Festivals In Waterford
Waterford plays host to multiple festivals throughout the year. Discover Waterford's greatest festivals and events for 2020 with our guide to the best the city and county has to offer. From Food, to Music, Theatre to Arts, there is something for everyone to enjoy!
West Waterford Festival of Food
Over the years the festival has been a showcase of the food of the region, as well as being host to some of our top chefs, fresh flavours, interesting influences and good ideas. This is one festival where there is definitely something for everyone - a full children’s programme, foraging trails, bus tours, cooking demos, dining experiences from high end to very casual plus of course the markets.
Date: 17 April 2020 to 19 April 2020
Location: Dungarvan, Co. Waterford
Telephone: +353 (0)58 21433
Copper Coast Festival
The Copper Coast Festival celebrates local, cultural, environmental and geological heritage of European Geoparks week.
Date: 26 May 2020 to 11 June 2020
Location: Copper Coast, Co. Waterford
Telephone: +353(0)51292828
Blackwater Valley Opera Festival
Ireland's only Summer Opera Festival takes place each year in the stunning, historic and magical surroundings of Lismore Castle and in great houses along the Blackwater River Valley in Ireland's sunny South East. The festival will feature a double bill for the first time in 2020: the eagerly-anticipated Festival will stage both Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi; and Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci; Audience members can also look forward to an exciting schedule of fine musical events throughout the week, including a concert series at Dromore Yard.
Date: 01 June 2016 to 06 June 2016
Location: Lismore, Co. Waterford
Waterford Festival of Architecture
The Waterford Festival of Architecture (WFA) is a festival which supports architects and works towards enhancing the understanding and appreciation of architecture among the wider community, including creative practitioners of other artistic disciplines. It produces a high quality programme of events that maximise its unique status in Ireland as the only festival of architecture outside of the capital. With an exciting expanded 4 days programme of events, to engage local and regional public and specialist audiences, the festival promotes the importance of architecture as an artistic practice.
Date: 22 May 2020 to 24 May 2020
Location: Waterford
Telephone: +353 (0) 87 3101947
Web: https://architecturefoundation.ie/event/waterford-festival-of-architecture/
Dunmore East Walking Weekend
Held in May annually this festival offers Guided Coastal Walks with Local Historians & Guides. Walks are in the B to C range for walkers who enjoy a moderate challenge. Just the start of many exciting things to do on your break in Co. Waterford.
Date: 18 May 2020 to 19 May 2020
Location: Dunmore East, Co. Waterford
Summer in the City
From June to August, Waterford City will come alive with the best in Live Music, Family Entertainment, Workshops and Street Performance. If you are planning your Summer this 2020, Waterford offers you an unique experience for you and all your family. Without any cost – yes, you are reading well – you will be able to enjoy music and arts festivals completely for FREE!! Summer in the City is a fantastic Free Summer Festival.
Location: Waterford
Telephone: +353 86 454 3246
Dunmore East Festival of Food, Fish & Fun
An annual festival, Dunmore East Festival of Food, Fish & Fun promises a weekend full of family fun, great food and live entertainment with a large market held in the harbour. Festival to include Farmer's Market, Music, Crafts & much more.
Date: 20 June 2020 to 21 June 2020
Location: Dunmore East, Co. Waterford
Telephone: +353(0)86 6024315
All Together Now
Returning this August Bank Holiday Weekend for the Third Chapter, a weekend of freedom, inspiration and escapism through music, spoken word, comedy, theatre, debate, art, workshops, wellness, and everything in between from feasts of food to bespoke cocktails all within walls of the beautiful Curraghmore Estate. They have a lot to announce over the coming weeks and months including new stages, installations and collaborations, continued and new sustainability initiatives, which are all at the very core of their ethos.
Date: 31 July 2020 to 02 August 2020
Location: Curraghmore House, Co. Waterford
Email: [email protected]
1848 Tricolour Celebration
The 1848 Tricolour Celebration is a cultural and historical event, which commemorates the flying of the Irish National Flag for the first time by Waterford man Thomas Francis Meagher in his native city at the Wolf Tone Confederate Club at 33 The Mall, Waterford on March 7th 1848.
