Best of the Summer Festivals in Galway

Galway is known as Ireland's Festival City and is currently bidding for European Capital of Culture 2020. The wealth of spectacle and magical events is embroidered in the very fabric of Galway. From toddlers to centenarians, everyone who lives in Galway has been involved, participated in and experienced at least one of our many festivals. Some of our favourites include:

The Galway Sessions which takes place over a week in June and showcases taditional Irish music with visiting celtic friends from Scotland and the rest of Ireland. Enjoy toe tapping music with talented musicians in great Irish pubs.

Currach Racing - row, row, row your boat along the Wild Atlantic Way! There are a host of traditional rowing boat races around Galway in the summer months from The Spiddal Currach & Hooker Regatta (Feile Curachai agus Báid Seoil an Spideal) over June Bank Holiday weekend to the Roundstone Regatta in July. The Roundstone Regatta is one that dates back to the 1890s and incorporates both currach racing and traditional sailing vessels of the West Coast (Galway hookers, leath bháid and gleoiteógs) as well as family entertainment.

The Galway Film Fleadh is one of Ireland's longest running film festivals and was instrumental in the city becoming one of only five UNESCO Cities of Film in the world. The festival takes place during the second week in July and has welcomed many hollywood stars, successful movie and TV stars as well as budding writers, actors and producers. We love the Pop-Up Cinemobile!

Now in its 38th Year, the imaginative and magical Galway International Arts Festival delivers extraordinary experiences throughout the cobbled streets of Galway! Past performances have included multi award–winning theatre companies such as Druid, Northlight Theatre, The Royal National Theatre, Propeller and the Bristol Old Vic. Captivating dance has inspired audiences from the Fabulous Beast Dance Company and the Hofesh Shechter Dance Company amongst others. Big Top festival fun and intimate gigs abound including artists such as Primal Scream, David Gray, Brad Mehldau, Blondie, Kronos Quartet, Bon Iver, Joni Mitchell and St Vincent. Whether you are looking for blisteringly funny comedy or world premieres of theatre, join the thousands of people that descend on Galway for a whirlwind two weeks of theatre, music, comedy, street performers and a few surprises.

The Galway Races - think style, dining, fun, fashion and heart stopping finishes ... running strong for seven whole days. A local's favourite is Monday night at the Races with fantastic atmosphere and plenty of entertainment. We will be there in force on Thursday 28th July for Ladies Day as the g Hotel & Spa are sponsors of the Best Dressed Lady and Best Hat competitions .. all before the Apres Racing party at the g!

At the end of August, the annual celebration of our traditional sailing vessels 'Galway Hookers' takes place in Kinvara, 30 minutes south of Galway City. The 'Cruinniú na mBád' festival remembers a time before electricity - when the majestic Galway Hookers sailed between Connemara and Kinvara laden with turf for the locals to use as fuel. Each August at this festival in Kinvara, you will see some vessels that are over 150 years old, others newly built. Many of the families who sail the hookers have been doing so for generations.

For more information and hotel deals in Galway - See www.theghotel.ie 

 

the g Hotel & Spa sponsor Best Dressed Lady at the 2016 Galway Races

Ladies Day at the Galway Races Summer Festival takes place on Thursday 28th July and we are inviting you to ‘Strike a Pose’ as part of our new sponsorship of the Best Dressed Lady Competition - an institution of the Irish Summer Social Calendar.

Designed by Philip Treacy, our  partnership with the Galway Races is a fashionista match made in heaven. Start planning your outfit, book your tickets, secure your hotel and join us for the most stylish Galway Races Ladies Day yet! Prize value of €10,000 for the worthy winner of the #gHotelBestDressed Lady and €2,000 prize for the Best Hat winner. This is all in addition to the week long program of events held at the g Hotel during the Galway Races. From live music each night to Bubbly Tipster Brunch, the annual g Best Hat event with coveted Philip Treacy prize, Most Stylish Man with €1,000 Strellson suit from Hanleys Menswear and the Fabulous Friday line up which includes dance floor masters Spring Break 80's!

