Embrace the last few weeks of summer at one of these brilliant events taking place near you
From now until 29 Aug: Summer at Guinness Storehouse
This summer, Guinness Storehouse is inviting people in through its doors for a curated and immersive programme of music, spoken word and visual art, taking place across all seven floors of the Storehouse. The experience is part of a year-long campaign, Alive in 25, marking the 25th anniversary of the Guinness Storehouse with an exciting calendar of cultural events, collaborations and community initiatives. Click here to book your visit.
25 July – 9 Aug: Little Shop of Horrors at The Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin
If you’ve never seen this show before, rectify it immediately! This beloved musical is packed with unforgettable songs and quirky characters and has captivated theatregoers for over 40 years. Howard Ashman and Alan Menken (Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Beauty And The Beast, Aladdin) are the creative geniuses behind this charmingly tongue-in-cheek comedy that has played worldwide to international acclaim. The musical tells the story of Seymour, a hapless florist who stumbles upon a mysterious plant who promises him fame, fortune, and romance, as long as he can keep it well-fed! Click here for tickets.
27 July – 31 Aug: Art + Soul at the Culloden Estate and Spa, Belfast
More than 350 works by artists including Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst, Banksy, Julian Opie and Salvador Dali will be showcased when Art + Soul, Ireland’s biggest art and sculpture event, returns to the Culloden Estate and Spa outside Belfast. The free event runs until August 31 and will also feature a major outdoor exhibition of 90 large sculptures and installations set throughout the 12 acres of gardens overlooking Belfast Lough. Click here for more information.
1-31 Aug: August Craft Month, nationwide
This year’s August Craft Month brings together an array of talented makers hosting over 300 events across the island of Ireland such as Seaweed Pressing with Farraige in Co Cork, silversmithing classes in Co Down, making your own upcycled tote bag with Leitrim Design House, and a range of masterclasses with one of Ireland’s leading ceramic artists, Jim Turner. This programme celebrates craft traditions that are hundreds of years old, and the fresh, modern ways people across Ireland still use and share them today. Visit augustcraftmonth.org for more.
7-17 August: Kilkenny Arts Festival
The Kilkenny Arts Festival promises to be ten days of artistic adventures and compelling creations. The 2025 programme is packed with world and Irish premieres in theatre, dance, performance, music, digital arts and contemporary opera. One notable highlight is Sam Perkin’s ‘The More Beautiful World’ performed by actor Ciarán Hinds, mezzo-soprano Sharon Carty and The Fews Ensemble taking place in St Canice’s Cathedral, Sunday 10 August. See kilkennyarts.ie.
13-17 August: Cork on a Fork Festival
Home to award-winning chefs, top-rated restaurants, beloved cafés, lively pubs, a thriving outdoor dining scene, and 60% of the country’s artisan producers, Cork is one of Ireland’s most exciting culinary destinations. Over the festival’s five days, visitors can expect a jam-packed menu of nearly 100 food-filled events across the city, from pop-up feasts and fun tastings to foraging walks and street parties. Click here for more.
14-17 August: Tramore August Racing Festival, Waterford
If you’re a fan of horse racing you’ll love this exciting festival which offers top class thoroughbred racing with some of Ireland’s leading trainers and jockeys in attendance. For fashion lovers, the highly anticipated Style Evening will take place on Saturday 16 August. This event promises to be the highlight of the social calendar in the South East, transforming the seaside track into a ‘hot to trot showcase’ of elegance and fashion on the evening. See tramoreraces.ie for more details.
15-16 August: Rekindle Festival of Lost Skills, Co Clare
This is such an amazing festival to visit if you’ve never done so before. Rekindle Festival of Lost Skills returns to Ennistymon for its fourth year, offering a heartfelt invitation to reconnect with craft, music, food and one another. Centred around traditional skills and community knowledge, the festival offers a vibrant programme that includes live music, food, craft workshops, storytelling and thoughtful conversations. Rekindle invites people of all ages to gather, learn and rediscover the everyday art of making, doing and being together. Click here for more information.
16 August: Love is a Stranger (Part of the Another Love Story Festival), Cork
Another Love Story (ALS) brings its roaming mini festival series to the rolling landscape of East Cork to present a new edition of Love Is A Stranger in the verdant and unique setting of Ballyvolane House, Castlelyons, Co Cork. Love Is A Stranger: Ballyvolane House brings the customary mix of ALS magic to bear on a truly beautiful venue, with another carefully chosen selection of contemporary Irish artists and international guests. Click here for tickets.
19-22 August: 100th Annual Connemara Pony Show, Co Galway
The world-renowned Connemara Pony Show returns to the Clifden Showgrounds this August to mark a once-in-a-lifetime milestone, the 100th Annual Show. The Connemara pony is an indigenous Irish breed, originating from the rugged west coast of Ireland. A century after the first show was held in Roundstone in 1924, this year’s edition promises to be the most significant yet, celebrating the enduring legacy of Ireland’s beloved native pony in its land of origin. Click here for the schedule of the show.
22 Aug – 22 Nov: Dance Cork Firkin Crane’s Summer/Autumn 2025
Dance Cork Firkin Crane presents its Summer/Autumn 2025 season with a strong programme of performances, residencies, and professional development opportunities that reflect the breadth of contemporary dance in Cork and beyond. This programme invites audiences, artists and local communities to engage deeply with dance’s many forms in its unique heritage building in Shandon. See dancecorkfirkincrane.ie.
23 August: The Big Day Out, Limerick
If you were a child in the 90s, this one is for you! With just one month to go until Limerick TUS Gaelic Grounds opens the gates to welcome music fans from all over Ireland on Saturday 23 August, The Big Day Out has just announced another addition to an already stellar lineup! Basehunter, one of the biggest selling acts of the noughties will take to the Gaelic Grounds stage joining Blue, Peter Andre, Whigfield, Heather Small, DJ Sash!, Ntrance, Tall Paul and Mark McCabe. Go to ticketmaster.ie to get your tickets.
23 August: The Weir by Conor McPherson, Co Cork
If you’re looking for a fascinating night at the theatre, check out The Weir at Briery Gap in Macroom, Co Cork. The story takes place in a remote Irish pub where a group of locals gather for their usual evening of pints and banter. But when a newcomer from Dublin arrives, the night takes an unexpected turn. As the men swap eerie, supernatural tales to impress their guest, deeper truths begin to surface – stories of loss, longing, and the quiet hauntings of everyday life. Click here to book your tickets.
28-30 August: DroneArt Show – A Music and Drone Show, Dublin
This one-of-a-kind experience, where classical music meets cutting-edge drone artistry, will take place on 28, 29 and 30 August at the Leopardstown Racecourse. It’s a breathtaking open-air event that promises to transport audiences into a world of musical and visual wonder. Expect dynamic formations such as blooming flowers, twinkling stars, graceful swans and more, all perfectly choreographed to the soundtrack. Tickets go on general sale on 30 July via the Fever app and the official website.
