Welcome to County Cork Festivals Guide

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Visitors have enjoyed the delights and hidden treasures of Cork City and its environs for almost 250 years, making this city one of Ireland's most popular city break destinations. This historic city dates back from the 7th Century and today, Cork City is home to an excellent provision of festivals and events to entertain both the local community and visitors to this enchanting city.

Summer is without a doubt the best time to visit the city and sample its festive delights including the Cork Midsummer Festival. This multi-disciplinary arts festival embraces and promotes creativity by staging high quality performances from both indigenous and international theatre companies, artists and musicians. An innovative programme of events provides unique opportunities for both performer(s) and the audience. Staged from Mid to Late June, The Cork Midsummer Festival programmes an exciting array of theatre, choreography and dance, music and literature events, free street theatre and exhibitions as well as providing a platform for emerging local and international talent.

Cork stages its own St Patrick's Day Parade and Festival and organisers promise a spectacular array of vibrant colours, flights of fancy, marching bands from across Ireland and USA, theatrical performers and more. Staged mid March around St. Patrick's day on the 17th, visitors can expect a carnival atmosphere at this exciting event.

If you are looking for something completely out of the ordinary, Cork plays host to the World Ghost Convention which provides visitors with a programme of supernatural and fun-packed entertainment. Staged annually around Halloween, the convention aptly takes place in Cork's Old City Gaol where apparitions of ghosts and sprits have been reported. The convention was inaugurated to allow people to discuss their views on the paranormal and to share experiences from spirit and ghost enthusiasts. Certainly not for the faint hearted!

For Jazz enthusiasts, Cork is home to one of the most prestigious jazz events in Europe, The Guinness Jazz Festival. This particular event is undoubtedly one of the most significant in Ireland's arts and cultural calendar, attracting musicians from many different countries performing at host venues across the city.

Cork offers visitors not only a rich diversity of cultural events but some spectacular theatre productions, traditional Irish music and international cuisine. In recent years, the city has re-emerged as one of Ireland's most cosmopolitan cities, why not experience this city for yourself and book your city break in Cork, here at GNWS Ireland.