Luxembourg Rose Amber Crean Arrives in Tralee for International Festival

Following four months of preparations, this year's Luxembourg Rose Amber Crean arrived in Tralee last Sunday for the 2018 edition of the international competition.

The recently crowned Luxembourg Rose Amber Crean returned to her homeland this past weekend ahead of this year's Rose of Tralee International Festival, taking place from 17-21 August 2018 in the south-western Irish town of Tralee, County Kerry.

The pre-festival tour began on Monday this week with a meet-and-greet between the various contestants, followed by a boat race and rose planting activities. Other events throughout the week included getting dressed up in Tipperary Crystal (the festival's sponsor), having lunch at the George Boutique Hotel, Limerick en route to Tralee with a short visit to Audiology Medical Services, dinner at Kingdom Greyhound Stadium and an uplifting evening at the Celebration of Light with Recovery Haven in Tralee Bay Wetlands.

Luxembourg Rose Amber Crean's famous ancestor also came to attention during the tour: the Dublin-born Galway Girl is a distant relative of Irish Antarctic explorer Tom Crean - which may explain her passion for travel and watersports, from sailing to being a rescue scuba diver. Luxembourg supporters were also invited to call by The Blasket Bar on Castle Street in Tralee, a street which is twinned with this year's Luxembourg Rose, to show their support for Amber and the team.

The actual festival will begin tomorrow on Friday 17 August with the International Rose Ball, followed by Oktoberfest on Saturday and a fashion show on Sunday leading up to the TV broadcast of the competition from the "Dome" (main venue) on Monday 20 and Tuesday 21 August, starting both evenings at 20:00.