Whatever Floats Your Boat: Time for Dublin Port Riverfest

This June Bank Holiday weekend, North Wall Quay plays host to Dublin Port’s Riverfest – and they’re promising plenty of pirates.

Dublin Port’s Riverfest is back to celebrate life on the Liffey. The programme has an array of activities planned for the June bank holiday weekend, from tall ships and schooners to performances and pirates.

Three tall ships and four schooners are berthing at North Wall Quay on the Friday evening for the weekend, and there will be kayaking sessions which will enable better viewing of the visiting ships. Dublin Bay Cruises will offer daily trips out into Dublin Bay aboard the St. Bridget, and The Jeanie Johnson is offering free tours over the weekend too. Back by popular demand are the tug-boat dances.

There’s also plenty of activity taking place on dry land, including street performers, like shanty singers, an Irish/Nigerian band, Sukhishvili Georgian dancers, and high wire aerial acts. There’s an open-air food and craft market, with more than 30 stalls, and, for families, children’s attractions like face painting, circus workshops, art and funfairs. There will be pirate re-enactments all weekend too, (if that floats your boat!) and maritime exhibitions in the CHQ Building.

Customs officers will be on hand during Riverfest with their cutter on view and they will also be carrying out sniffer dog demonstrations.

Bus, Rail and DART services will leave you just a few minutes walk to North Wall Quay and the last stop on the Luas Red Line leaves you right at Riverfest’s doorstep.

Dublin Port Riverfest runs over the June bank holiday weekend Saturday 30th May – Monday 1st June.