Drums, puppets and elks: Dunlavin Arts Festival has exciting line-up of events

Dunlavin Arts Festival on the Kildare  / Wicklow border commences on Thursday next, June 19 with a blistering programme of events, crossing from vocal storytelling and music to history and heritage, immersive fun for children, craft fairs, to a diversity range art exhibitions among many themes and textiles.

Finding Your Voice Choir will perform at St Nicholas Church at 3pm, for a celebration of creativity, community, and the environment at the Camphill-KARE Exhibition, officially opened by Edward Timmins TD., with a special performance by the Lámh Finding Your Voice Choir.

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The Exhibition continues all weekend: Fri 6–9pm, Sat & Sun 12–6pm. Free admission. Dunlavin Writers Group at St Nicholan Group at 8pm – as the the Dunlavin Writers’ Group present a miscellany of short stories, poetry and reflections, interwoven with musical interludes and special performances. Free admission.

On Friday 20, there will be Exhibition Openings at various locations from 6-9pm. There’s something to discover around every corner, see exhibition map and listings on gallery venues. Excavating Identities will be hosted at Imaal Hall from 6:30–8pm. A contemporary, improvised dance installation. Come and go as you please. All Friday, Saturday and Sunday events are free!

Children’s Art Competition entitled ‘Unhinged’ from 12–2pm with the Kids’ Art competition. Come along and paint! Mural launch by Cian Mekitarian at Market Close 12–2pm. This is the official launch of a new festival mural with music, face painting, and colour!

Tarot Readings at the Unhinged Garden 1–3pm, a world of symbols, intuition, and storytelling. A Drumming Workshop at the The Green from 2pm and 4:30pm, fell the  rhythm in a high-energy drumming workshop.

Vikings! Living History will also be a the Green from 2–4pm, explore a Viking and Slavic village with crafts, battles, tools, and more!

Ballymore Brass Band will perform at the Park from 2pm with a local favourite since 1875, performing Irish, film, classical, and brass favourites.  The Puppet Show will be at the Market Green at 3pm for lots of fun.  

One of the highlights of the festival is a tribute ‘At Mercy with Leonard Cohen’ at St Nicholas Church from 7:30–9pm on 00pm

An live performance inspired by the work of Cohen, blending 16 his songs with theatrical pieces drawn from Book of Mercy. Commencing at 7.30pm at St Nicholas of Myra COI. Tickets €10 via Eventbrite. Featuring Kaite Jacques, Shane Sullivan, Dave Day, Angela Keogh and John MacKenna.

There will of course be Fun Fair at The Green from 12–6:30pm on Saturday and Sunday, 21 and 22.

Sunday 22, free admission to all events. Ben O’Connor explores memory, place, and presence through real-time live edits in the Imaal Hall Squash Court Market House Exhibition, work by Hanneke van Ryswyk by Cian Meikitarian.

Photo by Tom Doolin Craft Fair Imall Hall and beside Old School House from12–6pm. ‘Near and Deer’ Irish Elk Procession at the Fairgreen from 1–6pm - a majestic life-sized Irish Elk roams Dunlavin with an archaeologist. Strong ecological and spiritual themes.

Riff Masters Guitar Workshop Scoil Niocláis Naofa at 1 and 2pm - calling guitar heroes aged 8–13 years! If you’ve got a year of guitar under your belt and can read tab, it’s time to level up. Join an electrifying workshop bursting with riffs, shredding, and jamming. No problem – we’ll provide one! Book on Eventbrite.

Drumming Workshop at The Green 2 and 4:30pm. Carnival Games and Mikey Bubbles Magic on The Green, 2–5pm, lots of carnival fun and magic with Dance Flash Mob at Fair Fairgreen at 3pm, Puppet Show  at The Market Green 3pm.

Dunlavin Arts Festival from June 19-22 inclusive, a wonderful festival for all ages, and all interests!