The 2026 Bealtaine Festival, Ireland’s national celebration of creativity in older age (run by Age & Opportunity), takes place throughout May with events nationwide. It features a diverse mix of arts, film, performance, and community engagement, promoting the artistic contributions of older people. Proudly funded by the Arts Council and the HSE, with the support of communities nationwide and a vast network of accomplished local and national bodies.

Bord Bia Bloom returns to the Phoenix Park, Dublin, marking its 20th year over the 2026 June Bank Holiday weekend, from 28 May to 1 June 2026. The event will run daily from 9am to 6pm, spanning a 70-acre site. Bloom has established itself as one of Ireland’s favourite summer events, drawing garden enthusiasts, food lovers, craft aficionados, and families seeking a memorable day out. Festival History and Growth Since its inception in 2007, Bord Bia Bloom has blossomed into Ireland’s largest festival of gardening, food, and sustainable living. The 2026 edition promises to bring together

Sunny days are officially on the horizon as Dublin’s longest-running city-centre festival returns to the iconic grounds of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham. Forbidden Fruit 2026 lands on Saturday 30th & Sunday 31st May for its 14th edition, bringing world-class electronic, hip hop and alternative artists across five stages. The first wave set the tone with an impressive mix of global and Irish talent, from weekend headliners Kaytranada, Kettama, Nia Archives and Joy Crookes to standout names such as Interplanetary Criminal, ¥ØU$UK€ ¥UK1MAT$U, Shee, Horsegiiirl, Zulan and MOIO. Check

Feis Ceoil, Ireland’s largest and most iconic classical music festival, continues its public event celebrations to mark 130 years and returns to DCU All Hallows this June for ‘Summer Feis’, for the final competitions of 2026. For its 130th anniversary, the Feis Ceoil continues to run a year-long series of events while still dedicating its work to promoting musical talent and supporting Irish musicians over its long lifespan to this very day.

Skerries Traditional Music Weekend commenced in 2001 and developed over the years into an action-packed weekend with Concerts, Recitals, Workshops, Sessions and Street Music. Come one, come all and be part of Skerries Traditional Music Weekend. Take a walk about the town and you'll be sure to hear many a great session! Some of Ireland's' top exponents of traditional music will showcase their talents in a more informal and natural setting. All musicians, singers, dancers and listeners welcome - players are welcome to join in the sessions over the weekend!

A day of free creativity for children and young people Ireland is the first, and only, country in the world to have a national day of free creativity for children and young people under 18. Cruinniú na nÓg is a flagship initiative of the Creative Ireland Programme’s Creative Youth Plan to enable the creative potential of children and young people. The inaugural Cruinniú na nÓg took place on 23rd June 2018 and for the past number of years, including under exceptional circumstances in 2020, young people and families have come together to enjoy, a wide range of creative activities includin

Bloomsday celebrates Thursday 16 June 1904, the day depicted in James Joyce’s novel Ulysses. The day is named after Leopold Bloom, the central character in Ulysses. The novel follows the life and thoughts of Leopold Bloom and a host of other characters – real and fictional – from 8am on 16 June 1904 through to the early hours of the following morning. Celebrations often include dressing up like characters from the book and in clothes that would have been the style of the era. One of the hallmark fancy dress items of Bloomsday is the straw boater hat. Celebrations come in many differen

Each year Taste of Dublin transports guests to a foodie haven in the heart of the city for an unmissable highlight of the summer. This year, we’ll be returning to Merrion Square for eight delicious sessions spread across four food-fuelled days. Taste of Dublin offers visitors the unique opportunity to source essential ingredients from artisan producers, engage with Ireland’s top culinary talent, be on the front line of masterclasses from and relax in the gourmet atmosphere of the summer’s finest food and drink festival. 8 DELICIOUS SESSIONS • Thursday Afternoon Session 12.00-

Powerful stories and moving images from LGBTQIA+ migrants and queer people of colour around the world. Welcome to Queer Spectrum Film Festival (QSFF) – a vibrant celebration of queer stories in motion. As Ireland’s first film festival dedicated to LGBTQIA+ people of colour and migrant voices, QSFF foregrounds powerful narratives shaped by migration, desire, nostalgia, intimacy, community, and transformation. Responding to Ireland’s evolving role as a place of refuge and possibility for LGBTQIA+ migrants from the Global South and East, the festival moves beyond familiar coming-out n