Cork Harbour Festival starts this week to celebrate Cork’s greatest natural amenities, Cork Harbour and the River Lee, through a packed festival programme across 10 days from 2 – 11 June.
The festival highlights the incredible choice of attractions and activities, heritage sites, cultural experiences and stories there are to discover in Cork City and Harbour. With over 80 events from 50 event providers to explore in this year’s festival programme, and with many offered for free or discounted, there is plenty to choose from.
Cork Harbour is one of the largest natural harbours in the world, and Cork Harbour Festival offers countless ways to explore it. Take an exciting 2 hour Evening Rib Tour of Cork Harbour with Cork Harbour Boat Hire (2 & 9 June); Explore the Wildlife & Coastline of Cork Harbour with Cork Sea Safari (4 & 5 June). Get behind the wheel of a powerboat with SailCork (3, 6, 7 June). Or do a Stand Up Paddle Tour on the River Lee with Cork City SUP (9 June). If you prefer to stay on land, take a Cork Greenway Cycle Tour with Beyond the Glass Adventure Tours and cycle along the harbour shoreline (2,3,7-10 June).
Running throughout the festival are loads of family activities and entertainment. Families can also enjoy a Floating Classroom with the Irish Whale & Dolphin Group, aboard their Celtic Mist Research Vessel (3-5 June). The ever popular Cork Ghost Tour is back this year for more hilarious frights and hysterical delights for all the family (7, 8, 9 June). Or enjoy a high-octane comedic dinner theatre experience unlike anything else in Ireland with Hysterical Histories Cork (6-10 June).
Ocean to City – An Rás Mór, Saturday 3 June:
Excitement is building ahead of the return of Ocean to City – An Rás Mór this Saturday June 3rd. The race is one of Ireland's most ambitious rowing and paddling spectacles. Cork Harbour comes alive with colour and activity as 550 Irish and international participants compete in a gruelling race across the harbour. Participants travel from across Ireland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States and will bring 200 boats to the event.
On the day, there will be family friendly entertainment at various vantage points along Cork Harbour, including Cobh, Monkstown, Blackrock and Cork City. At 12pm, at The Promenade in Cobh, in association with Cobh Tourism and Cobh Animation Team, spectators can cheer on race participants as they power by while enjoying music and live commentary. At 12.30pm, soak up the action in Monkstown and cheer on all the participants starting their Ocean to City ‘half marathon’. In Blackrock, spectators can encourage the Youth Race crews from 12.45pm as they row their colourful currachs over the 4km course to the finish line. The Youth Race is organised by Meitheal Mara as part of their Bádóireacht programme. At the finish line at Lapp’s Quay in Cork City, enjoy the big spectacle with entertainment, music, live commentary, and food from 1.30 pm onwards.
