Culture Night will take place on Friday the 20th of September this year, following last year’s extraordinarily successful night, where 1.2 million people participated in over 1,700 free cultural events around the country.
Overseen by the Arts Council, Culture Night is brought to you in partnership with local authorities and cultural organisations across the island. The night shines a light on the quality and breadth of Ireland’s incredibly diverse cultural offerings, while introducing audiences to new venues and emerging talent. Celebrating the values of openness, discovery and belonging, all activities on Culture Night / Oíche Chultúir 2024 are free. A broad expanse of people, places and spaces help make it happen including artists, performing groups, galleries, museums, sports clubs, libraries, arts centres, craft workers, studios, theatres, community groups, public bodies, transport companies, schools, universities and you the audience.
Amongst the broad variety of events going ahead as part of Culture Night this year, there will be many food and gastronomy events taking place, showcasing culinary experiences from a wide variety of cultures. While events will continue to be added to the Culture Night schedule via the website in the lead up to September 20th, some of Culture Night’s food event highlights this year include:
Polish Potato Festival at ABC EduLibrary, Cork City
September is traditionally a time for Polish digging. Both nations, the Irish and the Poles, like potatoes in various forms. This event will highlight the history and traditions associated with potatoes. You will be invited to sample Polish cuisine, where potato pancakes will be prepared for you to taste. The potatoes will also be used for some artistic activities! The event is drop in.
Multinational Food Event, Galway City
“Authentic Food” from a minimum of 10 Nationalities. It’s a great pleasure to introduce to others our food as a way to let them know that they matter to us. Every time we give self-made food, we also give a piece of ourselves, a piece of our culture. Food brings people together and Migrants bring Nations Together. This event is for the purpose of Intercultural Integration; we use food as a way to integrate, associate, celebrate and connect with others. Food will be provided to suit all tastes (normal, vegetarian, vegan).
Wild & Fired Indian BBQ Feast With Rooh Vodka, Derry – Londonderry
Join Lo & Slo for Culture Night 2024 at the stunning Walled Garden of Brook Hall Estate for an unforgettable gastronomic BBQ fusion event. Lo & Slo teams up with local entrepreneur Lee Jagota, creator of Rooh Vodka, to bring you a unique blend of Indian heritage and American fire cooking. Sip on Tradition: Guests will enjoy exclusive cocktails crafted by the renowned mixologist Dee Coll, the “Cocktail Man.” Each cocktail is a masterful blend of bold flavours, capturing the essence of the event’s unique culinary experience. Savour Every Bite: Enjoy a delicious 3-course fire-cooked feast that marries the bold spices of Lee’s Punjabi roots with the smoky allure of Emily’s American BBQ using the finest of local.
Tales By Moonlight Cooking Up A Delicious Storm Session, Athy Kildare
This year’s event, the tenth in a row, is continuing the team adventure approach to ‘Cooking Up A Delicious Storm’ by introducing ‘Tales by Moonlight’. It provides the opportunity to showcase varied specialties’ (food, drink & or beverage) from across the world as well as the added bonus of tales from yonder. We plan to live-stream so that those who cannot attend in person may participate online. It’s free to take up the challenge and to participate in other cultural activities of the night. Free to attend.
The English Market, Cork City
For one night of the year only the renowned city centre cultural landmark, the historic English Market, will open its doors to celebrate Culture Night from 6pm to 9pm. A selection of English Market traders will be open exclusively, serving traditional tastes and local treats, ranging from handmade sushi rolls to local cheese and charcuterie, wine tasting and samples of traditional Cork favourites. Local musicians will enhance the already vibrant atmosphere of the market for the occasion.
“We Act” Spice Culture At CCRC, Clonakilty, Cork
Spice up your Culture Night and visit Clonakilty Community Resource Centre for some complimentary spicy, delicious nibbles from around the world, accompanied by an international flavour of music with a drumming workshop with Fergal. All are welcome.
Westport FRC Multicultural Evening, Westport, Mayo
The Westport FCRC Multicultural Evening, part of Culture Night 2024, will take place at Sacred Heart School in Westport. This family-friendly event celebrates the rich tapestry of cultures in our community with an engaging array of activities. Attendees can explore tables representing various countries, enjoy traditional foods, crafts, and cultural displays. Children will be delighted with face painting and lively entertainment. A world map will be set up for guests to mark their places of origin, and many participants will showcase their beautiful traditional attire. Building on last year’s success, this year’s event promises to be a vibrant and inclusive celebration, fostering community spirit and cultural exchange.
Treaty City Brewery, Limerick City
Join us for the PigTown Food Festival event. We will have Dan from Springfield Castle and Keith Piggot for our 25 Mile diet (all produce coming from Limerick). We will be using producers from the recently published Producer Directory and we will also showcase some of the producers on the day.
Jameson Distillery Bow St. Experience With Tasting, Phoenix Park and Museum Quarter, Dublin City
This flagship experience at Jameson Distillery Bow St provides a fully guided and immersive, 45-minute tour where the production process is brought to life through the story of the distillery and its process, finishing off with a comparative whiskey tasting as you walk in the footsteps of founding father, John Jameson. Limited places available – book in advance to be one of just 30 participants on this exclusive tour.
Multicultural Street Food Tasting at Culture Night On Moore Street, Monto and North Georgian Quarter
Celebrate Culture Night with a street party on Moore Street featuring a late-night food and craft market, accompanied by Afro-Irish music and dance. There’ll be live music by Yankari Afrobeat Collective, a groovy and energetic sound reminiscent of the Afrobeat greats of the 60s and 70s with a modern twist. Sample Nigerian street food, Brazilian churros, Romanian BBQ, Asian dumplings, Polish honey and flatbread, as well as Indian leather goods, Turkish perfumes, Ecuadorian jewellery, Peruvian trinkets, Nigerian clothing and much more.
#OneNightForAll #OícheDarSaol