Date: 26 June 2020 to 28th June 2020
Location: Waterford City
Camphire International Horse Trials and Country Fair
Camphire is located at the confluence of the Blackwater and Bride rivers, within a five mile radius of the towns of Lismore, Cappoquin and Tallow. International horse trials and festival with top-class equestrian, dressage, show jumping and cross country. Family fun, activities, food and more!
Date: 29 July 2002 to 02 August 2020
Location: Cappoquin, Co. Waterford
Telephone: +353(0)85 7117423
Waterford Spraoi International Street Arts Festival (Arts Festivals)
This is the biggest festival of the year in Waterford, a city that plays host to several excellent events each year. From the beginning a feature of Spraoi (meaning ‘fun’) has been the large number of events which are free, there is no entrance charge for the vast majority of events. Almost all of the action takes place on the streets and if you are visiting Waterford during Sproai you won’t have to go looking for it – it’ll find you, it’s everywhere. It certainly lives up to it’s billing as a festival of street theatre.
Date: 31 July 2020 to 02 August 2020
Location: Waterford City, Co. Waterford
Telephone: +353(0)51 841808
Web: www.spraoi.com
August Horse Racing Festival
An exciting 4 days full of top-class thoroughbred racing with some of Irelands leading trainers, jockeys and owners in attendance. Add an unbeatable atmosphere and it’s the only place you’ll want to be this August.
Date: 13 August 2020 to 16 August 2020
Location: Tramore, Co. Waterford
Telephone: +353(0)51381245
Waterford Walls
Welcome to Waterford Walls Festival based in Waterford, Ireland. They are an international street art event celebrating our sixth year this August .Each year they invite world-class national and international street artists to join them and paint the city’s walls with stunning large scale artwork and 2020 will be no different! Join them for amazing live painting by some of the world’s top street artists, along with a fun-filled family-friendly programme of activities including live music, workshops, guided art trails and expert panel talks. They cater for art lovers of all ages and this year they are launching our new children’s street art programme.
Date: 20 August 2020 to 23 August 2020
Location: Waterford City
Telephone: +353(0)878210420
Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival
If banjo pickin', foot tappin' mandolin' pluckin', barnstormin', step dancin' fiddle playin', double bass clawin' sessions are for you, then the beautiful picturesque coastal village of Dunmore East, Co. Waterford is the only place to be. Fans of bluegrass, Americana, blues, country, rhythm ‘n’ roots can expect the cream of the musical crop as top class acts line up for this year’s 26th Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival.
Date: 27 August 2020 To 30 August 2020
Location: Dunmore East, Co. Waterford
Telephone: +353 87 2562899
Waterford Harvest Festival
All roads lead to Waterford City in September for the fab foodie festival. The streets come alive with sights, smells and sounds of all things food and food related. Waterford Harvest Festival celebrates the food and food heritage of Waterford and is all about local food.
Date: 04 September 2020 to 06 September 2020
Location: Waterford City, Co. Waterford
The Imagine Arts Festivals
A multi-disciplinary celebration of the creative arts that provides exceptional audience experiences for people of all ages and interests. The Imagine Festival is an annual event which celebrates the arts in Waterford. It is now one of Ireland's premier arts festivals.
Date: 21 October 2020 to 25 October 2020
Location: Waterford City, Co. Waterford
Telephone: +353(0)761102856
John Dwyer Trad Music Weekend
Traditional music weekend with a stellar line-up of traditional music events including workshops, sessions, concerts and CD launches featuring the best of trad musicians from Ireland and abroad. A celebration of traditional Irish music.
Date: 16 October 2020 to 18 October 2020
Location: Waterford City, Co. Waterford
Enchanted Garden Winter Light Festival
One of the most stunning light displays in the Country, this magical winter wonderland is enchanting for both children and adults. Enjoy a walk through a sea of lights and become mesmerized by the beautiful winter displays in the Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Garden Tramore
Date: 04 December 2020 to 03 January 2021
Location: Tramore, Co. Waterford
Waterford Winterval - Ireland's Christmas Festival
Winterval, Ireland's Christmas Festival, continues to grow from strength to strength. With over 30 events every weekend - many free - Winterval is a must see with a jam-packed schedule of fun for all the family.
Date: 21 November 2020 to 23 December 2020
Location: Waterford City, Co. Waterford
Web: www.winterval.ie
