HAPPENINGS:

Flavours of Fingal 

The Flavours of Fingal County Show returns to Newbridge House and Farm, Donabate, on Saturday and Sunday, June 29 and 30.

Flavours of Fingal offers something for all of the family, from live music and entertainment, to the Arts and Crafts Marquee, which will feature an array of handcrafted products. 

Children will be entertained with acres of bouncy castles, face painting, archaeological digs, magicians, storytelling, a Courtyard ‘Chill Out Zone’ and much more.   

The festival is free of charge for visitors who arrive on foot, use public transport or the free shuttle bus service. 

For those who opt to drive, parking tickets should be booked in advance online on www.flavoursoffingal.ie.

Tayto Park FunFest

A host of entertainers from the worlds of music, circus, family entertainment, dance and art will come together for the Tayto Park Funfest this weekend (June 29 & 30).

Hudson Taylor will headline the main stage on Sunday evening with international acts Rak-Su and Heather Small (The Voice of M People) topping the bill on Saturday.

There will also be big top tents hosting a variety of children’s entertainers from jugglers to circus performers to dancers and everything in between.

Tickets are priced at €55 per day and this includes entry to the park, wristbands for all attractions (as many times as you want) plus entry to Funfest.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

From June 27 to 29, Balally Players is bringing Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream to life in a refreshing and inventive production.

In the garden setting at St Enda’s, the story follows two pairs of young lovers in an evocative, joyful and funny piece of theatre. They journey into the spirit world with Oberon, Titania, Puck and two diminutive fairies and as night falls in the park.

Gates open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start and seating is available. The group recommend you bring a throw or an extra layer of clothing, for later in the performance, as it can get chilly, on certain nights.

Tickets are €14 (€12 with a concession) and are available at milltheatre.ie and by calling 01-2969340. Tickets will also be available at the gate each evening from 7pm.

Pride Parade

This year’s Dublin Pride parade on Saturday, June 29, will assemble on O’Connell Street and Parnell Square with an expected 7,000 people from over 150 different groups with floats, marching bands, colourful costumes and lots and lots of noise leading the way at 1pm. From O’Connell Street, the parade will turn on to Eden Quay and pass Liberty Hall, where the first large scale march for LGBTQ+ rights in Ireland started in 1983. The Parade will cross the Liffey at Talbot Memorial Bridge and travel along City Quay, Lombard Street, Westland Row and end with a free outdoor event in Merrion Square.

Author reads at libraries   

Author Breda Joy will read from her debut novel, ‘Eat the Moon’, at Greystones Library on on Tuesday, June 25, at 7pm and at Tallaght Library on Wednesday, June 26, at 7pm. 

Published by Poolbeg Press, Breda was one of 12 finalists in the Green Bean Novel Fair 2016 at the Irish Writers’ Centre, Parnell Square, Dublin.

Kaleidoscope

A tantalising new three day camping festival for family and friends is taking place at the stunning Russborough House, Blessington from Friday June 28 to Sunday June 30.

Inspired by Electric Picnic, Kaleidoscope will try to harness the magic of the Little Picnic’s entertainment and family campsites and transport it to this brand new venue. Expect a host of the best music acts and DJs, in addition to programming for babes in arms to teens as well as the grown-ups. See www.kaleidoscopefestival.ie for details.