What's on in Cork, Ireland through the year

Busy — Christmas break in Ireland, school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it

• Festival

  Feis Maitiú performing arts

  25 Jan – 5 Apr · usuallyArts festival

  A long-running performing arts competition at Fr Mathew Hall, with thousands of young singers, actors and musicians taking turns on stage from late January to early April. Sessions are open to the public. Source ↗

Busy — February mid-term break in Ireland, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in February.

Still on: Feis Maitiú performing arts (25 Jan – 5 Apr (usually))

Peak crowds — St Patrick's Festival, Easter break in Ireland

• Holiday

  St Patrick's Festival

  15–18 MarNational holidayCrowdedClosures

  The 17 March parade runs down the South Mall and shuts the island centre for the morning. Cork treats it as a long weekend, so shops and offices are closed either side of it. Source ↗

Still on: Feis Maitiú performing arts (25 Jan – 5 Apr (usually))

Peak crowds — Cork International Choral Festival, Easter break in Ireland

• Festival

  Cork World Book Fest

  21–26 AprArts festival

  A week of readings, talks and workshops centred on the City Library on Grand Parade and the Triskel arts centre, most of it free. Low-key and easy to drop into. Source ↗

• Festival

  Cork International Choral Festival

  29 Apr – 3 MayMusic festivalCrowded

  Held since 1954 at the turn of April and May, the festival brings choirs from across Europe for competitions at City Hall plus free performances in churches, shopping centres and on the streets. Source ↗

Still on: Feis Maitiú performing arts (25 Jan – 5 Apr (usually))

Busy — Cork International Choral Festival, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in May.

Still on: Cork International Choral Festival (29 Apr – 3 May)

Busy — Summer holidays in Ireland, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

• Festival

  Cork Midsummer Festival

  15–30 Jun · usuallyArts festival

  Ten days of theatre, dance and site-specific work staged in warehouses, churches and the docklands as much as in theatres. The venue is usually half the point of the piece. Source ↗

Peak crowds — Cork Pride, Summer holidays in Ireland

• Festival

  Cork Pride

  25 Jul – 5 Aug · usuallyCrowded

  A week of events from late July ending with the parade from Grand Parade on the first Sunday of August, when city-centre streets close for the afternoon. Source ↗

Peak crowds — Cork Pride, Cork on a Fork Fest

• Festival

  Cork on a Fork Fest

  12–16 AugFood & drink festivalCrowded

  The city council's food festival runs five days of street feasts, long-table dinners and free cooking demonstrations in the English Market. Popular ticketed dinners go early. Source ↗

Still on: Cork Pride (25 Jul – 5 Aug (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

• Festival

  Cork Folk Festival

  25 Sep – 5 Oct · usuallyMusic festival

  Around the turn of September and October the city's pubs, arts centres and theatres host sessions, singers' clubs and set dancing, many of them free. It has run every year since 1979. Source ↗

Peak crowds — Cork Jazz Festival, October mid-term break in Ireland

• Festival

  Cork Jazz Festival

  22–31 Oct · usuallyMusic festivalCrowdedBook early

  Ireland's biggest jazz weekend, built around the late-October bank holiday. Half the pubs in the city become venues, most of it is free, and every bed in Cork is taken weeks ahead. Source ↗

Still on: Cork Folk Festival (25 Sep – 5 Oct (usually))

Busy — Cork at Christmas, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

• Festival

  Cork at Christmas

  15 Nov – 24 Dec · usuallyChristmas & New YearCrowded

  Lights go up on Patrick Street and the Grand Parade in mid-November and the English Market runs at full tilt through December. Saturdays in the city centre are best avoided by car. Source ↗

Peak crowds — Cork at Christmas, Christmas break in Ireland

Nothing new starts in December.

Still on: Cork at Christmas (15 Nov – 24 Dec (usually))