Scrambling to figure out some last-minute plans for Culture Night, and everything is booked? Look no further.

Culture Night, one of the biggest cultural events of the year, is returning today. Today’s Culture Night will be its biggest one yet, with 1,700 activities across the country, many running later into the night.

That much culture can be a bit overwhelming. With over 300 events in Dublin alone, it can be hard to choose just a few. And most ticketed events are sold out by now, so any last minute planners have to dig deeper to figure out what to do tonight.

We’ve chosen the best ticket-free events happening throughout today to help you decide what to do tonight. No need to get tickets, just get there on time.

Sex, Drugs, Saunas & Clubs: Queer Social Spaces in History

When: 16:30 to 18:00, 19:00 to 20:30

Where: Trinity College Entrance, Nassau Street

Queer spaces in Dublin were hugely important in allowing LGBTQ+ people negotiate desire and intimacy, normalising what was once illegal, taboo and transgressive. This open air tour invites participants to learn about the development of a vibrant community.

Open Studios with DJs

When: 17:30 to 21:00

Where: Plexa, 65 Dame St

Plexa was established out of a growing lack of facilities for creatives in Dublin and a desire to build a flourishing creative community. Now, they’re inviting Dublin to meet artists, see their workspaces and speak to them about their practice.

Late Browsing and Live Music

When: 18:00

Where: Marrowbone Books, 78 The Coombe

Second-hand bookshop Marrowbone Books will host a programme of live music performances and readings. If you’re in the literary mood, you can also head to some Dublin bus and train stations to get some free books from the Arts Council.

Featureless Fine x Aimee Melaugh

When: 18:00

Where: Hang Tough Contemporary

Aimee Melaugh will be hosting a late night opening of her incredible solo exhibition Featureless Fine at Hang Tough Contemporary, drawing upon ideas surrounding identity, suppressed individuality and deceiving appearances. 

Awaken The Metropolis: Acid Granny

When: 19:00 to 22:00

Where: Spencer Dock

Armed with a shopping trolley soundsystem, Acid Granny devise surreal ambulatory performances in collaboration with passers by in the urban landscape of Dublin City.

Spoken Word, Storytelling and Song live from the Molly

When: 19:00

Where: The Molly, Spencer Dock

Get some culture on a boat. Performances will include poetician John Cummins, traditional vocalist and composer Macdara Yeates, and actor and spoken word artist Roxanna Nic Liam.

Live Tattoo & More

When: 19:00 to 23:00

Where: Dublin Ink, Sauls Court, 4 Cow’s Lane

Have you ever got a tattoo? Every want to give a tattoo? Well now is your chance- visit Dublin Ink and experience what it takes to tattoo, alongside live tattooing, live music and more.

Sorcha Richardson ‘Smiling Like an Idiot’ Album Release Party

When: 19:30

Where: Hen’s Teeth

Dublin singer/songwriter Sorcha Richardson celebrates the release of her highly anticipated new album ‘Smiling Like an Idiot’ with a release party at Hen’s Teeth. Sorcha and friends will be spinning tunes and selling vinyl, with DJ sets from Blood Donor, Dunx & Domino Whisker.

Djackulate, Henry Earnest, Banríon & Ispíní na hÉireann

When: 21:00 to 00:00

Where: 8 Crow Street, Basement Unit

Ireland’s largest second-hand record shop is presenting an eclectic evening of live music in their intimate basement store with music from 2 time free-style scratch world champion Djackulate, prolific shapeshifter Henry Earnest (Soft Boy Records, Herzog TV), the jangly but honest music of Banríon & trad’s rowdiest dynamic duo Ispíní na hÉireann.

NOISE Music Presents: Baliboc

When: 22:00 to 00:30

Where: The Civic

NOISE Music is curating the Late Night Opening in the Cultural Quarter, where Club Comfort founder and renowned DJ Baliboc will perform. He strives to inject dynamism and raw emotion in his DJ sets contrasting hard percussion & intense dissonance with more euphoric and uplifting sounds.

Night Shift with Liliane Puthod

When: 22:00 to 02:00

Where: IMMA

Now, this one is a bit of a cheat, as it is ticketed, but as one Culture Night’s new late-night experiences, it’s not to be missed. This slow experience of touring the IMMA Grounds in a land train will bring participants through the landscape where sited histories and Collection works will be framed by some eerie interventions along the way.

Emerging Practice: Black Church Print Studio 40th Anniversary Exhibition

When: Various times

Where: The Library Project, Black Church Print Studio

As part of Black Church Print Studios 40th anniversary exhibition Emerging Practice in the Library Project the Studio presents an experimental immersive event of music by alt-indie band Akrobat and electronic imagery visualisations by artist Fiona McDonald. There are also guided tours of Black Church Print Studio including live printmaking demonstrations every hour, on the hour.

And don’t forget to grab one of Dublin Bus‘ free shuttles along the way, offering popup performances on your journey.

Click here to see the full Culture Night programme in Dublin.

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