Ladies Day at the Galway Races is the hottest day in Irish racing with the ‘Galway Guinness Hurdle Handicap’ acknowledged as the richest National Hunt race in Ireland awarding a show stopping prize fund of €300,000. As thousands turn out to see this coveted prize contested on the field, the designer creations and millinery masterpieces are on centre stage in the enclosure. Ladies Day at the Galway Races is a national institution, a highlight of the social and fashion calendar. Elegantly dressed ladies with fabulous hats and head pieces are accompanied by friends and family in tailored suits or casual smarts. A kaleidoscope of colour and style throngs the enclosure at Ballybrit as the gorgeous ladies vie for the title of g Hotel& Spa Best Dressed Lady.

The eagerly anticipated competition will be one of the highlights of the Guinness Galway Hurdle Day taking place on Thursday 28th July 2016. CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS FOR LADIES DAY

For more information or to book your Galway Races Accommodation Packages CLICK HERE or call our g team on 091 865200.

Limited Edition Floral Afternoon Tea in full bloom at the g Hotel & Spa

To mark the arrival of summer and the abundance of brightly colours flowers, the g Hotel & Spa in collaboration with Valdo Rosé Prosecco, have launched an exquisite Floral Afternoon Tea experience.

For just €59 for two, guests can choose from a selection of floral and traditional teas complimented by a chilled glass of Valdo Rosé Prosecco whilst indulging in delicate floral delights including orange blossom cupcakes, freshly baked homemade scones with clotted cream and preserve, white chocolate hibiscus and pistachio brownie, saffron and vanilla verrine and delicious summer macaroons. The raspberry and lavender tartlets are a treat for the senses. Our Afternoon Teas are designed by Head Patry Chef Amol Kate & Executive Chef Cedric Bottarlini.

The hand crafted sweet treats are served with a selection of mouth watering savoury bites on gourmet breads, wraps & mini pitta - a fusion of creative and culinary genius.

This new limited edition Floral Afternoon Tea experience is available from 18th May until the end of July, the perfect way to relax on a summer afternoon in Galway with family or friends. Sit back and soak up the atmosphere of the award winning Philip Treacy designed g Hotel & Spa. Floral Afternoon Tea at the g Hotel is served daily from 12pm to 6pm. The Floral Afternoon Tea is the latest addition to the themed afternoon tea menu in the g. With keeping in mind guests with food allergies, items on the menu can be replaced with gluten free ingredients. For further information please visit www.theghotel.ie or to make a booking call 091 865 200 or email eat@theg.ie 

Halloween in Galway

Planning a Halloween or mid term break in Galway? Have a spooktacular time at the g Hotel & Spa.

Monster Mash Party 

Gather your friends and join us for a spooky night of ghastly delights and spine-chilling frolics on Friday 30th October. Find your inner demon and dress up for Croi at The Monster Mash Party – tickets just €30 per person. The evening will be packed wall-to-wall with creative costumes, tantalising cocktails, terror-ific entertainment and fiendish fun. Let your imagination run riot from the wild to the wonderful with masks, gowns, wigs & blood – anything goes! TO BOOK https://www.croi.ie/MONSTERMASH 

Macnas Parade

The annual Macnas Halloween parade will take place on Sunday 25th October at 5.30pm.  Macnas will be celebrating 30 years next year and they never fail to create a stunning spectacle of  street-hopping, traffic-stopping performances including a host of giants, over 300 scampering performers, bespoke costumes and live music – consistently attracting thousands of locals & visitors

alike. Everyone is encouraged to dress up in masks, glitter, feathers, DIY costumes and whatever helps celebrate the surreal, the off-beat and the unexpected. The parade takes a similar route each year and starts at Fisheries Field – Eglinton Street – Shop Street – High Street – Quay Street – Spanish Arch – Fr. Griffin
Rd (fire station). This year’s Macnas Parade is entitled ‘The Shadow Lighter’ and it celebrates transformation, life, death and rebirth.

Galway Aboo Halloween Festival

The Galway Aboo Halloween Festival takes place in the medieval streets of Galway’s Latin Quarter on Saturday 24th, Sunday 25th and Saturday 31st of October 2015. It is the country’s largest Halloween Festival and plays host to a number of activities and free events promising to be frightfully good fun for all ages. A full line-up of events for the Galway Aboo Hallowe'en Festival will be announced shortly.

Whether you are planning a ghoulish gathering or Halloween haunt – join us at the g Hotel & Spa in Galway – it is sure to be a scream!

Photos by Julia Dunin Photography