The Carlow Arts Festival is back with a bang this June

Now that we’re (finally) coming into some finer weather, it’s time to start planning a few fun-filled day trips and family outings to keep us occupied during the warm summer months. 

Luckily, the Carlow Arts Festival is back with a bang this year and they’ve just announced a wonderful programme jam-packed full of attractions and entertainment.

Taking place from Thur 9 – Sun 12 June, Carlow Arts Festival is excited to welcome back audiences to a joyful, exciting and dynamic festival of multi-disciplinary arts presented at their festival HQ in the grounds of Carlow College and at various locations across Carlow town. 

With a programme bursting with creativity, Carlow will come alive with a truly eclectic mix of music, circus, dance, theatre, visual arts, street art and so much more. 

A host of free, family-friendly events will take place across the weekend on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 June as Cruinniú na nÓg, Ireland's national day of creativity for children and young people, coincides with the festival. 

Highlights include the first Carlow Carnival of Collective Joy, a mesmerising spectacle, created by the children and young people of Carlow, that will parade through Carlow town on Saturday afternoon. 

The Cruinniú na nÓg Tent will become an exciting hub for family friendly entertainment and workshops including Dance Battle with Tobi Omoteso and a stage-fighting workshop with Carlow Youth Theatre. 

Other highlights for families include the giant living tulle dolls The Bathers by Clédat & Petitpierre and the theatre show Goupil & Kosmao by Étienne Saglio featuring a magician and his cantankerous assistant, the stuffed fox Goupil.

Some of the events, workshops and performances will be free to attend and others are ticketed. For more information about the Carlow Arts Festival, to check out the full event programme or to buy your tickets now, go to www.carlowartsfestival.com.