It's August. It's the long weekend. The sun is set to make a comeback. And there is no shortage of things to do, all across the country, this weekend.
This weekend is another chance to get out and enjoy the best of Ireland. YourDaysOut has thousands of ideas for things to do in Ireland, days out in Dublin and you can select follow on your favourite pages to keep up-to-date with their events and promotions.
1) Waterford Spraoi
This is the 26th annual Waterford Spraoi Festival. The annual three-day extravaganza offers over 250 free shows and music gigs.
Spraoi transforms the streets of Waterford into an open-air venue for street entertainers from around the world. The highlight is the festival parade on Sunday night from 9:30pm with dramatic floats and hundreds of performers weaving through the city’s medieval streets.
2) Durrow Scarecrow Festival
The Laois Festival concludes on Bank Holiday Monday with events over the weekend including Wobbly Circus and Street Theatre Company, Once Upon A Scarecrow puppet shows, workshops, live IWW wrestling, food & craft fair, an arts and crafts exhibition, scarecrow village music and the All-Ireland Scarecrow Championship Awards ceremony on Sunday.
3) Birr Vintage Week
As featured on Morning Ireland's, 'Ireland by Bike' series, the 50th Annual Birr Vintage Week & Arts Festival runs from the 3rd to 12th August and features an extensive programme including the fantastic vintage festival parade on Sunday, the annual air show and family fun day on Monday, a spectacular fireworks display on Thursday and lots more.
4) Camp Freddo
Cadbury's host the ultimate family day out in the wild surroundings of Blessington Lake, Co Wicklow next Tuesday to Saturday. Tickets are only €5 each with all proceeds going to Barnardos.
5) Kildysart Street Festival
A weekend of fun in Clare with a Monster Field Day on Sunday with music, BBQ, bouncy castles after the Parade of the Floats and a Family Fun Day on Monday from 1pm with Tug-O-War, Ireland's Fittest Family and lots more.
6) Stradbally Steam Rally
The 54th steam and vintage show takes place this weekend with a wide range of working exhibits. The event starts with the Steam Engine and Tractor parade on Saturday night followed by the show at 10am on Sunday and Monday.
7) Cork Puppetry Festival
The fifth festival has a fun line-up of international and local performers all weekend, leading up to the popular, and free, Puppet Picnic in Fitzgerald’s Park on Monday from 12pm - 3pm.
8) Rush Harbour Festival
The popular festival in North Dublin is taking place over the August Bank Holiday weekend with outdoor movies, live music, air display, bouncy castles, Wooly Wards Farm and lots more.
9) Ballyconnell Fair Day
The Ballyconnell festival runs from the 3rd to the 5th with lots of fun events over the weekend including Ballyconnell's Biggest Brain, It's a Knock-Out, colour run, Marry Me Daughter Game Show and more. The Fair Day takes place on Main Street on Saturday from 12pm with an afternoon of free family fun.
10) Kilmihil Festival of Fun
Featuring a fun programme of events over the weekend including sports competitions, kids tractor and trike run, Knockalough Lake family afternoon, street entertainment, cultural parade, monster field day, fireworks and lots more. They even changed the schedule to accommodate the Clare hurlers replay on Sunday.
11) Muff Festival
Family festival in Donegal over the August Bank Holiday weekend with fun events including a pet show, Teddy Bears' picnic, circus skills, treasure hunts, lorry pulling and even a wife-carrying competition as well as lots, lots more.
12) Gorey Market House Festival
A fun-filled weekend with a family fun day, exhibitions, live music featuring the Hothouse Flower & Jake Carter.
13) Enniscorthy Rockin' Food Festival
Featuring an impressive schedule of chefs, producers and special guests in the free food marquee, an impressive artisan food, drink and craft market, free live outdoor music, a program of food and drink workshops, events and classes as well as lots of family fun in the new kid's marquee.
The weekend also hosts the Enniscorthy Arts Trail Festival with free workshops, galleries, talks, music & art performances, along with an interactive creative doodle space for kids.
14) Belturbet Festival of the Erne
A full programme of activities and events in one of Cavan's largest family festivals with the highlight being the Funday on the Erne on Monday afternoon featuring races, games, play zone and a cruiser flotilla.
15) Galway Races
The popular annual summer festival continues through to Sunday offering exciting horse racing, live music and entertainment, fashion and family fun.
16) Mary of Dungloe Festival
The 51st Mary from Dungloe International Festival concludes this weekend with the selection of the ‘Mary from Dungloe’.
17) The Beatyard
The Beatyard festival returns to Dun Laoghaire with tasty food, games and top class music including a performance from The Jacksons.
18) Tubercurry Old Fair Day Festival
Winner of the Best Cultural Festival and Overall Best Tourism Award Sligo Business Awards last year, the festival starts this weekend with another programme to entertain the whole family leading up the Old Fair next Wednesday, August 8th.
There is free entry to the opening night, live music with Declan Nerney, Family Fun Day with BMX stunt displays and the Tubbercurry Old Fair Day with Lisa McHugh, over 50 demonstrations, 100 stalls, vintage, kids zones and workshop in our Heritage and Craft Village.
19) Electric Zoo @ Wells House
There is another fantastic day of fun with Electric Zoo and a tasty barbecue this Bank Holiday Monday in Wells House in Wexford. The Electric Zoo is a selection of different electric zoo animals that children can ride around on the lawn in front of Wells House. Price included in admission.
20) North Tipperary Agricultural Show
Another fun, family event on Bank Holiday Monday in Nenagh featuring all the usual competitions including horses, cattle, ponies, sheep, dogs, poultry, and show jumping. The Nenagh Classic Car Club will also be there as well as lots of family fun, pet farm, dog show, bouncy castles, trade stands and more.
21) Clonmany Festival
The annual festival starts on Sunday with the opening parade and fancy dress and children's sports in Uuris GAA pitch and a Treasure Hunt on Monday as well as live music every night during the week.
And if your Bank Holiday weekend schedule is already booked up, here are some fun things to do next weekend
1) Carlingford Oyster Festival
An annual celebration of local shellfish with lots of tasty food and family fun.
2) Dublin Horse Show
With an array of national & international show jumping competitions and world-class equestrian entertainment, great shopping, delicious food, music & fantastic daily entertainment, the annual Dublin Horse Show has something for everyone.
3) Puck Fair
One of Ireland’s oldest and longest celebrated fairs is held on 10th, 11th and 12th August every year with twelve hours of free family street entertainment.
