WITH SUMMER IN full-swing, there are an incredible amount of options to fill up your weekend.
If you didn’t get your hands on tickets for the Vodafone Comedy Festival or the Indiependence Festival – and you’re not out west for the Galway Races – fear not.
As usual, we have rounded up the most interesting things going on around the country. Here’s what’s happening this weekend.
Dublin
The Big Bang Festival on in the city centre will feature musicians from around the globe. On Saturday Aziza Brahim and her band from Barcelona will play in the Sugar Club. There will also be Indian music and Sean Nós dancing on earlier in the day in the Dance House on Foley Street. On Sunday, there will be world music acts playing from 3pm in Smithfield Square.
Dun Laoghaire will be home to the new Beatyard festival. Apart from the music acts – which include George Clinton, Boney M and the Rubberbandits – there will also be a ‘gamesyard’ with penalty shootout, bowling and bingo, and a ‘kidsyard’ with face-painting, art classes and games. Tickets are still on sale from €5 for kids to €79 for a weekend ticket.
The Bar Monkey Festival celebrating urban culture takes place in Loughlinstown. There will be breakdancing, parkour and callisthenics displays as well as music and food. Tickets are €10 to €16.
The GAZE LGBT film festival will also be on this weekend in the Light House Cinema.
Wexford
Enniscorthy will be home to the Rockin’ Food Festival. There will be live music, outdoor screenings of Brooklyn and Star Wars the Force Awakens, cookery demonstrations and dancing.
There is a big focus on food as well, with tapas, craft beer, gin, whiskey and cocktail trails. Restaurants around the town will be putting on early bird menus, and there is also a ‘street feast’.
For the kids there are carousels, children’s karaoke and a bungee trampoline.
Waterford
Spraoi returns to Waterford City with a variety of street performances including circus acts, acrobats, an artistic robot, a comedy duo and a strong lady.
There will also be a parade on Sunday night titled Waterford the Musical.
Offaly
The Birr Vintage Week and Arts Festival is back for its 48th year until Friday 5 August. Birr town will throw open its doors, allowing festival-goers to do golfing, yoga, horse riding, archery and painting classes. There’s also afternoon tea and an artisan food and craft market.
The festival parade, including street theatre, marching bands, old cars, circus performers and dancers, will take place at 3pm on Sunday. Afterwards there will be a vintage dance – come dressed in costume.
Donegal
Ballyshannon will be hosting the Folk & Traditional Music Festival, featuring open-air concerts by folk and traditional groups, street entertainment, workshops, markets and a vintage car rally.
There will also be sessions in the pubs around Ballyshannon.
Laois
Durrow is hosting the Scarecrow Festival this weekend. There will be a food & craft fair, demonstrations on how to make rush baskets and hurls, live music, archery and the opportunity to teach your dog some tricks. There are also cookery demonstrations, bouncy castles and face painting.
Unsurprisingly, the main event is the scarecrow championship. Previous years’ entries included a straw Miley Cyrus on a straw wrecking ball and a straw One Direction (including straw Zayn). Expect a straw Donald Trump this year.
If you see any interesting events events coming up, let me know by emailing liz@thejournal.ie.
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