In 2024 we are spoiled with a huge variety of outdoor events to choose from. To make a little bit easier we have compiled this list of our top 24 outdoor events to do in 2024. We have included everything from scenic cycles to cultural classics, music festivals to mountain races, we are sure there is something here for everybody. So grab your calendar and we’ll dive in, we have a lot to get through!
Outdoor Events
1. Wander Wild Festival – Ireland’s Great Outdoors Festival
Date: 22-24 March 2024
We attended the Wander Wild Festival last year and were blown away by the quality of the events and the diverse range of activities available to attendees. It was genuinely one of the highlights of our outdoor year, and we would now consider it a must-attend for all outdoor enthusiasts in Ireland! The Wander Wild Festival is Ireland’s Great Outdoors Festival. Between the 22nd and 24th of March, outdoor enthusiasts will head to Ireland’s adventure capital, Killarney for a weekend of outdoor activities. The area is home to Ireland’s highest mountains, the Republic of Ireland’s longest waymarked trail as well as a rich and historical culture. Over three days in mid-spring, the festival will host a wide variety of over 100 different outdoor activities, suitable for all interests and ability levels. You can explore the full schedule on the festival’s website.
You can read more about our experience last year and our top event picks for 2024 here.
2. Boyne Walking Festival
Dates: tbc
The Boyne Valley Trails Walking Festival is back and is offering 6 days of unique walks. Offering easy ambles, strenuous hikes, historical walks and talks, and whiskey tours this one has something for everyone!
3. Carlow Walking Festival
Date: 4-6th October 2024
All roads lead to Carlow for the Autumn Walking Festival which take place from 30 September to 2 October 2023! With a selection of 17 graded walks to choose from over the weekend, this festival has something for everyone!
4. Connemara Hillwalking Festival
Date: 3 – 5 May 2024
The goal of the festival is the let you experience what this fabulous community has to offer while getting close to some of the best scenery, nature, history and geology along the Wild Atlantic Way. There are walks designed to suit all levels of ability and let you fully immerse yourself in the wild Connemara landscape. The festival’s hikes are led by professional guides who are not only highly trained mountain leaders but also passionate about what they do to help make your experience worthwhile.
5. Women With Altitude
Date: tbc
Women with Altitude is a Mountaineering Ireland initiative to encourage women to take on greater challenges in mountaineering, be they personal challenges, technical or leadership challenges. The location moves each year but expect a brilliant programme of subsidised activities over the weekend. Planning is underway for Women with Altitude 2024, and the date and location will be announced shortly. Keep an eye on Mountaineering Ireland’s social media for updates!
6. Women’s Rock Festival
Date: 23-25 June 2023
This event is open to female climbers of all ages and abilities and offers the opportunity to meet other likeminded climbers, to get their technical support, start networking and create new bonds. It is a great opportunity to meet leading female climbers during the inspirational talks and to ask questions about their challenges in rock climbing. There is a technical workshop focused on the fear of falling and yoga classes to prepare both body and mind for the rock climbing challenges.
7. Gravel Ride Series
Dates:
GRS Slieve Blooms
25 May 2024
GRS Limerick
10 August 2024
GRS Wicklow
19 October 2024
The Gravel Ride Series (GRS) is a thrilling collection of one-day off-road cycling adventures meticulously crafted to provide participants with challenging experiences and unforgettable memories. The 2024 series is set to unfold across three epic meets: GRS Slieve Blooms, GRS Limerick, and GRS Wicklow. The event offers a delightful blend of activities, including Friday’s registration, barbecue, and the ‘Big Bike Film Night.’
The rides are GPS-tracked for your loved ones’ peace of mind, featuring well-stocked feed stations, route options like the ‘GRS Tour’ or ‘GRS Classic,’ and comprehensive support with way marking, marshals, medical cover, and travelling mechanics. Participants can anticipate finisher’s medals, tee shirts, and a lively atmosphere with live music post-event. To secure priority entry, enthusiasts are encouraged to join the mailing list, while keeping in mind that all events are subject to permits.
8. Irish Orienteering Championships
Date: 3-6 May 2024
The 2024 Irish Orienteering Championships will be based around Lough Ree in the heart of Ireland. This weekend is a great opportunity for people of all ability levels to compete at one of the biggest orienteering event of the year. With several different age categories and distances on offer as well as a social evening this is definitely one worth putting on your outdoor events calendar!
9. Bloom
The Bord Bia Bloom Festival is the largest gardening festival in Ireland. Bloom showcases some of the best quality Irish produce, from food to flowers. There is something for everyone. Spend the afternoon watching one of the many live cooking demonstrations that take place across the weekend. Get some garden inspiration on a wander around the show gardens. Entertain the whole family with a one of the many family-friendly activities. One of our favourite outdoor events of 2023.
Challenging Outdoor Events
10. Ride Dingle
Date: 27 April 2024
Dingle in Co Kerry and the surrounding area is an Irish cycling paradise! As spring is in full swing cyclists take to the road around this peninsula to test themselves, enjoy the epic views of the Atlantic and support local charities around Dingle. You can choose between a 120km and a 55km cycle, both of which take in some spectacular roads. Entry to Ride Dingle is planned to open in early December 2023 so fingers on the ready!
If you would like to receive a priority link to register for Ride Dingle 2023, please express your interest now via the link
11. Quest Adventure series
Date: 9 March 2024, 6 April 2024, 7 September 2024, 12 October 2023
The Quest Adventure series is a must-do in 2023. With 4 different outdoor events in the series, you are bound to find one that suits you. Especially since each event offers a variety of distances. There is lots of variety to suit all ability levels from beginner to winner! The series kicks off with Quest Kenmare early in the season and runs all the way through until Quest Killarney at the beginning of October. The entries for all of the Quest Adventure Series races are now open and waiting! Still not convinced check out our top reasons your should do an adventure race article!
