AUSTRALIA JOINS THE WORLDWIDE CELEBRATIONS TO RAISE A GUINNESS TO ARTHUR

Today, GUINNESS is announcing its 250th Anniversary celebrations which will peak on ‘Arthur’s Day’ 24th September 2009. Celebrating 250 years, this remarkable day will honour, Arthur Guinness, the man who signed the 9,000 year lease on the St. James’s Gate brewery in 1759 and whose legacy gave us GUINNESS beer. Arthur’s Day will see a series of events take place around the world to celebrate this remarkable milestone in the life of a remarkable brand.

The celebrations will take place in Dublin, the spiritual home of GUINNESS, and around the world in cities including New York, Lagos, Yaoundé and Kuala Lumpur.  Live music and entertainment will come from some of the world’s biggest names in music including the Black Eyed Peas and renowned DJ and producer David Holmes with rising stars such as Estelle, Kasabian, The Wombats and The Enemy and legendary acts such as Soul II Soul and The Undertones. 

The highlight of this once in a lifetime celebration will see Artists and consumers throughout Dublin and around the world raise a GUINNESS to Arthur at 17.59 local time, to start a truly remarkable global toast. Celebrities including Sir Bob Geldof, Guy Ritchie, Carson Daly, Jerry Hall and Sophie Dahl will also be raising a GUINNESS to Arthur and joining in the celebrations. 

The Arthur’s Day celebration will commence in Dublin, with internationally renowned music acts and local talent performing in locations around the city, from pubs, bars and music venues to the St. James’s Gate brewery itself. Thousands of people will be coming together to experience the events live, with more tuning in to watch across the world. One of the most historic buildings in the brewery, Hop Store 13, will be converted into a live music studio for Arthur’s Day for over 2,000 special guests from around the world, who will enjoy performances from global Artists.


Simultaneously events will occur across Africa and then onto New York at 17:59 local time, wrapping up 24 hours after they began with celebrations in Kuala Lumpur.  A remarkable end to a remarkable celebration of 250 years!

Artists taking part in Arthur’s Day will include: The Black Eyed Peas, The Enemy, D’Banj, renowned DJ David Holmes, Soul II Soul, Reverend & the Makers, Estelle, Kasabian, Mongrel, Noah & the Whale, The Wombats, Mystery Jets, Johnny Flynn and The Undertones, with further artists to be announced.

Australia will be joining the GUINNESS toast around the world and celebrating the legacy of Arthur Guinness with events in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide. For information on local events keep an eye on www.guinness.com.au.

The toast will not only recognise the philanthropic achievements of Arthur Guinness and his family, but is a gesture to mark the next philanthropic step from the Guinness Company. 

Arthur Guinness and his family were responsible for some of the most well known acts of philanthropy in Ireland and to honour and continue this legacy GUINNESS is establishing the Arthur Guinness Fund. The aim of the Fund is to enable and empower individuals with skills and opportunities to deliver a measured benefit to their communities.  The Guinness Company will donate £5 million to the Arthur Guinness Fund which will be active from September 2009.

Arthur’s Day is a milestone for the GUINNESS brand and as the world celebrates, we will not only reflect on the success of the past 250 years, but also look forward to the next 250 years.   A massive GUINNESS global consumer promotion launching in July 2009 will give consumers a chance to win once in a life experiences with GUINNESS in remarkable locations.  Details on this programme will be announced at a future date.

Spokespeople Quotes:

Brian Duffy:
“2009 marks a very special milestone for the GUINNESS brand, from 1759 when Arthur signed the 9,000 year lease on the St. James’s Gate brewery to today, where GUINNESS is a truly global brand, enjoyed in 150 countries around the world. GUINNESS is a brand that evokes heritage, passion and quality, which has attributed to the success of this much loved beer. I am so proud to be a part of the 250 celebrations, and look forward to raising my glass on the 24th September to a truly inspirational man, Arthur Guinness.”

Jasmine Guinness:
“I’d like to say “Sláinte” to 250 remarkable years of GUINNESS and I’d like to raise a glass to Arthur Guinness Fund and wish it every success in the future.”

Sam Reid, Guinness Marketing Manager, Diageo Australia:
“The 250 celebrations are a salute to the great Arthur Guinness; an altruistic man who established an extraordinary benchmark for brewing craftsmanship and social responsibility that still resonates more than two centuries later. I’m looking forward to some great events to celebrate the anniversary here in Australia on 25th September. ”

For more information on the GUINNESS 250 celebrations please visit www.guinness.com