Do you have to pay into the chinatown thing in Dublin ?

The zag family were supposed to be going to see the chinatown thing in Colllins Barracks tomorrow, but from looking at the details of the website it seems you have to pay in.

Can anyone clarify if this is the case ? We would just be interested in looking at (and buying from) the food/crafts stalls. I honestly can't see us paying money in to see whether it is any good or not - there are plenty of asian food outlets and supermarkets around town.

It seems a bit strange, but the website does seem to be giving this impression. I will ring them tomorrow, but I was wondering if anyone had been there today and coiuld confirm.

Seems strange since it is held in a free-entry museum.

z

Yep. You have to pay. Saw a sign pointing to the ticket office which is down near the quays. Have no idea though if you only pay for certain things and if you can have a look around for free.

If it is the same as last year, steer well clear. The biggest waste of time. Over priced food, non-existant entertainment.

chinatown tickets

I haven't been before but am going on sunday. I bought a family ticket that allows 2 adults + 2 children or 1 adult + 3 children for €12 so it's not that expensive.

Re: chinatown tickets

I agree that it's not that expensive, but I just don't see the logic of paying into a food fair. I know there are other exhibitions and things, but for those with young kids who would just like to experience the whole Chinese culture thing it doesn't make sense.

Also, your €12 only entitles you to a specific 2 hour slot - are they going to sound a siren at 12:40 telling everyone to leave the premises in the next 10 minutes ?

I would honestly like to go, but I don't think I could justify paying (only) €12 to what ought to be a civic type function.

z

Amazing how fast the Asians cop-on, eh? Brings a new dimension to the Celtic Tiger phenomena.

I guess the fee might be more about keeping out messers than raising revenue.

I understood that this was to be a cultural event, celebrating the Chinese New Year - why shouldn't messers be as welcome as anyone else ?

Mrs Zag and the tweenies went today but found it to be disappointing. The reckon it might have been better in summer, with large crowds and good weather. Given the likely weather at the moment the lack of indoors accommodation was a bit surprising.

Unfortunately it doesn't seem to have been nearly as good as the World Cultures festival held annually in Dun Laoghaire.

z

agree that the logic in charging into a food fair is crazy. in order to keep rainydays 'messers' out why don't they charge say €10 which can be offset against some product on sale in the the fair. Theres a French Food fair which comes to Dundalk yearly ( I think it's the Dun Laoghaire one as well) in May/June and they do a bomb in the few days they are here. open air in the square in centre of town and free.

chinese fair

went yesterday as well and apart from the Holistic centre I thought it was very a very poor set up. In Smithfield last year there were between 100,000 and 120,000 went through over the weekend and numbers were reported to be in the small thousands this year. definitely something to do with both paying and also the location, I thought, in Collins Barracks.

did get my aura reading done. very interesting for a skeptic like myself