If there’s one thing that Kilkenny is good at, it’s festivals. In fairness, we’re also great at food, but Kilkenny is a real festival county.
For the most part, festival organisers get to take a breath around January (or so you would think) but from February it’s pretty much all systems go when it comes to festival goodness, from music to arts, food to comedy, Christmas and beyond.
If you’re planning a foodie trip to Kilkenny – and when I say foodie I mean in the spirit of indulging in the food offerings of the city and county – and you want to add an extra flavour to your trip, then why not make a date to stay around festival time? Sure, you’ll want to have your ducks in a row and your accommodation secured well in advance if you’re looking to make a few days out of it, but even from a day-tripping point of view, there’s plenty of offer across the year to compliment your restaurant and cafe trips.
While this isn’t an exhaustive list, here are some of the key events taking place in Kilkenny in 2024
St. Brigid’s Festival
2-4 February
If you’re considering a spring visit to Kilkenny then you could do worse than coincide your visit with the St. Brigid’s Festival on the first bank holiday of the year. It’s debuting in Kilkenny this year, “where ancient traditions converge with contemporary expressions in a dynamic celebration of nature’s resurgence and the thriving arts scene”. The festival brings together some of Ireland’s best artists and most promising up-and-coming musicians over three days in Kilkenny city.
A music trail is planned though ticketed gigs for Clara Tracey, Conchúr White, Aoife Nessa Frances, Niamh Regan and Bell X1’s Paul Noonan have already been announced. Venues like Billy Byrne’s, Ryan’s, Cleere’s and Set Theatre mean you get to dive into the offerings around John Street, Friary Street and Parliament Street with Cleere’s and Aroi already on January’s list of six places to eat.
See stbrigidsfestival.ie for more.
Tradfest / St. Patrick’s Festival
15-18 March
Kilkenny Tradfest, part and parcel of the St. Patrick’s week festivities in Kilkenny, runs from 15-18 March this year and again brings a wealth of music and dance including Hothouse Flowers, Clare Sands, Buíoch, John Spillane, the Kilfenora Céilí Band, Nell Ní Chróinín and more. The Bulmers Music Trail returns which will see pubs and venues throughout the city packed for afternoon and evening sessions with pints, tunes and food in free flow.
You don’t typically find a ‘Tradfest’ or St. Patrick’s menu specifically crafted for the weekend, but if you’re hoping to add entertainment to your food visit, you’ll be positively spoiled for choice. The St. Patrick’s Festival begins on the Thursday (14th) with the West Carolina University Marching Band likely making an appearance around the Kilkenny Farmers Market on the Parade, while street entertainment, the vintage carousel, big wheel, festival market, face painting, music trail and more run across the weekend.
See kilkennytradfest.com and stpatricksfestivalkilkenny.com
Kilkenny Roots Festival
I’ve long called the Kilkenny Roots Festival ‘the most wonderful time of the year’ when it comes to music as it’s like the Christmas of music festivals for gig lovers. Think 100 people in the back room of Cleere’s, a cold pint of ale in your hand, it’s 1pm on a Saturday afternoon and a band you’ve possibly never heard of is about to knock your socks off – that kind of scenario. There are two things at play during the Roots festival – the music, and finding a bite of food as you go from venue to venue, whether you’ve picked up a ticketed gig or one of the 70+ free gigs over the weekend.
If you’re day-tripping, hitting Kilkenny for lunch or dinner, or even a late breakfast or brunch, you’ll have no shortage of finding gigs and soaking up Kilkenny’s pub culture.
I’ll do up a handy gig-to-food guide in time for the May bank holiday weekend, but expect street food and chippers to feature heavily, especially if you’re like me and like to gig-hop for a few days.
The Cat Laughs Comedy Festival
June bank holiday weekend
Restaurants are typically hopping over the June bank holiday weekend with The Cat Laughs long a mecca for comedy lovers. 2023’s edition brought together some of the biggest names in Irish comedy alongside a host of newcomers from England, Scotland and Wales including Barry Murphy, Chris Kent, Alison Spittle, Deirdre O’Kane, Dylan Moran, Neil Delamare, Leroy Brito, Seann Walsh and more.
While the breadth of the festival has changed somewhat in recent years, you’ll find bars and restaurants humming with the comedy providing an evening and nighttime backdrop.
See thecatlaughs.com
Kilkenny Arts Festival
9-18 August
Over the course of 10 days, Kilkenny transforms for the Kilkenny Arts Festival. From lunchtime recitals to nighttime performances, opera, theatre, and literature events. This year marks the 51st year of the festival, with programme announcements likely to start happening April time.
Bars and restaurants are huge supporters of the festival and the crowds that it draws into Kilkenny, a list of last year’s you can find here. Having worked on the festival for a number of years previously, there’s so much to take in, especially with the AKA / Alternative Kilkenny Arts taking place at the same time.
See kilkennyarts.ie.
Savour Kilkenny
October bank holiday weekend
The one festival here that needs no introduction for food lovers. Heading into its 16th year, Savour Kilkenny has grown every year since its launch in 2008. 2023’s edition brought with it some 57,000 punters.
With the glut of action taking place over the Saturday and Sunday of the bank holiday weekend thanks to the two-day Savour market on The Parade and Castle Road, dining events will likely take place on the Thursday and Friday, with Monday now given over to the dogs in our lives. On Saturday in particular you can eat your way through the market from mid-morning to 8pm, wrapping at 6pm on Sunday. That’s not to menu all the talks, demos and events that are on offer outside of the eating part of the weekend (my favourite part, let’s be honest about it).
Special menus will be laid on, restaurants and cafés will be flat to the mat and all the while, there’s every manner of food truck and stall available over a 48-hour window in the heart of the city. It’s all about food and if you’re only getting one visit to Kilkenny this year, make it October.
See savourkilkenny.com.
Yulefest Kilkenny
Late November through December
Spanning three weeks on the run-in to Christmas, Yulefest Kilkenny brings the Christmas spirit to the Marble City with three weekend markets complete with a live music schedule coupled with family events the all around the county. Whether it’s a trip to see Santa Claus in Castlecomer or a spin to the Mountain View markets in Ballyhale, there will be plenty to take in before the big day.
See yulefestkilkenny.ie.
But wait, there’s more
There will be plenty more events in Kilkenny across the year and if it’s food your after, any weekend is a good weekend in the Marble City. If you’re visiting and bringing the car, you open the door to restaurant and café visits in Thomastown, Stoneyford, Bennettsbridge, Castlecomer and beyond.
Around each of the key festivals this year I’ll be tying eateries around with gigs and events to help make your visit to Kilkenny one to savour (pardon the pun, it’s the last one).
If you’re planning a trip around a particular festival and looking for recommendations, feel free to shoot me a mail – ken@kenonfood.com – or leave a comment below.
