- The inaugural Dublin City Council Liffey Festival takes place on 12-13 September 2026
- The festival is free to attend with a small number of paid activities
- The 106th Liffey Swim will open the festival on Saturday
- Visiting vessels include the Pelican of London and RCC Cosaint
- The programme includes talks, walking tours, aerial displays and live music
The River Liffey will take centre stage (centre c channel?) this September as the Dublin City Council Liffey Festival, a new festival for all ages, transforms the river and its quays into one continuous waterside celebration. Taking place on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September from 12 noon to 6pm daily, the festival will stretch from Sir John Rogerson’s Quay across to Custom House Quay and George’s Dock and onto the River Liffey itself.
The festival is free for all to attend, with a small number of paid activities. Over two days, the public can get out on the water, try a new sport, step aboard visiting ships, follow the historic Liffey Swim, join walking tours, discover the stories of the river, watch aerial and jet pack displays, enjoy live music and street performance, and gather along the quays for Sunday’s Dublin City Council Liffey Festival Flotilla. The 106th Dublin City Council Liffey Swim will open the festival on Saturday, with swimmers racing from Rory O’More Bridge to the finish at Custom House Quay.
The impressive Class A Tall Ship Pelican of London and the RCC Cosaint, the Revenue Commissioners’ new cutter which patrols Ireland’s coastline, will be among the visiting vessels at Sir John Rogerson’s Quay. A varied programme of talks will explore the many layers of the river’s story, from Dublin’s maritime and archaeological heritage to the lives and memories of its dock workers. Lord Mayor of Dublin Daryl Barron encouraged everyone to come along and explore the quays.
Lord Mayor of Dublin Daryl Barron shared Dublin City Council is proud to launch the inaugural Dublin City Council Liffey Festival, a new free event celebrating the river that has shaped the city’s history, culture and communities. Festival organiser shared the story of Dublin is inseparable from the Liffey, from Viking settlement and trading port to the development of the quays, docklands and maritime industries.
