Park Life - Saturday 16th
The beating heart of our festival every year - Saturday & Sunday in our beautiful Con Smith Park, Cathedral Road, Cavan Town. Parking available right next door at Cavan Institute.
Saturday 16th May, 10:30am
Big Top Tent, Con Smith Park
Kyle Riley & Little Folk - On The Road
Kyle’s back with his wildly popular family concert for young children. ‘Little Folk-On the Road’ is perfectly suited for 2-6 year olds and their adults.
Tickets: €10 per child
No charge for adults
Saturday 16th May, 10:30am-11:00am
Small Top Tent, Con Smith Park
Dance Connects Conversation
Join dance artists and researchers from the Creative Ireland Dance Connects project for an informal and engaging chat about all things dance in rural border regions. To complement the dance workshops and performances taking place across the festival, the conversation explores dance’s ability to build community, and celebrates the personal stories that bring people and place together through dance.
Saturday 16th May, 10:30am-1pm
Con Smith Park, Cavan
Dance Connects
Dance Connects in Rural Border Regions is a project supporting interrelations between people and place through dance. We’re delighted to partner with them in a series of exciting workshops and a talk.
Sat 16th May, 11:30am
Soggy Bottom, Con Smith Park, Cavan
Yoga for Creativity
Grab your yoga mat, join Claire Brides from Align Yoga Studio and take a moment for yourself in Con Smith Park for this very special yoga session.
Suitable for all levels, bring your own mat.
Saturday 16th May, 11:30am-1:30pm
Con Smith Park, Cavan
Sásta Play
This workshop is perfect for children aged 2 to 5, where they can spark their curiosity by immersing themselves in sensory, imaginative and messy play experiences.
Join Helen from Sásta Play for a fun-filled afternoon.
Saturday 16th May, 12pm
Venue: Cavan Institute, Room A103
A Quiet Love
Three Deaf couples, three remarkable love stories, an immersive cinematic experience. John & Agnes are a mixed religion Deaf couple, whose love story blossomed against a backdrop of the Troubles, they share what it was like for them, living through this violent period in our history.
Duration: 1 hour 35 minutes
Rated 12A
Saturday 16th May, 12-4pm
Dance Corner, Con Smith Park, Cavan
Dance Corner
Created by acclaimed choreographer Dylan Quinn and commissioned by Luail - Ireland’s National Dance Company as part of their 2024/25 all-island project To This I Belong, Dance Corner is a free and welcoming space where anyone can explore dance in a surprising new way. It’s an open invitation to get curious, get moving, and see where the music takes you.
Saturday 16th May, 12:30pm
The Court Stage, Con Smith Park, Cavan
Break an Egg by Juggler Brendan
This is a show about one man and his eggs. Juggler Brendan loves eggs. He loves throwing them, catching them, and balancing them. He loves spinning them. He loves eating them. He even loves standing on them. He hates cleaning up.
Saturday 16th May, 1pm
Small Top Tent, Con Smith Park
Inni-K (Eithne Ní Chatháin) Ceardlann Workshop
Foghlaim amhrán le hEithne (Inni-K). Join Inni-K for this interactive, enjoyable 1.5 hour workshop in sean-nós and traditional singing, where Eithne will teach two songs - ceann as Gaeilge and one in English in her characteristic informal, welcoming and informative manner. No previous experience required.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Website
Saturday 16th May, 2pm
Big Top Tent, Con Smith Park
Bold Boy
Bold Boy is the brain-child of Mike Paterson and Nathan Merrimen. Paterson is an acclaimed song-writer, with credits ranging from beloved underground rock band Travis Oaks, to self produced indie folk (his EP "Devils In The Water" was released via the Homebeat Presents Label). Merrimen was previously the drummer for punk band Chinese Newspaper.
Saturday 16th May, 2:30pm
Small Top Tent, Con Smith Park
Storytelling with Stevie O’Brien
Stevie O’Brien is piper, storyteller and actor. He is a native of Carnaross.
