First Time Festival

If this is your first time to come to Kilkenny to experience Ireland’s most unique, distinctive and inspiring Arts programme, then make sure to do each of the following during your stay and leave knowing you have truly experienced the Kilkenny Arts Festival!

The Festival Top 10 Must Do List!

 

No. 10

Check out the Street Performances around Kilkenny’s winding medieval streets. You are guaranteed great entertainment while discovering one of Ireland’s most beautiful locations on foot.

No. 9

Visit the Castle to check out Kilkenny’s medieval fortress situated bang in the centre of town, making sure to check out the range of shows in one of the more unique festival locations, the Castle's Parade Tower.

No. 8

Soak up the atmosphere of festival chat while enjoying a pint of the black stuff in Kilkenny’s most intimate and authentic pub, Tynan’s Bridge House Bar, Kilkenny’s Number 1 attraction on TripAdvisor. You don’t know who you might end up bumping into in there!

No. 7

Set up camp for lunch at Kilkenny’s best spot for a view! The Rivercourt Hotel Restaurant is equipped with a balcony perched on the River Nore, in the shadow of Kilkenny Castle, offering a truly memorable view of Kilkenny and a great place to watch the world go by.

No. 6

Visit Cleere’s Theatre for a lunch-time theatre show in what is known as ‘Ireland’s Biggest Little Venue’! A truly charming and intimate venue that must to go on every festival visitor’s 'Hit-List'. Lively chat and a great pint afterwards are guaranteed, along with the odd seisiún of course!

No. 5

Engage your mind and body with some of the most unique and exciting theatre shows to ever be performed in Ireland. These shows are not to be missed…as you may be performing in them!

No. 4

Broaden your horizons! The Kilkenny Arts Festival aims to introduce visitors to unique, different, but most importantly great shows, across a range of disciplines, from Jazz to Classical, Theatre to Alternative Music, and Visual Art to Craft. So get yourself to the Festival Box Office and try one of our Lucky Dip tickets! We promise you will not be disappointed.

No. 3

Visit the Festival Hub to share a coffee with your fellow Festival visitors. For stimulating conversation, along with the opportunity to grill the artists performing, this is your first point of call!

No. 2

Check out one of our music events in the magnificent St Canice’s Cathedral. No questions asked, just do it! Anyone that has been lucky enough to experience one of our shows in this most unique of venues has left with a feeling of spiritual, cultural, and architectural wonderment.

And Finally, No. 1

Show us what you think of us! Visit our website to write reviews, leave comments and post your images. We shall take on everything you have to say as we strive to make the Festival as engaging, entertaining and exciting as possible each and every year.