A selection of things to do around Ireland this weekend.
Following a hugely successful weekend in Dublin, the free family festival heads to Cork on Saturday and Sunday with the best in international street performances, family activities, workshops and lots of fun.
Two weeks of music, theatre, visual arts, film, literature, circus & carnival on Ireland’s North West Atlantic seaboard. This weekend's events include The Remedy Club in Ballybofey and Songhoy Blues in Letterkenny on Saturday while Keenan, Gavin Byrne and the Donegal Female Fiddlers perform in Letterkenny on Sunday.
The festival runs throught the weekend with lots of events for all the family including walking tours, workshops, live music, car treasure hunt and even a Teddy Bear's Picnic on Sunday afternoon.
The highlight of the festival is always the Mardi Gras & Fireworks Spectacular on Saturday night where up to 25,000 people enjoy an explosion of colour, Latin rhythms, street theatre, dance and a spectacular fireworks display over the River Moy.
Monaghan Town Country Music Festival
Monaghan Town Country Music festival is a charity fund raising, open air, four day country music and jiving festival. This year will include performances from Patrick Feeney, Jimmy Buckley, Michael English & Mike Denver in the Diamond every night.
The Festival concludes this weekend with the arrival of the Circus Big Top to Stephen Street Car Park with performance and children's workshops from Tumble Circus, live comedy night on Friday and Katie Laffan on Saturday night.
The annual Kilmore Quay Seafood Festival returns this weekend with lots of fun activities for all the family and plenty of tasty, eh, seafood.
Events include a Family Fun Day on Little Beach on Friday, a Teddy Bear's picnic on Saturday, live music, sea kayaking, harbour stalls, Cookery Demonstrations with Ireland’s Top Chefs, Puppet Theatre, Seaweed Foraging and much more.
To many people, the scent of lavender is the smell of summer. Now you can pick your own fresh bunch, as the Lavender Harvesting Festival starts this Saturday with face-painting, free balloons and lollies, lavender tastings and you can also cut your own bunch of lavender at 11 am - then at 11am daily (except Mondays).
A weekend of Country Music, Country Market, food, fun & festivities is coming to Dublin this weekend with free live music and a family fun day in Smithfield on Sunday with music, food, loads of activities for kids, amusements, face painting, human rodeo and more.
A free family day out highlighting the Barretstown Magic, with pony rides, balloon making, face painting, canoeing, bouncy castles, petting farm, crazy golf and much more including competitions and prizes.
The Loughrea Show returns to the Loughrea Showgrounds, Moyleen this weekend with top class horse show jumping on Saturday and the popular Show Day and pony showjumping on Sunday. Also on Sunday, there is a dog show, classes for horticulture, arts, crafts, photography and plenty of fun for all the family.
The annual Rose Festival returns to St Anne’s Park in Raheny on the next weekend with a mix of live music, arts and crafts, plant sales and lots of fun children's activities.
Marley Park in Dublin is the place for music lovers this weekend, with some of the best international and homegrown talent performing over three days including J.Cole, Post Malone, Khalid, Travis Scott, Diplo and Solange.
Fota Wildlife Park Summer Events
Fota Wildlife Park celebrate 35 years with a series of fun and educational events this summer. This weekend visitors can enjoy yoga classes at Cypress Lawn with Bikram Yoga Cork. There are two classes on Sunday suitable for all the family. The classes are free with your admission but booking in advance in essential as spaces are limited.
This weekend is also Mad Scientist Weekend in a large marquee outside the Oasis Cafe featuring Old Cork Waterworks Experience, Tyndall Institute, Learn it - Inspiring the Creators of Tomorrow, and APC Microbiome Institute providing children with a fun, hands-on introduction to the magic of science.
The Mermaid Arts Centre bring the magic outdoors with Alice's Adventures in Wonderland at Powerscourt Gardens this Sunday afternoon. Presented in beautiful Victorian costume and alive with song, dance and original music, the Chapterhouse Theatre Company production will delight the entire family in a stunning open-air theatre venue.
Join Educator, Sarah Sarsfield for an introductory tour of the galleries and catch highlights from the 10,000 specimens on display at the Natural History Museum on Saturday at 12pm and 2pm.
Learn about the animal with the largest antlers in the world and hear the infamous story of how they got their polar bear. No booking required, places limited and allocated on a first-come basis 15 minutes before tour starts.
Bring along your favourite Teddy to Brigit's Garden in Galway on Sunday for a full day of activities including Teddy Bear Arts & Crafts, Honey Bear Treasure Hunt, Teddy Bear Hospital and lots more fun and games.
Inflatable obstacle course over 5k in Fota on Saturday, now with water guns to give other runners a soaking. Suitable for fitness fanatics and families, the huge inflatables test your agility and stamina while the water guns will just be a lot of fun.
The inaugural festival concludes this weekend with local activity providers offering tasting sessions and discounts designed for the whole family. Activities are available including Paddle Boarding with Pure Adventure, Zipline & Octagon in Castlecomer Discovery Park, guided White Water Adventure with Go With The Flow and many more.
Discover the age of reptiles in Dublin's Ambassador Theatre with Dinosaurs around the World. You will be transported to the era of the dinosaur for a tour of an Earth very different from today. With advanced animatronics, a multi-layered narrative, fossils, authentic casts, cutting-edge research and immersive design elements you’ll experience the Age of Reptiles as it comes to life!
