Galway Arts Festival
The Galway Arts Festival takes place in Galway, Ireland every July. It first began in 1978 and since has grown into one of the biggest arts festivals in Ireland. It attracts international artists as well as providing a platform for local and national performers also. The Festival includes parades, street performances and numerous plays, musical concerts and comedy acts. Over the years the Festival has developed a reputation to rival the near-hedonistic atmosphere which envelopes the city of Galway during those weeks. Highlights of the festival tend to be Macnas and Druid performances, two large local performance groups.

Clarinbridge Oyster Festival      Sept each year
The first Oyster Festival was in 1954 and since then Clarinbridge has hosted many National and International celebrities and has contributed enormously to the development of the tourist trade in the region.
September 1st ends the oysters honeymoon and the eating season opens with the Gala Oyster Celebration in the festival marquee. That's when oyster lovers head for Clarenbridge to sample what are recognised as "probably the most succulent Oysters in the World!"

Galway Oyster Festival
The Galway International Oyster Festival is a food festival held annually in Galway during September, the first month of the oyster season. Inaugurated in 1954, it was begun by Great Southern Hotel manager, Brian Collins, and in 2000 was described by the Sunday Times as "one of the 12 greatest shows on earth and was listed in the 1987 AA Travel Guide one of Europe's Seven Best Festivals.
The main events are two Oyster Opening Championships, the Guinness Irish Oyster Opening Championship and the Guinness World Oyster Opening Championship. Other events include a beauty pageant to select the Oyster Pearl, and a 'Mardi-Gras' Party.

Galway Early Music Festival, May 17-20
This year’s theme, 'Social Harmony: When Tradition & High Art Meet',  looks at what happens when popular culture and high art meet and mingle: when tunes played at a peasant’s wedding find their way into the music played at a castle feast, when hurdy-gurdy and bagpipes become the fashion at court and when baroque harp discovers the rhythms of Africa and the New World.  A foot-tapping weekend of simple melody and complex harmony in the liveliest medieval town in Europe!
Programme & Tickets: www.galwayearlymusic.com

Baboro International Arts Festival For Children
Hynes Building, St. Clare's Walk, Merchants Road, Galway
Each October the popular Baboro International Arts Festival brings a riot of sound and colour to Galway at this event dedicated to children. Aimed at school groups, there is an incredible choice of over 40 performances by production companies from around the world with shows covering a wide range of art forms including puppetry, music, theatre, storytelling and juggling.

Brasilian Festival - Gort, County Galway
The annual Brasilian Festival started 3 years ago in Gort and has become a popular medium for the local Brasilians to express themselves and share a little of their culture with the Irish people. The festival takes place in June and is modelled on the 'Quadrilha' one of the most popular public events in Brasil. There are demonstrations of traditional dances such as 'Quadrilha', 'Axe', 'Forro'; the renowned 'Capoeira' and ample servings of native cuisine.

Cruinniú na mBád Boat Festival - Kinvara, County Galway
The first Cruinniú na mBád, held in 1979, brings us back to the time, when the majestic Galway Hookers, used to sail to Kinvara from Connemara laden down with turf. Before the introduction of gas and electricity, turf was the main fuel used for cooking and heating, of which there was a scarce supply around Kinvara, but plentiful in Connemara, and thus this trade became established.

The Cuckoo Festival - Kinvara, County Galway
Fleadh na gCuach (The Cuckoo Festival) which is held each year on the May Bank Holiday Weekend is a Traditional Irish Music festival, where one will find over 50 music sessions in the villages' pubs. In addition to the music, one can also find Art & Crafts, Poetry, Drama during the festival.

Féile an Dóilín - Carraroe
Féile an Dóilín is the west of Ireland's premier maritime festival, taking place annually on the shores Carraroe on the shores of Galway Bay. Celebrating this unique region's rich maritime history, the festival has something to offer to everyone, young and old. The festival revolves around the ancient and beautiful Galway Hooker boat. From Paráid na bhFathach (Parade of the Giant) to the Parade of Sail, lectures on maritime history and boat-making exhibitions, there really is no better place in Ireland to spend the August Bank Holiday weekend. The aim of Féile an Dóilín is to promote the area's maritime heritage.

Dunmore Festival of Song - October each year

Tuam Arts Festival - Held in August of each year.
Earwig! Tuam Community Arts Group was formed in October 2003 to provide Tuam and its surroundings with an outlet for its wealth of creative talent, using street theatre as an active and practical approach to expanding Community involvement in Artistic activities. The group consists of a number of experienced community arts practitioner, professional writers, directors, performers and musicians and members of the local community sector in Tuam.

Connemara Pony Show - August each year
The Festival of the Connemara Pony is a celebration of the Connemara Pony breed with week-long activities including a visit to the Connemara National Park, culminating in the famous Connemara Pony Show. The Connemara Pony Breeders Society was originally established in 1923 for the purpose of taking steps that would lead to the preservation and improvement of the Connemara Pony.

Ballinasloe Horse Fair
Today, over 80,000 horse lovers visit Ballinasloe during the week long festivities. During the fair, the usually quiet town of Ballinasloe, is transformed into a sea of cars, trucks, trailers, horse floats and people.