12. Wicklow 200
Date: 9 June 2024
We took on the route for the Wicklow 200 last year and were blown away by the quality of the route. The Wicklow 200 is an absolute right of passage for any Irish road cyclist. It is one of the most well-known and toughest sportives on the Irish cycling and outdoor events calendar and has been held annually since 1982. The event starts in Bray and takes in many of the most famous climbs in Wicklow before returning to Bray for a hot meal. There is always a great buzz around this event and it’s well worth doing. If you’re not up for the 200km challenge there is a Wicklow 100 that happens on the same day and this year they have introduced a brilliant 150 as well! We can’t wait for June!
13. Trail Running Film Festival
Date: 4 May 2024
14. Reeks Weekend IMRA
Date: 12-14 July 2024
2024 will be the second edition of the IMRA McGillicuddy’s Reeks weekend. There are 4 races over 3 days including a leg-busting uphill-only race, a blisteringly fast trail race, the Carrauntoohil Classic and of course Ireland’s best (in our opinion) skyline race the Reeks Skyline.
A new favourite of the Irish mountain running calendar is the Reeks Skyline. This epic 24km race packs 2400m of climbing into it as you traverse some of Ireland’s tallest peaks, including ascents of Carrauntoohil (Ireland’s tallest mountain) twice, once from each side. Adjacent to this race are a few other races worth considering if the Reeks Skyline race doesn’t appeal.
The Carrauntoohil Classic takes place the following day, and, as the name suggests, will see runners tackle an ascent and descent of Ireland’s tallest mountain. It is a weekend not to be missed if you are a keen mountain runner or just fancy a new challenge!
15. The Irish Bouldering League 2023 – 2024
Dates: The Dublin Climbing Centre, 10-25 February 2024
The Irish Bouldering League (IBL) is a 5-part bouldering competition that takes place over the indoor climbing season (winter) every year. The first 3 rounds of the competition are behind us. However, it is not too late to get involved. The first round of 2023 will take place in January.
The final round of the IBL takes place in one of Dublin’s newest combing centres The Dublin Climbing Centre. The competition runs from 10-25 February. It can be hard to find the motivation to stay active at times, especially in February, as the weather is usually quite grim in Ireland. The IBL is the perfect remedy for this. Lots of high-quality boulder problems from easy to extreme for you to tackle.
16. IMRA Women’s Night Challenge
Date: 4 October 2024
In 2021, the Irish Mountain Running Association began their own annual autumn running festival. The festival consists of 5 races which include the Women’s Night Challenge and the Junior Race. The women’s only night race has been the hallmark event at this festival for the past few years. Last year the event was run to raise funds for a women’s charity and they plan on doing the same again this year. If you want to participate in this one-of-a-kind race you can find more details on the IMRA website.
17. EcoTrail
Date: 28 September 2024
EcoTrail Wicklow is one of the most European feeling trail races on offer in Ireland. On a Saturday morning in September, Bray promenade becomes a place of congregation for trail runners far and wide. EcoTrail Wicklow offers an 80km, 45km, 30km and 19km races this year to suit a variety of different abilities. The courses take in some of the best that northeast Wicklow has to offer. There is a great buzz around this event and is definitely one we would recommend doing this year!
18. Run The Line
Date: November 2023
Run the Line is a fundraiser event for the Dublin Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team and takes place in the Dublin Mountains in November. There are two distances available to competitors, a 12km short course and a 26km long course. The 12km course completes a lap of Ticknock Hill including the summit of Fairy Castle. The 26km course also takes in Tibradden Hill as well as the beautiful Cruagh woods. The event is extremely well run. As one would expect from a DWMRT event. It is a great end-of-season challenge.
Cultural Outdoor Events
19. SALT Galway
Dates: 30 April – 1 May 2024
SALT is a multidisciplinary, immersive, ritual celebration of our connection to the sea as a coastal community, inspired by the gathered powerful personal stories of a community of sea-swimmers based in Kinvara from which a Choric Ode has been developed. It is also free to attend.
20. Patrún Festival
Dates: 29 June – 2 July 2024
An annual three-day summer party every June, the Patrún Festival takes place on the beautiful windswept Inis Mor island. It features all kinds of sport, including currach and hooker boat racing, tug-of-war, art and sandcastle competitions.
Musical Outdoor Events
21. Sea Sessions
Dates: 21-23 June 2024
Sea Sessions is an outdoor enthusiast’s music festival. Every year the biggest surf and music festival in Ireland takes to the waves in the northwest coastal town of Bundoran, Co. Donegal. With top-class acts across the weekend, surfers travelling internationally to compete in the Atlantic Technological University Surf Competition, and beach sports taking place all weekend long, you are sure to find an activity you’ll enjoy. There’s also an urban street jam, festival camping, and even yoga.
22. Galway Arts Festival
Date: 15-28 July 2024
The Galway International Arts Festival is something everyone should experience at least once! This festival has an electric atmosphere. The spectacular setting of the banks of Galway’s River Corrib will play host for the 2023 festival. The 2023 edition will include the largest and most ambitious programme to date. Expect new opera and theatre, including four world premieres, and an extraordinary lineup of visual art and street spectacles.
23. Tradfest
Date: 24-28 Jan 2024
24. Beyond The Pale
A lively music and arts festival returns to the stunning surroundings of Glendalough deep in the heart of Wicklow. With 150+ acts over 3 days, the headliners for the 2024 edition include Soulwax, 2ManyDjs, Jungle and Alvvays.
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