Hey all,
September has arrived, the evenings are getting suspiciously shorter, and Dublin has responded with a genuinely excellent week of free events.
There is a good spread here: an exhibition opening in Temple Bar, a family food workshop, a full day of bees and biodiversity, eight hours of house music and a museum birthday with actual printing presses involved.
A couple need a booking or a free ticket, so have a quick look before heading out. The outdoor plans also come with the standard Dublin weather disclaimer, which is legally binding at this point. If you were at EP last weekend, I feel for your soul.
Let's get into it.
What's On This Week
The Forbidden Sun: Artist Talk & Exhibition Opening
Greek Family Favourites with the Cool Food School
Phoenix Park Biodiversity Festival & Honey Show
Paint Records Open Air Day Party
National Print Museum Community Day
Pop-up Art Talk: Catherine Lane Barker Doing Embroidery
The Forbidden Sun: Artist Talk & Exhibition Opening
Location: Photo Museum Ireland, Meeting House Square, Temple Bar
Date & Time: Thursday, artist talk 5pm-5:45pm; exhibition opening from 6pm
Start the week with two free events wrapped into one very handy Temple Bar visit. Photographer Robert Ellis joins artist, writer and researcher Åsa Johannesson to talk through the ideas behind The Forbidden Sun.
The conversation gets into queerness, landscape, memory and all the things that can sit quietly beneath the surface of a photograph. The exhibition officially opens straight afterwards, so you can nod thoughtfully at the talk and then immediately inspect the work for yourself.
Greek Family Favourites with the Cool Food School
Location: Ballymun Library, Ballymun Road, Dublin 11
Date & Time: Thursday at 6pm
A free family food adventure for children aged four and up, led by the award-winning Cool Food School. Deirdre will be showing everyone how to make simple tzatziki and hummus while exploring the flavours and culture of Greece.
This is exactly the sort of library event that makes you wonder why anyone says there is nothing happening locally. Spaces are limited and booking is highly recommended, so grab a place before turning up with hungry small people.
Phoenix Park Biodiversity Festival & Honey Show
Location: Phoenix Park Visitor Centre and Ashtown Castle, Dublin 8
Date & Time: Saturday, 11am-4pm
The Phoenix Park is going all in on nature for the day, with biodiversity walks and talks, a honey show and tours of the restored Victorian Walled Garden. Their official summary is 'from bees to trees', which is both accurate and pleasingly efficient.
There will also be face painting for the smaller nature fans. It is free, family-friendly and outdoors, so bring the raincoat that has been living permanently beside the front door since June.
Paint Records Open Air Day Party
Location: The Beat Yard at The Bernard Shaw, Cross Guns Bridge, Dublin 9
Date & Time: Saturday, 2pm-10pm
Paint Records is taking over the outdoor yard for eight hours of underground house, minimal grooves and deep rolling cuts. The lineup includes Laughing Man, L.ivory, ODB.Technician, Philip Galvin Jnr, Accomplice, Toni Maroni and Uncle Steve.
Entry is free, but you need to claim a ticket in advance, and it is strictly 18+. A very decent option if your idea of a Saturday afternoon involves fewer honey bees and considerably more bass.
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National Print Museum Community Day
Location: National Print Museum, Beggars Bush Barracks, Haddington Road, Dublin 4
Date & Time: Sunday, 12pm-4pm
The National Print Museum is celebrating its 30th birthday with live printing demonstrations and hands-on workshops in letterpress, bookbinding and papermaking. You can meet expert makers and leave with a personalised letterpress keepsake too.
It is free, drop-in, suitable for all ages and does not require booking. If you have ever wanted to get ink on your hands while someone explains a machine older than half the city, this is your Sunday plan.
Pop-up Art Talk: Catherine Lane Barker Doing Embroidery
Location: Room 45, National Gallery of Ireland, Merrion Square West, Dublin 2
Date & Time: Tuesday, 1:15pm-1:45pm
A quick lunchtime culture hit at the National Gallery, looking closely at Gilbert Stuart's portrait of Catherine Lane Barker doing embroidery. It is only half an hour, which is just enough time to learn something interesting without your afternoon calendar becoming suspicious.
The talk is free, there is seating in the gallery room and no booking is needed. Head in through the Merrion Square entrance and ask a staff member for Room 45 if the building starts doing that museum thing where every corridor looks important.
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That's Your Dublin Buzz for the Week
If you make it to anything, let me know how it is - I am particularly interested in whether the print museum lets adults get as overexcited about the presses as the children.
And if this helped with the plans, send it to the person who insists Dublin is too expensive to enjoy. Six free events should keep that argument occupied for at least a week.
Event details, capacity and availability can change, so give the organiser link one final check before you head out.
