Beowulf - A Thousand Years of Baggage
My alternative festival

Beowulf - A Thousand Years of Baggage

Fri 5th Aug - Sun 7th Aug
Set Theatre

New York ensemble Banana Bag & Bodice bring you a riotous, raw and rowdy retelling of this ancient tale, set to the rhythms of an explosive seven-piece band

Sold Out

event details

Tabernacle
My alternative festival

Tabernacle

Sat 6th Aug - Mon 8th Aug
The Watergate Theatre

Fearghus Ó Conchúir, one of Ireland’s leading independent choreographers, presents an exciting new dance piece that takes a thoughtful look at changing attitudes to religion

Sold Out

event details

Guo Yue - Cookery Demonstration
My alternative festival

Guo Yue - Cookery Demonstration

Sat 6th Aug
Set Theatre

Guo Yue, author, chef, composer and flute player awakens the senses at a Chinese cookery masterclass.

Sold Out

event details

Guo Yue - Performance
My alternative festival

Guo Yue - Performance

Guo Yue, author, chef, composer and flute player plays an intimate show at the Hole in the Wall.

Sold Out

event details

Barry Guy & Evan Parker
My alternative festival

Barry Guy & Evan Parker

A rare chance to see these giants of jazz improv play together as a duo, sharing the intuitive musical understanding they’ve built up over more than forty years. 

Sold Out

event details

New Music Night
My alternative festival

New Music Night

Tue 9th Aug
Set Theatre

Presenting Somadrone, Geppetto, Thread Puls, Margie Lewis and Toby Kaar.

Sold Out

event details

The Big Deal
My alternative festival

The Big Deal

Wed 10th Aug - Sun 14th Aug
Barnstorm Theatre

Una McKevitt returns to Kilkenny with the extraordinary real-life story of two women who knew from a very young age that they were born into the wrong bodies

Sold Out

event details

TC Boyle, Introduced by Colm Toibin
My alternative festival

TC Boyle, Introduced by Colm Toibin

Wed 10th Aug
The Parade Tower

The charismatic American author brings his unforgettable characters and corruscating satire to Kilkenny

Sold Out

event details

Kaleidoscope
My alternative festival

Kaleidoscope

Wed 10th Aug - Thu 11th Aug
Design Centre

This laidback salon-style night comes to Kilkenny for two nights of music, song and surprise, mixing the classical with the cutting edge

Sold Out

event details

Mari Kvien Brunvoll
My alternative festival

Mari Kvien Brunvoll

A genuine original with a captivating voice that straddles jazz, electro pop and acoustic blues with ease.

Sold Out

event details

Drums Off Chaos and Philip Jeck
My alternative festival

Drums Off Chaos and Philip Jeck

Fri 12th Aug
Set Theatre

Since 1982, Jaki Liebezeit, Reiner Linke and Maf Retter have been creating headspinning storms of multi-layered groove using odd meters and unconventional rhythms.

Sold Out

event details

The Amazing Few - End of Festival Party
My alternative festival

The Amazing Few - End of Festival Party

Sun 14th Aug
Set Theatre

An 11-piece band (and counting) who play ‘psycho-pop’; a unique style of music that leans heavily on ska, nicks pop’s lunch money and gives punk a wedgie.

Sold Out

event details

Beowulf - A Thousand Years of Baggage
My alternative festival

Beowulf - A Thousand Years of Baggage

Fri 5th Aug - Sun 7th Aug
Set Theatre

New York ensemble Banana Bag & Bodice bring you a riotous, raw and rowdy retelling of this ancient tale, set to the rhythms of an explosive seven-piece band

Sold Out

event details

Tabernacle
My alternative festival

Tabernacle

Sat 6th Aug - Mon 8th Aug
The Watergate Theatre

Fearghus Ó Conchúir, one of Ireland’s leading independent choreographers, presents an exciting new dance piece that takes a thoughtful look at changing attitudes to religion

Sold Out

event details

Guo Yue - Cookery Demonstration
My alternative festival

Guo Yue - Cookery Demonstration

Sat 6th Aug
Set Theatre

Guo Yue, author, chef, composer and flute player awakens the senses at a Chinese cookery masterclass.

Sold Out

event details

Guo Yue - Performance
My alternative festival

Guo Yue - Performance

Guo Yue, author, chef, composer and flute player plays an intimate show at the Hole in the Wall.

Sold Out

event details

Barry Guy & Evan Parker
My alternative festival

Barry Guy & Evan Parker

A rare chance to see these giants of jazz improv play together as a duo, sharing the intuitive musical understanding they’ve built up over more than forty years. 

Sold Out

event details

New Music Night
My alternative festival

New Music Night

Tue 9th Aug
Set Theatre

Presenting Somadrone, Geppetto, Thread Puls, Margie Lewis and Toby Kaar.

