Dublin will be transformed with a series of custom projections and lighting displays, starting December 1st

The stage is set, live acts are primed for a big return, and the lively social whirl is back – Dublin is all dressed up and ready to celebrate the upcoming winter and holiday season in style. Expect an array of twinkling Christmas lights, a host of live performances, markets, atmosphere, brilliant events and all the festive shopping you would want this winter in the Irish capital.

Winter is the perfect time to enjoy the cosmopolitan delights of Dublin. Everywhere you look the famous Christmas lights which cause the city to shine over the festive period will be aglow. Every evening, from the 1st of December to the 1st of January 2022, locations around the city will be transformed with a series of eco-friendly custom projections and lighting displays. 

Dublin’s most fashionable shopping district, Grafton Street, will be lit by 300,000 bulbs, and from amazing animations on the Samuel Beckett Bridge to a magically lit-up Trinity College, the dark December nights will be brightened by Winter Lights.

This year the theme is ‘Dublin’s Winter Wildlife’, so all sorts of luminous creatures are likely to appear. In addition, Wonderlights at Malahide Castle and Gardens will provide further delight after sunset, as the stunning grounds fill with immersive enchantment for all ages. 

With a glittering selection box of theatre, comedy, music, pantomime and more to choose from, Winter in Dublin this year will have a special sparkle all of its own.

Running throughout November, you will be able to get up close and feel the electricity of in-person ‘Live in the City’ shows in venues throughout the capital.  There will be big gigs, intimate concerts, choirs, orchestras, stand-up comedy, theatre, literature and more, as live entertainment returns the unmistakable buzz of Ireland’s Fair City. 

In the lead up to Christmas, wander through Dublin’s atmospheric Christmas markets and soak up the festive vibes. Stroll under the shimmering lights, pick up everything on your Christmas wish list, take in an epic pantomime, or just gaze in wonder at the city’s elaborate window displays.

Dublin is a hugely popular destination to ring in the New Year, so welcome 2022 with all the action at NYF Dublin. New Year’s Festival Dublin is set to be bigger and better than ever this year as six spectacular events take place over two days in the heart of the city on December 31, 2021 and January 1, 2022.

One of the highlights will be this year’s Countdown Concert at Dublin Castle, where critically acclaimed Irish international phenomenon Picture This will headline, with very special guests Lyra and Ryan Sheridan. The event starts at 8.00 p.m. with excitement building to a crescendo as the clock strikes 12.

You can also ring in 2022 at the New Year’s Eve Street Party at St Stephen’s Green South, featuring Hothouse Flowers, Cathy Davey, An Emotional Fish, Frances Black and Something Happens.

Later in January look out for one of the biggest and best traditional music festivals in Ireland, which heralds the tail end of winter and the ushering in of the beginnings of spring.

Celebrating the best of Irish music, Tradfest Temple Bar returns from January 26 – 30 with a full program of amazing artists playing live against breath-taking backdrops.

Audiences and performers alike will be able to enjoy the thrill of live tunes and songs as Dublin’s famous annual trad and folk event becomes the first of the world’s major music festivals to get back to full capacity.