Newbridge June Fest promises to be bigger and better than ever

DESPITE Ireland’s unpredictable weather threatening a downpour, spirits remain high ahead of Newbridge’s Junefest, a community-run arts festival set to bring over 40 free and low-cost events to the town across two weeks.

As Newbridge marks 30 years of its community arts festival, it’s clear Junefest 2025 will be a celebration of creativity, connection, and the town itself – come rain or shine.

“Six months of planning won't go to waste. We’ll power through – it could be worse, right?" said organiser Annie Morris.

Junefest officially kicks off on Thursday night with a quirky tradition: a yarn-bombed Fiat 500 taking centre stage in Whitewater Shopping Centre.

From there, it’s full steam ahead with everything from outdoor art trails and busking to indoor Comic Con and literary workshops.

The opening weekend includes Parklife on Sunday, June 1, a colourful lineup of yoga, art, busking, spoken word, and photography, alongside free art classes.

Family Fun Day follows on Monday, June 2, transforming Lower Main Street into a bustling hub of over 60 stalls, with Comic Con running simultaneously in the Town Hall.

The second weekend, June 7–8, brings a first for Newbridge: live music at Market Square, with acts like Ciaran Wynne, Joe Skylark and the Glow in the Dark Sharks, and Roisin McAlinden, along with ukulele sets and acoustic performances.

Saturday also features a daytime disco in the back of Dubh, hosted by DJs including Emily Shigeta, Rob Smyth, Kim Keating, Slow Focus and The Foggy-wu.

Junefest isn’t just music and markets. There's a Festival of Dance led by Caroline Morrissey and the Irish Figure Dancers, welcoming participants to try everything from Irish jigs to Bollywood dancing.

The Duck Racing on the Liffey, hosted by St Mark’s School and Music Generation on May 31, promises music and riverfront fun.

Innovative fringe venues are a hallmark this year: a magic and mind-reading night in a local Noah’s Ark charity shop, and a musical house party hosted by legendary local Frankie Lane in the Newbridge Daycare Centre.

For writers, there’s the Women of Words workshop on June 7, and fans of drama can enjoy "Sourdough" by Riff Raff Drama Group, or Noel Heavey’s Writer's Miscellany in the atmospheric setting of St Patrick’s Church.

“We want people to look at Newbridge differently,” said Annie. “You don’t have to go to Benidorm – we’ve got discos, ducks, and poetry right on your doorstep.” 

Events are accessible via Junefest’s website at https://www.junefest.ie/events and its Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok pages. Make sure you have a look as there is something to suit every taste!