Pride this year is not limited to one weekend in the capital city – far from it. There are several wonderful Pride festivals for all to enjoy throughout the country, from week-long parties in Limerick and Cork to spectacular weekends of dancing, outdoor activities and education in Waterford and Mayo.

Here are some of the LGBTQ+ festivals being held throughout the summer to help you to celebrate Pride all over Ireland.

Have any plans for the June Bank Holiday? Head to beautiful Westport and celebrate Mayo Pride with outdoor adventures, late-night antics and great company.

While the (unofficial) Queen of Ireland, Panti Bliss, isn’t set to return to her home county for this year’s festival, she can be seen on the big screen with an exclusive screening of her stage show “If These Wigs Could Talk” at the W Cinema. Other events include a Big Gay Hike up Croagh Patrick, a Sea Pride event for swimming and sauna at Westport Quay, the late-night debauchery of a Mother DJ set, and a drag brunch to get your Bank Holiday Sunday started the right way.

Mixture of free and ticketed events. Various venues, Westport, Co Mayo, 1-4 June.

Photo credit: @lucyniamhh_

Waterford’s Pride of the Déise is one of Ireland’s newer LGBTQ+ festivals, but the organisers are quickly making up for lost time with stellar programming throughout their 2023 event for the June Bank Holiday weekend.

Head to the Pride March from Cathedral Square on June 3, then dance through O’Connell Street at the Summer in the City Block Party or browse the Pride Market at Garter Lane Courtyard. The after party at Electric Avenue will continue until the early hours, with some youth-focused events celebrating “Gaycient History” on June 4 and workshops, walking and bike tours on the Bank Holiday Monday.

Mixture of free and ticketed events. Various venues, Waterford, Co Waterford, 2-5 June.

Limerick goes all-out for Pride, with a full week in early July set out to celebrate all things LGBTQ+ in the Treaty City. The festivities run the gamut — activist talks at Ormston House, exhibitions at the Hunt Museum, LGBTQ+ film screenings, drag brunches, karaoke nights and even self-defence courses are open to attendees. The festival will reach its peak with the Pride Parade that will wind through the streets of Limerick on July 8.

The famed drag queen Courtney Act will host the official After Party at Dolans that evening, which is sure to be an unforgettable night on the Shannon.

Mixture of free and ticketed events. Various venues, Limerick, Co Limerick, 3-9 July.

Photo credit: @kensington25

This year’s Drogheda Pride is set to feature markets, live performances and educational talks across a fun-filled weekend, but the crown jewel of the festival is the Drag Night on July 22 headlined by Blu Hydrangea, a former winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. Fans of the show will also get the chance to meet and greet with the star before her performance.

Mixture of free and ticketed events. Various venues, Drogheda, Co Louth, 21-23 July.

Dublin Pride isn’t the only festival honouring a milestone this year: Corkonians will be throwing a “30 Years On…” celebration from July 30 to August 6 to honour 30 years since the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Irish law. While the full lineup is still to come, Cork Pride will go out with a bang on August 6 with their annual parade on the banks of the River Lee. Stick around for the Party on the Port headlined by Wild Youth, Ireland’s Eurovision 2023 entrants.

Mixture of free and ticketed events. Various venues, Cork, Co Cork, 30 July - 6 August.

Summer is always busy in Galway, and the city will be capping off another wonderful season of Pride from August 7 to 13. Aside from the Pride Parade on August 12, details of this year’s festival are yet to be announced, but it’s sure to be another colourful week of celebration, education and culture.

Mixture of free and ticketed events. Various venues, Galway, Co Galway, 7-13 August.

Photo credit: @galway.pride