Here are the upcoming festivals and events in Cork (city and county) from 20 March to 1 May 2026, based on confirmed schedules. This period features a mix of cultural, music, food/drink, and community celebrations.
Major Festivals and Events
- Cork Podcast Festival (20-29 March): A celebration of podcasting with live recordings, interviews, and sessions featuring popular Irish podcasts at venues like Cork Opera House and Live at St Luke’s.
- Cork Whiskey Festival (27-29 March): A vibrant whiskey-focused event at Cork City Hall and surrounding areas, offering tastings, masterclasses, brand expos, and showcases of Irish whiskey heritage.
- Ballydehob Traditional Music Festival (27-29 March): A community-driven traditional Irish music celebration in West Cork’s Ballydehob village, with sessions in pubs, concerts, and performances by top trad musicians.
- Cork International Choral Festival (29 April – 3 May, with main events starting within the period up to 1 May): One of Europe’s leading choral events, featuring international choir competitions, gala concerts at Cork City Hall, fringe performances, and events across numerous venues in the city and county.
- Ballydehob Jazz Festival (1-4 May, starting on 1 May): A lively jazz event in West Cork’s Ballydehob, including music trails, swing dancing, circus elements, and a signature New Orleans-style jazz funeral parade.
Other Notable Events
- Daffodil Day Coffee Morning (20 March): A community fundraising morning for the Irish Cancer Society, held at Glounthaune Community Centre.
- Finbar Wright in Concert (22 March): A special performance by the renowned Irish tenor at Cork Opera House.
- Féile Fearann Rí Launch (25 March): An evening of traditional music and storytelling, featuring artist Clare Sands at Hollyhill Library.
- Easter Egg Hunt (3 April): A fun, family-oriented Easter activity at Kealkill Parkland.
- Niall Breslin & The Polaris Quartet (10 April): A live musical performance at Live at St Luke’s.
- The Showdown Festival (18 April): An outdoor community event with entertainment at Na Piarsaigh GAA Club.
Annual & recurring festivals
- Ballydehob Jazz Festival (May): A vibrant village festival featuring a mix of international jazz stars, a “Jazz Wall” of fame, and a lively street parade.
- Cork International Choral Festival (May): One of Europe’s premier choral events, bringing choirs from all over the world to Cork City for high-level competitions and concerts.
- West Cork Islands Festival (June): A unique celebration across several islands (such as Sherkin and Bere) featuring heritage tours, water sports, and local arts.
- Bandon Walled Town Festival (June): A family-friendly heritage event celebrating the town’s history with medieval reenactments, markets, and music.
- Cork Midsummer Festival (June): A multi-disciplinary arts festival across Cork City featuring contemporary dance, theatre, visual arts, and site-specific performances.
- West Cork Chamber Music Festival (June/July): An internationally acclaimed event in Bantry featuring world-class quartets and soloists in the intimate setting of Bantry House.
- Scoil na gCláirseach – Festival of Early Irish Harp (July): A specialized festival in Kilkenny/Cork regions (often centered in Kilkenny but with strong Cork ties) dedicated to the historical wire-strung harp.
- West Cork Literary Festival (July): A major week-long gathering in Bantry for readers and writers, featuring workshops, readings, and masterclasses with renowned authors.
- Skibbereen Arts Festival (July/August): A community-led festival showcasing local and international talent through film, music, poetry, and visual art installations.
- Calves Week (August): A popular sailing regatta based in Schull, attracting sailors from across Ireland and the UK for competitive racing and evening entertainment.
- Cape Clear Island International Storytelling Festival (September): A world-renowned gathering on Ireland’s southernmost inhabited island, celebrating the ancient art of oral storytelling.
- A Taste of West Cork Food Festival (September): An extensive county-wide celebration of local producers, featuring long-table dinners, food trails, and markets across various towns.
- Clonakilty International Guitar Festival (September): An award-winning “guitarists’ festival” that fills the pubs and streets of Clonakilty with diverse performances from folk to rock.
- Cork Folk Festival (September/October): A long-running celebration of traditional and folk music taking over venues across Cork City with concerts, lectures, and sessions.
- Guinness Cork Jazz Festival (October): Ireland’s biggest jazz event, attracting tens of thousands of visitors to Cork City for headline acts and a massive “Music Trail” through local pubs.
- Cork International Film Festival (November): Ireland’s first and largest film festival, showcasing a massive program of features, documentaries, and shorts from around the globe.
Festivals
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
Cork:
Introduction – 1837 – Adventure – Anthem – Archaeology – Attractions – Awards – Birdwatching – Castles – Churches – Contact list – Cycling – Dining – Equestrian – Festivals – Fishing – Folklore – Golf – Graveyards – Happening – Haunted – Highest – Hiking – History – Holy Wells –Hotels – Hotels8 – Instagrammable – Itineraries – Largest town – Luxury – MICE – Movies – Musicians – Name – Novelists – Off the beaten track – Poets – Pubs – Quotes – Random Facts – Restaurant Awards – Saints – Spas – Sports – Sunsets – Sustainable – Things to do – Towns – Video – Villages – Walking – Wanderlist – Weddings – Wild swimming – Writers
