Discos for kids, from babies to toddlers - just like for grown-ups, but with a buggy park and a little quieter, writes Alison Healy.
KIDS THESE days. They're barely out of nappies when they start going to discos. In fact, the vast majority of ravers in Temple Bar in Dublin yesterday were still nappy-clad.
Not many raves have a buggy park outside the door and baby- changing facilities inside, and you don't usually see doting parents photographing their offspring as they roll around the dance floor.
But this wasn't any normal rave. This was Baby Rave, aimed at children from birth to four years old and organised as part of the St Patrick's Festival. It had all the ingredients of an adult rave, but the elements were toned down to suit younger tastes.
DJ Lyndon Stephens was throwing down grooves from artists such as Beatfanatic and Skeewiff, but the insistent drum beat was quieter and the giant screens flashed up comforting pictures of flowers, trees and insects. The lighting was gentler and the floor was covered with soft materials and inflatable balls.
Three-month-old James Travers was one of the youngest ravers at the midday show in the converted SS Michael and John Church yesterday. "This is his first disco," said proud father Lorcan as the baby looked around interestedly.
"He's somewhat bewildered by what's going on."
James's mother, Susan Garrett, suggested that the event was as much for frazzled parents as young children. "It's a case of getting out of the house," she said and pointed out that the couple had not been to a disco for more than a year. "We have to get back into practice again."
And just like adult discos, some patrons were happy to watch the others on the dance floor or stare at the lights swirling around the ceiling, "but they get as much out of that," observed volunteer Myles Creane.
Organiser Jennifer Jordan said the raves were very popular wherever they went, with all nine Dublin shows on Friday, Saturday and Sunday sold out.
The youngest raver she knew was a seven-day-old baby in Galway whose parents had booked the tickets before the birth and didn't want to disappoint the other children.