Dublin City Council We Love July Series

Four Saturdays. Four Events. In the Heart of Dublin City. Dublin City Council is inviting people of all ages to experience Dublin City Council We Love July, a programme of four free events celebrating Dublin's culture, imagination, heritage and community spirit.

Taking place across four Saturdays in July from 12 noon to 6pm, Dublin City Council We Love July will transform four of the city's most iconic public spaces into vibrant hubs of music, performance, storytelling, art, play and discovery, creating unforgettable days out for families, friends and communities across Dublin City.

Each event reflects a different aspect of life in Dublin, from play and participation to creativity, culture and the stories and voices that connect our communities.

The series opens on Saturday 4 July in Smithfield with Heart of Play, a joyful day of exploration, connection and shared experiences. Audiences can enjoy live music, circus, aerial performances, dance, street theatre, workshops, interactive play spaces, walkabout acts and immersive virtual reality experiences. Heart of Play reflects Dublin as a diverse, welcoming and multicultural city where people of all ages can come together to create, explore and connect.

On Saturday 11 July, the programme moves to St. Patrick's Park for Heart of Our Story, inspired by Dublin's rich literary heritage and the 300th anniversary of Gulliver's Travels. Storytellers, musicians, puppeteers and circus performers will bring the park to life through performances, workshops and imaginative experiences designed to spark curiosity and celebrate the stories that shape the city.

The journey continues on Saturday 18 July in Merrion Square Park with Heart of Creativity, showcasing imagination, artistic expression and the creative talent that has long defined Dublin. Full programme details will be announced in the coming weeks.

The series concludes on Saturday 25 July in Fairview Park with Heart of Movement, highlighting the energy, activity and sporting spirit that runs through Dublin's communities. Showcasing the many ways people connect through sport, recreation and movement, the event will promote wellbeing, active lifestyles and opportunities for people of all ages to get involved. Further details will be announced soon.

From toddlers discovering their first puppet show, to teenagers trying virtual reality, to friends enjoying live performances together, and older generations sharing memories and experiences, Dublin City Council We Love July has been designed to ensure there is truly something for everyone.

HEART OF PLAY

Smithfield Square, Saturday 4 July, 12pm – 6pm

MUSIC STAGE

• 12.50pm – Banda Brasilidades
• 2.00pm – La Maria
• 3.30pm – Sabor Latino
• 5.00pm – Grooveline

AERIAL PERFORMANCE

• 12.15pm – Taking Flight Aerial Show
• 3.00pm – Taking Flight Aerial Show

PERFORMANCE PLAZA

• 12.00pm – Daring Dames Cabaret
• 12.45pm – Ballad Storytelling with Sean Fitzgerald
• 1.15pm – Tumble Circus Ground Show
• 1.55pm – Storytelling with Aideen McBride
• 2.25pm – Desert Bloom
• 3.35pm – Tumble Circus Ground Show
• 4.20pm – Ballad Storytelling with Sean Fitzgerald
• 5.00pm – Daring Dames Cabaret
• 5.40pm – Storytelling with Aideen McBride

MOVEMENT & PARTICIPATION

• 12.00pm – Let's Explore with The Mobile Music School
• 12.45pm – Go Dance For Change – Junior
• 1.30pm – Taking Flight Circus Workshop
• 2.45pm – Let's Explore with The Mobile Music School
• 3.30pm – Go Dance For Change – Junior
• 4.20pm – Taking Flight Circus Workshop

CREATIVE CORNER

• 12pm – 3pm – Messy Art Clay Play with Jane Groves:
  Create animals from clay and natural materials and send them off on adventures with their own special passport.

• 3pm – 6pm – Sustainable Art Workshops with Heather Grey:
  Create playful flying machines and seagull-inspired artworks from recycled materials.

VR EXPERIENCE

• 12pm – 6pm – Zero Latency VR Experience
  Immerse yourself in a range of virtual reality games and experiences throughout the day.

WANDERING WONDERS

• Artastic
• The Bubble Guys
• Out of the Blue
• Amazing Flea Circus in a Suitcase
• Keyboard Cormac
• Marcel So What

HEART OF OUR STORY

St Patrick's Park, Saturday 11 July, 12pm – 6pm

THE HEART OF THE FESTIVAL

• 12.00pm – Regional Massapê – Música Brasileira
• 12.45pm – Ballad Storytelling with Sean Fitzgerald
• 1.30pm – Candlelit Tales
• 2.55pm – Ballad Storytelling with Sean Fitzgerald
• 3.45pm – New Brass Kings
• 4.50pm – Regional Massapê – Música Brasileira

STREET THEATRE

• 12.15pm – Curious State presents Scissors & Comb: A Choreography of Chaos
• 1.00pm – Tumble Circus
• 1.45pm – Jitterbug Jackson
• 2.30pm – Joe the Magician
• 3.15pm – Tumble Circus
• 4.00pm – Curious State presents Scissors & Comb: A Choreography of Chaos
• 4.45pm – Jitterbug Jackson
• 5.30pm – Joe the Magician

Gulliver's Story Circle

• 12.00pm – Ta Tum Tum – If Gulliver Was Travelling to Brazil, What Would He Find?
• 12.45pm – Little Gem Puppets presents Maggie!
• 1.25pm – Department of Cryptozoology
• 2.10pm – Storytelling with Aideen McBride
• 2.55pm – Little Gem Puppets presents Maggie!
• 3.40pm – Ta Tum Tum – If Gulliver Was Travelling to Brazil, What Would He Find?
• 4.25pm – Storytelling with Aideen McBride
• 5.10pm – Department of Cryptozoology

WORKSHOPS

• 12.00pm – Drumology!
• 1.00pm – Gomba
• 2.35pm – Drumology!
• 3.45pm – Gomba
• 4.45pm – Drumology!

READING ZONE

• 12pm – 6pm – Dublin City Libraries Pop-Up Library:
  Browse, read, relax and discover stories throughout the day.

MAKERS CANOPY

• 12pm – 3pm – Giant Collaborative Map Installation with Jane Groves:
  Inspired by Gulliver's Travels, children are invited to help create a giant imaginative map of lands, seas and adventures.

• 3pm – 6pm – The Creative Creatures of Hy-Brazil with Heather Grey:
  Create fantastical creatures inspired by the legendary island of Hy-Brasil using recycled materials and lots of imagination.

FESTIVAL CHARACTERS

• Curious Pigeons
• Artastic Giants
• New Brass Kings

GIANT INSTALLATIONS

Further programme announcements will be made in the coming weeks. Programme subject to change. All events are free.