. Patrick's Festival for the 3rd consecutive year.

Overview

Kia Ireland is set to return as the Official Electric Vehicle Partner of the 2024 St. Patrick's Festival, continuing the success of the previous two years. Collaborating with Bui Bolg, specialists in bespoke pageant building, Kia will showcase four dedicated parade sections with five floats, created by over 10 artists in alignment with Kia's electrification and sustainability strategy. These floats aim to convey Kia's vision of becoming a sustainable mobility solutions provider. The festival, taking place from March 15th to 18th in Dublin City, will feature Kia's full fleet of electric vehicles, including the EV9, EV6, and Niro EV, enhancing the celebrations of arts, culture, and heritage.

A designated vehicle display area at the Festival Quarter in Collins Barracks, National Museum of Decorative Arts, will underscore Kia's sustainability strategy and spotlight the use of recycled materials in vehicle production, showcasing their journey towards carbon neutrality. Kia, in collaboration with Native Events, will present an installation made entirely from recyclable materials, powered by solar-paneled batteries, allowing the audience to witness the incorporation of recycled materials into Kia's EV9.

Cathal Kealey, Head of Marketing & PR at Kia Ireland, emphasized the brand's commitment to sustainability, with a focus on informing the public about their strategies. Kia aims for 20% of all vehicle plastics to come from recycled materials by 2030. The EV9, leading the parade pageant, incorporates 10 sustainably sourced items in vehicle production, either from recycled plastic or plant-based materials, a trend expected to continue across all Kia models.

Richard Tierney, St. Patrick’s Festival CEO, expressed excitement about the partnership, highlighting Kia's alignment with the festival's values and the collaborative efforts in bringing creativity and innovation to Dublin's streets.

As part of Kia's brand vision for sustainable mobility and a commitment to carbon neutrality by 2045, the pageant, titled 'What Powers Us,' explores Kia's electrification and sustainability credentials. The four-part pageant includes a vehicle procession showcasing the EV9, a section on the Circular Economy highlighting Kia's partnership with the Ocean Cleanup, an innovation section themed around 'spréach' (spark), and a 'WOW factor' section showcasing Kia's innovative technology.

Bui Bolg Youth Arts, based in Wexford, is responsible for transforming spaces and creating extraordinary installations, contributing to the overall spectacle of the St. Patrick’s Festival. The festival is made possible through the support of the Government of Ireland, the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Fáilte Ireland, Dublin City Council, and various partners and funders.

Sinead McCann

Sinéad is our resident car tester who has the unenviable (-ok, slightly enviable) task of reviewing all the latest new cars to hit the market. You can follow her on Twitter @smcani and on Instagram @whatshedrives