CHAMPAIGN CELEBRATES THE BLOOMSDAY CENTENNIAL: JUNE 19, 2004

CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS -- Bloomsday -- a celebration of Irish culture in general, and James Joyces's novel "Ulysses" in particular -- will be performed in word, dance, and song on June 19, 2004 in downtown Champaign. But this time we've pulled out all the stops, because 2004 marks the hundredth anniversary of Bloomsday, that ordinary day in Dublin on which "Ulysses" takes place: June 16, 1904.

Bloomsday celebrations will take place wherever in the world Joyce's masterpiece is honored, and Champaign-Urbana is no exception. Readings from the text -- including some by guest celebrity readers -- will take place throughout the day, woven through many venues in downtown Champaign.

The celebration begins with an children's introduction to Irish dance, at Verde Gallery at 8:00 a.m., and ends with an 11:30 p.m. performance at Mike & Molly's pub by an electric Irish band with a slightly unprintable name.

"Joyce to the World," a new documentary detailing Bloomsday as it is celebrated around the world, will be shown at 6:00 p.m. at Verde Gallery on Friday, June 18 as an appetizer for the following day's grand events.

This is the third annual celebration of Bloomsday in downtown Champaign, and -- as experience shows -- you don't have to be a grad student in Irish literature to come downtown and sing a song or lift a pint in honor of good Mr. Bloom, or even to join in the reading.

For more information, contact David Gehrig at zemblan@earthlink.net or Lisa Boucher at lisa@fpmrecords.com.

Bloomsday links:

ReJoyce Dublin: The Official Bloomsday Centenary Festival Site
The Brazen Head
All About Bloomsday
Ulysses for Dummies
A nice overview of the book

Past Champaign-Urbana Bloomsday events:

Bloomsday 2003
Bloomsday 2002

News:

Emergency law to prevent copyright threat to Joyce show
(Irish Times, 27 May 2004)

Bloomsday Cabaret - A film about James Joyce and his music
(CNW Telbec)