Vibrant arts and cultural festivals to enjoy in 2025
Local authorities across Ireland support a wide range of arts and cultural events throughout the year, from festivals and live performances to exhibitions and film screenings. These events bring communities together and celebrate both Ireland’s rich cultural heritage and the talented artists shaping its creative scene today.
Here's just a sample of some of the amazing arts and cultural festivals that you can enjoy this year.
International Literature Festival Dublin
The International Literature Festival Dublin (ILFD) is Ireland’s leading literary event, featuring readings, discussions, debates, workshops, performance and screenings. The festival showcases the work of both emerging voices and household names, with activities to inspire audiences of all kinds.
- Location: Dublin
- Dates: 16 - 25 May 2025
- Website: https://ilfdublin.com/
Earagail Arts Festival
Earagail Arts Festival is a bilingual (Irish and English language), multidisciplinary festival that hosts unique cultural experiences in diverse venues, from purpose built theatres and galleries, to village halls, forests and beaches.
- Location: Donegal
- Dates: 12 - 26 July 2025
- Website: https://eaf.ie/
Galway International Arts Festival
A major event on Ireland's annual cultural calendar, the Galway International Arts Festival has been a venue for the best in art, theatre and live music for nearly five decades.
- Location: Galway City
- Dates: 14 - 27 July 2025
- Website: https://www.giaf.ie/
Kilkenny Arts Festival
This event runs for over 10 days each August, boasting events in some of Ireland's loveliest venues. This year's programme features Neon Dusk, a new and unmissable acrobatic spectacle taking place in Castle Yard.
- Location: Kilkenny
- Dates: 7 - 17 July 2025
- Website: https://www.kilkennyarts.ie/
EVA International Limerick
EVA International - Ireland's biennial of contemporary art - takes place in venues across Limerick City this September and October. This year features a programme that borrows from the proverb ‘It takes a village to raise a child’ to focus on ideas of collaborative partnership, social justice and historical repair.
- Location: Limerick City
- Dates: 29 August - 26 October 2025
- Website: https://www.eva.ie/
Culture Night
Culture Night started small in Dublin in 2006 but has since grown into a major national event. It takes place on 19 September this year, and will see arts and cultural venues of all kinds staying open late in the evening to offer activities free of charge.
- Location: Venues all over Ireland
- Date: 19 September 2025
- Website: https://culturenight.ie/
Wexford Festival Opera
An internationally renowned opera festival, Wexford Festival Opera is famous for including rarely performed or overlooked operas, giving audiences a chance to experience hidden gems from the opera repertoire.
- Location: Ireland
- Dates: 17 October - 1 November 2025
- Website: https://www.wexfordopera.com/
The festivals mentioned here are just a small sample of the diverse range of arts and cultural events supported by local authorities in 2025. To find out more about festivals taking place in your area, visit your local authority's website. You'll find the details on our Find My Local Authority page.