The May Bank Holiday weekend is here, and Dublin is full of things to do that won’t empty your wallet. Below is a practical guide to festivals, comedy, live music, dance, coastal walks, and language exchange.
Heineken GREENLIGHT Festival
This is the biggest music event of the weekend. Heineken GREENLIGHT is a citywide festival running from April 30 to May 3. For €10, you get access to over 35 acts across 10 Dublin venues, including The Button Factory, Wigwam, and The Workman’s Club.
The lineup includes TOMORA (a new project from AURORA and The Chemical Brothers’ Tom Rowlands), Basement Jaxx (DJ set), Mike Skinner (DJ set), DJ Seinfeld, Sherelle, and SPRINTS.
- Where: Multiple venues across Dublin city centre
- When: Friday, May 1 – Sunday, May 3
- Cost: €10
- Learn more: heineken.com/greenlight
DroneArt Show: Four Seasons
On Friday, May 1 and Saturday, May 2, more than 1,200 synchronized illuminated drones will fill the night sky at Leopardstown Racecourse. The theme is Four Seasons, with Vivaldi and Tchaikovsky performed live by a string quartet while the drones form shapes like blooming flowers, swans, and constellations.
- Where: Leopardstown Racecourse
- When: Friday, May 1 and Saturday, May 2. Doors open 7:30 PM, performance at 9:30 PM
- Cost: Tickets available via the Fever app
- Learn more: fever.com/droneart-show-dublin
Dublin Dance Festival – Free Outdoor Performance
The Dublin Dance Festival brings a free outdoor performance to the city this weekend. The Dance of La Zurda by Spanish company LaCerda is an energetic street spectacle set to looping, Latin-inflected rhythms. The audience becomes part of the movement.
- Where: Wolfe Tone Park (Saturday) and South King Street (Sunday)
- When: Saturday, May 2 at 1:00 PM & 4:00 PM; Sunday, May 3 at 1:00 PM & 4:00 PM
- Cost: Free
- Learn more: dublindancefestival.ie
Comedy: Chris McCausland at Vicar Street
Chris McCausland — the blind comedian who won Strictly Come Dancing in 2024 — performs at Vicar Street this Saturday, May 2. His stand-up is sharp, clever, and never reliant on pity or cliché.
- Where: Vicar Street, Dublin 8
- When: Saturday, May 2. Doors 7:30 PM, show 8:00 PM
- Cost: €36.00
- Learn more: ticketmaster.ie
Comedy: The Laughter Lounge
The Laughter Lounge on Eden Quay runs shows all weekend. This Saturday, May 2, features four Irish headline acts: Rory O’Hanlon, Brian Gallagher, Shane Clifford, and Steve Cummins. Arrive before 7:30 PM and get a free beer or glass of wine.
- Where: 4–8 Eden Quay, Dublin 1
- When: Saturday, May 2. Doors 7:00 PM, show 8:30 PM
- Cost: From €34.22
- Learn more: laughterlounge.ie
Live Music: Joshua Burnside at The Button Factory
Northern Irish folk-electronica artist Joshua Burnside — winner of the Northern Ireland Music Prize in 2017 — plays The Button Factory on Saturday, May 2. Limited tickets remain.
- Where: The Button Factory, Temple Bar
- When: Saturday, May 2, 8:00 PM
- Cost: Check venue website
- Learn more: buttonfactory.ie
Live Music: Kíla at Peacocks Bar & Lounge
For traditional Irish music with a modern edge, Kíla plays Peacocks Bar & Lounge in Swords on Saturday, May 2. The band has been a staple of the Irish folk scene for over 30 years.
- Where: Peacocks Bar & Lounge, Swords
- When: Saturday, May 2
- Cost: Check venue website
- Learn more: peacocksbar.ie
Capoeira for Beginners
Dublin School of Capoeira runs a beginner-friendly session this Sunday morning in Castleknock. Capoeira combines martial arts, dance, music, and percussion. Instruments are provided. No experience needed.
- Where: Castleknock Community Centre, Laurel Lodge Road, Dublin 15
- When: Sunday, May 3, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
- Cost: First class free; regular classes €8
- Learn more: capoeira-cecab.eu
Free Coastal Walk: Howth Cliff Loop
A 25-minute DART ride from the city centre takes you to Howth. The Howth Cliff Walk is a well-marked trail with sea views, a historic lighthouse, and plenty of spots to sit and rest.
- Where: Start at Howth DART station, follow signs
- When: Any time during daylight hours
- Cost: Free (Leap Card fare applies for DART)
- Learn more: howthcliffwalk.ie
Free Indoor: Chester Beatty Library
If the weather turns bad, the Chester Beatty Library inside Dublin Castle is free, warm, and world-class. The collection includes illustrated manuscripts, Japanese prints, and Egyptian papyrus fragments. There is also a quiet rooftop garden.
- Where: Dublin Castle, Dame Street, Dublin 2
- When: Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Cost: Free
- Learn more: chesterbeatty.ie
Event Summary Table
| Event | Location | Cost | Learn More Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heineken GREENLIGHT Festival | Multiple venues, city centre | €10 | heineken.com/greenlight |
| DroneArt Show | Leopardstown Racecourse | See Fever app | fever.com/droneart-show-dublin |
| The Dance of La Zurda | Wolfe Tone Park / South King Street | Free | dublindancefestival.ie |
| Chris McCausland | Vicar Street, Dublin 8 | €36.00 | ticketmaster.ie |
| The Laughter Lounge | 4–8 Eden Quay, Dublin 1 | From €34.22 | laughterlounge.ie |
| Joshua Burnside | The Button Factory, Temple Bar | See venue | buttonfactory.ie |
| Kíla | Peacocks Bar & Lounge, Swords | See venue | peacocksbar.ie |
| Capoeira for Beginners | Castleknock Community Centre, Dublin 15 | First class free | capoeira-cecab.eu |
| Howth Cliff Walk | Howth DART station | Free (Leap Card fare applies) | howthcliffwalk.ie |
| Chester Beatty Library | Dublin Castle, Dublin 2 | Free | chesterbeatty.ie |
Disclaimer: Details are correct for the May Bank Holiday weekend (May 1–4, 2026). Always confirm start times and locations on the official websites before travelling.