Saturday 16th May, 2:30pm
Soggy Bottom, Con Smith Park, Cavan
Baby Rave
Baby Rave is where the future movers and shakers are getting their groove on! DJ Captain Chaos is set to spin some serious beats that even the little ones can’t resist. Let’s turn up the volume and make memories that’ll last a lifetime!
Saturday 16th May, 3pm
Small Top Tent, Con Smith Park
Bilingual Family Concert with Ríona Sally Hartman
Join us for a bilingual family concert filled with songs, stories, rírá agus ruaille buaille! Join Ríona Sally Hartman solo, while she shares her original Irish-language songs. This informal, interactive performance is perfect for all ages - sing along, learn a fun clapping game in Irish, and soak up the ceol, craic agus damhsa!
Saturday 16th May, 3pm
Big Top Tent, Con Smith Park
Lost Action Zero
Lost Action Zero are a 5 piece band based in Cavan. Formed in 2025 the band's sound combines a mix of prog, rock and metal to create something unapologetically nerdy.
Saturday 16th May, 3:30pm
Con Smith Park, Cavan
Karcocha
Karcocha is a contemporary Chilean harlequin who travels the world creating vibrant street performances.
Saturday 16th May, 4pm
Con Smith Park, Cavan
Carnival School Community Parade
Lifelong Learning Carnival School is a vibrant community arts project bringing artists and communities together inspired by the colour, rhythm and creativity of carnival.
Saturday 16th May, 5pm
Big Top Tent, Con Smith Park
Yankari
Get ready to move. Yankari Afrobeat Collective bring a powerful, high-energy live show that fuses deep Afrobeat grooves with blazing horns, driving rhythms, and an unstoppable sense of joy. Rooted in Nigerian musical traditions and inspired by the legacy of Afrobeat pioneers, their sound is bold, rhythmic, and impossible to stand still to.
Saturday 16th May
Con Smith Park, Cavan
Keyboard Cormac
by Cormac McCann
“Keyboardcormac” wearing his customary Casio “keytar” will roam the Con Smith Park playfully entertaining you with popular songs and his own jingles and parodies. He will lullaby your baby to sleep, he might even serenade you. That’s keyboard Cormac!
Saturday 16th May
Con Smith Park, Cavan
Long-Legs Sheila
by Caoimhe Dunn
Featuring Sheila the Curious Heron, a bird of unusual size, and incredible inquisitiveness; Long-Legs Sheila is a brand new family friendly walkabout show.
Saturday 16th May, 1:30pm
The Court Stage, Con Smith Park, Cavan
About! - Duo Padella
Making their Cavan Arts Festival debut, Duo Padella are an Italian contemporary circus duo bringing their anarchic and playful show About! to Con Smith Park.
Packed with humour, energy and a touch of madness, About! invites audiences of all ages to rediscover their playful side.
Saturday 16th May
Cavan Institute
Creative Collectives 2026
Experience the cutting edge at Creative Collectives 2026, where Cavan Institute students push the boundaries of art, design, and technology.
Saturday 16th May
Con Smith Park, Cavan
March of the Unseen
Bursary Winner 2026 - Elena Duff
Elena Duff is a Cavan-based artist and musician who creates paintings, installations, and video/audio works that open windows into surreal, whimsical worlds. Her practice draws on folk mythology and ancient rituals, inviting viewers to step into landscapes both strange and enchanting. She has received numerous art awards and exhibited widely across Ireland and Europe.
Art Installation
Saturday 16th May
Con Smith Park, Cavan
Skate Jam with Cavan Concrete Surfing
Cavan Arts Festival are delighted to be teaming up with Cavan Concrete Surfing again this year.
Try skateboarding! Come and have a go at our welcoming & supportive have-a-try lessons.
11am-4pm
Saturday 16th May, 10:30am-5pm
Con Smith Park, Cavan
Forest Feast Food Area
Join us for a fabulous selection of some incredibly tasty food from fresh sushi and mouth watering burgers to delicious BBQ, coffees, cakes, vegetarian options & refreshing treats. You name it, we have it this year in our forest feast area!
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Official Cavan Arts Festival Programme 2026
A magical four days & nights of art & culture in the heart of Cavan Town