William Butler Yeats loved October when 'the trees are in their autumn beauty, the woodland paths are dry' and it's fitting that Yeats' County hosts a family food festival this weekend.
With only a month to go until the mid-term break, there are plenty of other fun things do around Ireland this weekend from lego to music, books to potatoes and more.
Have fun!
1) Strandhill Food Festival
The second Strandhill Food Festival returns on Saturday and Sunday with the best chefs and producers in County Sligo sharing delicious recipes, Derry Clarke and Gary O'Hanlon will headline this year's Food Demo stage and there will be live music and family fun events each day.
2) Rooster Festival
The first Carlow Rooster Festival takes place this weekend celebrating the popular spud and its connections to Carlow with live music, entertainment, food trail, the National Potato Picking Championship and a fun family day out in Oakpark House on Saturday afternoon.
3) Ballinasloe Horse Fair
Ballinasloe Horse Fair is not just one of Europe’s oldest, dating back to the 18th century, it is an annual event that attracts up to 80,000 visitors enjoying lots of fun activities and events including food and craft market, dog show, vintage car show, soapbox derby, family activities and a monster fireworks display at Ballinasloe Marina on Friday night from 8:30pm.
4) Smithfield and Stoneybatter Food Festival
Food eateries, shops and bars will have free tastings, festival menus and discounted prices all weekend in Smithfield & Stoneybatter. The highlight is on Sunday when the festival takes to the outdoors on Smithfield Square in tandem with the independent music festival, the Busker Fleadh.
5) Dingle Food Festival
Dingle Food Festival showcases and celebrates the quality of local producers, chefs, restaurateurs and the award-winning local food and drink* they produce through demos, markets, workshops, wine-tasting, discussion forums, craft beer and cider fest and the Taste Trail, where you can sample a wide range of local culinary delights.
6) Galway Jazz Festival
The festival returns over four days this weekend with musicians from 14 countries, in 20 venues, and over 50 live performances, plenty of talk, both formal and informal, some cinema, kids stuff, masterclasses and more.
7) Taste of the Lakelands
Featuring an extended programme over two days with food producers, more live cooking demonstrations, culinary treats, special features on safety and lots of attractions for all the family.
8) Cork Folk Festival
Ireland’s southern capital once again will host a spectacular for a four-day music event, packed with Ireland's finest traditional musicians, dancers and singers. Over 15,000 people are expected to attend performances from The Casey Sisters, Dave Flynn’s Irish Memory Orchestra, Kate Rusby and more.
9) Donegal Bay and Blue Stacks Festival 2018
The 18th annual festival continues until Sunday with music, theatre, opera, carnival, visual arts, street arts, literary events, events for children and the popular carnival parade scheduled for the streets of Ballyshannon on Saturday night.
10) Rivertown Arts Centre | Science Magic
Irish comedian and science communicator Dónal Vaughan brings his hugely successful science magic comedy to Newbridge on Sunday afternoon.
Dónal makes the impossible possible - turning water upside down without spilling it, moving an object without touching it - and you can try all the tricks again at home with your young wizards.
11) LimBrick City
On Saturday and Sunday, at St. John's Pavilion, there will be a huge selection of models, a massive play area, including a Lego wall as well as face painting, vendors selling Lego figures, Lego sets, Lego Jewellery and much more. This is an inclusive event with the Limerick Autism Group available throughout the day.
12) Solstice Arts Centre
The Solstice Arts Centre in Navan hosts its second Lost Kingdoms Family Workshop on Saturday from 2pm for children over six. Artist Eimear Murphy leads a hands-on exploration of the work of Patrick Hough on display in our gallery. Create your very own lost kingdom of artefacts, statues, treasures and fantastic structures.
13) SpudFest
The Spud Fest family fun day returns to Newbridge House, Donabate on Saturday afternoon with bouncy castles, vintage tractors, live music, potato cooking demo, BBQ with free tasty potato treats and free parking.
14) Wainfest | Annual Arts and Book Festival
Wainfest is an annual week-long, countywide arts and book festival dedicated to children in Donegal. There is a total of 151 events taking place in many favourite familiar haunts as well as some exciting new partner locations, over eight days.
15) Roscommon Arts Centre | Book Clinic
Do you know a young reader who is looking for a new series to delve into? Do they need a prescription for an exciting new read?
Then pop along to the Children's Books Ireland Book Clinic at Roscommon Arts Centre on Saturday from 10am - 2pm where children and young readers can consult with the Book Doctor on their favourite reads and come away with a prescription for their next book. Admission is free, this event is drop in and pre-booking is not required.
Three things to do next week:
1) Northern Ireland Potato Festival
The Northern Ireland Annual Potato Festival returns on Saturday 13th October, celebrating its rich potato history with a fun programme of activities and events in the grounds of the Causeway Hotel.
2) Eugene O'Neill International Festival of Theatre
Celebrating the life and work of the award-winning Irish-American playwright, Eugene O’Neill in New Ross from 10th-14th October.
3) Ennis Food Festival
Eat your way through the weekend at the Bike Buffet, Local Artisan Food Market, Chocolate Adventure & Eat My Shop Food Trail and many other events in Ennis restaurants and food venues.
YourDaysOut is a sales and marketing platform for local businesses and event organisers with tools to help promote, publish and sell tickets online, for less. It is also the No.1 site for people looking for things to do, where users can also FOLLOW their favourite pages to get notifications about any offers and events and buy tickets for Halloween or Christmas or discount deals.
