Over 300 free events run across the city on Friday September 18th, with live sets, DJ takeovers and trad recitals opening up venues after hours until late.
Culture Night returns to Dublin on Friday September 18th for its 21st year, with over 300 free events running from 4pm until late across museums, galleries, heritage sites, artists’ studios and independent venues. For its coming-of-age edition, 2026 puts a bigger focus on outdoor programming than usual, with open-air music, street parties and performances spread across the capital.
Meeting House Square in Temple Bar carries a lot of the music programme, headlined by family group Burnchurch, mixing blues-pop with traditional Irish music. The square also hosts sets from indie-pop artist Holly Munro, alternative rock and indie songwriter Pier, hip-hop artist Celaviedmai, Dublin folk-rock band Jessie & The Veil, and Culture Night ambassador Asha Ari.
Central Plaza turns into an open-air disco for the night, with Super Average DJs running their Mambo Caravan through disco, house and 90s classics. Capel Street gets a night of open-air electronic music curated by Alice Quinn Banville, aka Mooncup with Daylight Soundsystem and k8olo.
New for the 21st anniversary, North Earl Street gets its own concert for the first time, supported by Dublin City Council’s City Coordination Office and led by East Wall sister duo Zeztra, playing a set built around celebrating their local community.
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Citywide highlights
Wigwam runs a three-floor takeover pairing live and electronic acts with resident drag performers before tipping into a full club night. Bewley’s on Grafton Street hosts Soul Juice, an improvised jam session from Qbanaa and friends where the house band rotates every fifteen minutes, pulling from Dublin’s R&B, hip-hop, jazz, soul and trad scenes. Bloop Groop is hosting electronic music workshops at The Digital Hub, Block hosts Starlight for a spotlight on local dance music talent, All City hosts Faceless Tribe techno DJ sets, Cursed Murphy will explore the cultural conversation between Dublin and Berlin, with a specific interest in cabaret as the progenitor of punk at Goethe-Institut Irland.
For trad music specifically, Na Píobairí Uilleann opens its Georgian headquarters on Henrietta Street for an evening built around the uilleann pipes, with talks, on-the-hour demonstrations and the chance to try the instrument yourself. St Patrick’s Cathedral runs traditional Evensong followed by a performance from its choristers, and the Irish Traditional Music Archive stages six intimate half-hour recitals from leading trad artists.
Culture Night returnds to Bolands Mills for year two, with a curated programme of live music, storytelling and art. Alliance Française blends slam poetry, gypsy jazz from The Celtic Hotclub and DJ set spanning six decades. The All Together Choir, led by Brazilian-Irish conductor Cibele Sabioni, sings songs from around the world before opening up a body-percussion workshop. River Bar turns its basement into a Latin dancefloor of reggaeton, salsa and bachata, and Dublin City Hall fills its Rotunda with choral performances, including the 60-strong Stellar Choir, fresh off a Carnegie Hall appearance.
For a family-friendly 12s and under event, Dafe Orugbo hosts an interactive music-making at The Ark. Created – a 30-minute workshop invites participants to explore sound, rhythm and creativity in a fun, playful environment where everyone can take part.
Culture Night Dublin runs Friday September 18th, 4pm until late, free and open to everyone. Full listings at culturenight.ie/Dublin.
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005. He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Cara Magazine, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, co-founder of Lumo Club, event curator, Indie Sleaze club promoter, and producer of gigs and monthly listening parties & events in Dublin.