Sold Out

event details

The Big Deal
My alternative festival

The Big Deal

Wed 10th Aug - Sun 14th Aug
Barnstorm Theatre

Una McKevitt returns to Kilkenny with the extraordinary real-life story of two women who knew from a very young age that they were born into the wrong bodies

Sold Out

event details

TC Boyle, Introduced by Colm Toibin
My alternative festival

TC Boyle, Introduced by Colm Toibin

Wed 10th Aug
The Parade Tower

The charismatic American author brings his unforgettable characters and corruscating satire to Kilkenny

Sold Out

event details

Kaleidoscope
My alternative festival

Kaleidoscope

Wed 10th Aug - Thu 11th Aug
Design Centre

This laidback salon-style night comes to Kilkenny for two nights of music, song and surprise, mixing the classical with the cutting edge

Sold Out

event details

Mari Kvien Brunvoll
My alternative festival

Mari Kvien Brunvoll

A genuine original with a captivating voice that straddles jazz, electro pop and acoustic blues with ease.

Sold Out

event details

Drums Off Chaos and Philip Jeck
My alternative festival

Drums Off Chaos and Philip Jeck

Fri 12th Aug
Set Theatre

Since 1982, Jaki Liebezeit, Reiner Linke and Maf Retter have been creating headspinning storms of multi-layered groove using odd meters and unconventional rhythms.

Sold Out

event details

The Amazing Few - End of Festival Party
My alternative festival

The Amazing Few - End of Festival Party

Sun 14th Aug
Set Theatre

An 11-piece band (and counting) who play ‘psycho-pop’; a unique style of music that leans heavily on ska, nicks pop’s lunch money and gives punk a wedgie.

Sold Out

event details

Barry Guy & Evan Parker
My alternative festival

Barry Guy & Evan Parker

A rare chance to see these giants of jazz improv play together as a duo, sharing the intuitive musical understanding they’ve built up over more than forty years. 

Sold Out

event details

Beowulf - A Thousand Years of Baggage
My alternative festival

Beowulf - A Thousand Years of Baggage

Fri 5th Aug - Sun 7th Aug
Set Theatre

New York ensemble Banana Bag & Bodice bring you a riotous, raw and rowdy retelling of this ancient tale, set to the rhythms of an explosive seven-piece band

Sold Out

event details

Drums Off Chaos and Philip Jeck
My alternative festival

Drums Off Chaos and Philip Jeck

Fri 12th Aug
Set Theatre

Since 1982, Jaki Liebezeit, Reiner Linke and Maf Retter have been creating headspinning storms of multi-layered groove using odd meters and unconventional rhythms.

Sold Out

event details

Guo Yue - Cookery Demonstration
My alternative festival

Guo Yue - Cookery Demonstration

Sat 6th Aug
Set Theatre

Guo Yue, author, chef, composer and flute player awakens the senses at a Chinese cookery masterclass.

Sold Out

event details

Guo Yue - Performance
My alternative festival

Guo Yue - Performance

Guo Yue, author, chef, composer and flute player plays an intimate show at the Hole in the Wall.

Sold Out

event details

Kaleidoscope
My alternative festival

Kaleidoscope

Wed 10th Aug - Thu 11th Aug
Design Centre

This laidback salon-style night comes to Kilkenny for two nights of music, song and surprise, mixing the classical with the cutting edge

Sold Out

event details

Mari Kvien Brunvoll
My alternative festival

Mari Kvien Brunvoll

A genuine original with a captivating voice that straddles jazz, electro pop and acoustic blues with ease.

Sold Out

event details

New Music Night
My alternative festival

New Music Night

Tue 9th Aug
Set Theatre

Presenting Somadrone, Geppetto, Thread Puls, Margie Lewis and Toby Kaar.

Sold Out

event details

Tabernacle
My alternative festival

Tabernacle

Sat 6th Aug - Mon 8th Aug
The Watergate Theatre

Fearghus Ó Conchúir, one of Ireland’s leading independent choreographers, presents an exciting new dance piece that takes a thoughtful look at changing attitudes to religion

Sold Out

event details

TC Boyle, Introduced by Colm Toibin
My alternative festival

TC Boyle, Introduced by Colm Toibin

Wed 10th Aug
The Parade Tower

The charismatic American author brings his unforgettable characters and corruscating satire to Kilkenny

Sold Out

event details

The Amazing Few - End of Festival Party
My alternative festival

The Amazing Few - End of Festival Party

Sun 14th Aug
Set Theatre

An 11-piece band (and counting) who play ‘psycho-pop’; a unique style of music that leans heavily on ska, nicks pop’s lunch money and gives punk a wedgie.

Sold Out

event details

The Big Deal
My alternative festival

The Big Deal

Wed 10th Aug - Sun 14th Aug
Barnstorm Theatre

Una McKevitt returns to Kilkenny with the extraordinary real-life story of two women who knew from a very young age that they were born into the wrong bodies

Sold Out

event details

Help me Choose

Every year the Kilkenny Arts Festival brings so many amazing events to our city that its almost impossible to make sure you find all the events that may appeal to you. So we've put on our thinking caps and come up with this simple reference to suggest events you may not have considered.

My First Festival

My First Festival

This is my first time at an arts festival. I want to see what this festival is all about. I haven't heard of a lot of these names before and I'd like suggestions on what might be great to see.

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My Inspiring Festival

My Inspiring Festival

I want to think. I want to get out of my comfort zone and confront the world head on. I don't want to be spoon fed. I want to be blown away. I want to argue.

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My Surprising Festival

My Surprising Festival

I want to find those hidden gems - things I may not have heard of but once I've experienced I will never forget.

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My Alternative Festival

My Alternative Festival

I want to see edgier, grittier more experimental stuff. I want to dance, have some fun. I want to stay up late.

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