Although temperatures are dropping and evenings are getting darker, it doesn’t mean you need to stay cosied up indoors. October promises an array of fantastic queer events, from drag shows to concerts to LGBTQ+ awards and more. Check them out below!

The Queer Cabaret: Reaction Renaissance
October 1
After a three-year break, Avoca Reaction’s Queer Cabaret is back! Taking place in The Racket Space at The Bernard Shaw, this is set to be a spectacular reunion of some of Ireland’s finest drag talent. Tickets are available here.

Intersectionality in Art and Climate
October 1
Taking place in Pallas Projects/Studios as part of the Entangled Life programme, this informal discussion invites guests and participants to explore intersectionality and just transition. Special guests include Basil Al-Rawi, Tara Carroll, Vanessa Conroy and Léann Herlihy. You can RSVP here.

The GALAS LGBTQ+ Awards
October 4
The 2025 edition of The GALAS, Ireland’s annual awards honouring the LGBTQ+ community, returns to the Dublin Royal Convention Centre at the Radisson Blu Hotel this month. Organised by the National LGBTQ+ Federation (NXF) and GCN, individuals and organisations will be celebrated across 15 different categories. A very limited number of tickets have just been released for this fabulous queer event on October 4; get them here before they sell out.

Come Out and Connect!
October 4, 11, 25 and November 1
Taking place in Outhouse, this four-week personal development group offers a space for gay, bisexual and queer men to explore different issues and connect with community. Find more information in the poster below.

Beverly Glenn-Copeland
October 7
Pioneering trans musician Beverly Glenn-Copeland is set to play his first-ever Irish show in The Button Factory. Known as the visionary musician behind the cult classic Keyboard Fantasies, the Canadian-born artist will take to the stage with his life partner and collaborator, Elizabeth. Tickets are available here.

Transgress the NGS Public Forum
October 11
Join Transgress the NGS for a public meeting to discuss the future of trans healthcare in Ireland. There’ll also be speakers from Trans & Intersex Pride Dublin and Trans Harm Reduction, among others. Register to attend here.

Fetish Fusion
October 11
From the folks behind Cork Kink Club, this definitive event offers electrifying performances, dancefloor beats and a space where self-expression knows no bounds. Taking over The Pav on Carey’s Lane, guests are encouraged to dress with flair, from fetish fashion and leather to alternative clubwear or whatever makes them feel daring. Tickets are available here.

Miriam Margolyes In Conversation
October 11
BAFTA-winning actor Miriam Margolyes is heading to the Irish Film Institute in Dublin on October 11 for an in-conversation event with Rory O’Neill, aka Panti Bliss. The interview will follow an exclusive screening of Lee Knight’s short A Friend of Dorothy, starring Margolyes. Tickets are available here.

Tuck of the Irish
October 16, 17, 18
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK stars Elle Vosque and Bonnie Ann Clyde are set to tour Ireland in October, hitting up Belfast, Dublin and Cork. The two queens are snatching wigs on Season 7 of the iconic competition show, and now is your chance to see them in the flesh! Tickets are available on Eventbrite.

Red Umbrella Film Festival
October 16 – 19
Returning in 2025 for its second edition, the Red Umbrella Film Festival will run across four Dublin venues: Light House Cinema, Unite the Union, Unit 44 and DV8. Through a range of fascinating screenings and events, this year’s programme focuses on the pressing need for the decriminalisation of sex work in Ireland. Find out more here.

Neuroconvergence
October 18
Neuroconvergence, a bold new neurodivergent-led initiative, is set to launch its first major national free event at the UCD Student Centre. The project aims to build an open-source platform for inclusion, where all minds are valued and all voices are heard. For tickets and the full programme of events, click here.

Drag & Draw: Fundraiser for Families in Gaza
October 22
Drag & Draw is back in Street 66 for another session, this time fundraising for two families in Gaza through Connections Collective. All income from the tickets will be donated and there will also be a raffle on the day to collect extra money. Tickets are available here.

The Upside Down House
October 22 – November 2
Premiering as part of the Belfast International Arts Festival, The Upside Down House is a bold new production from Northern Ireland’s Tinderbox Theatre Company. The two-man show promises to be a visceral dive into the places we can’t forget and the people we never stop loving. Tickets are available here.

Mary Gauthier
October 22 – 29
Grammy nominee Mary Gauthier is touring across Ireland, lighting up stages in Belfast, Kilkenny, Mayo, Sligo, Galway and Dún Laoghaire. The legendary folk singer-songwriter will showcase highlights from her 30-year career, as well as perform work from her latest album Dark Enough to See the Stars. Tickets are available through the respective venues.

T4T
October 24
T4T is back for its third edition, heading underground to Bello Bar. Dedicated to platforming trans and non-binary musicians, the line-up includes Mosh P3t, Mister Sister and Willow Leavey. Get tickets here.

Tengu Present: DYKE NITE Takeover
October 25
DYKE NITE is preparing for its Dublin debut show at Yamamori Tengu. With DJs Ali, Sahana and DJ Egg, as well as gogo dancers Abra Kedavre and Freya Femme on scarlet podiums, expect a transformative club night that celebrates queerness in all its forms. Tickets are available here.

Mother presents: Disco Bloodbath
October 26
Mother’s annual fright-night returns to Lost Lane this October for an unmissable queer Halloween event. Expect DJs, deathly drag, live performances, queer divilment and hedonistic horror! Tickets are available here.

TA Narrative
October 31
TA Narrative, a music project from Limerick consisting of Tara Nix and Anna Murphy, are playing their first headline show at Dolan’s Warehouse on Halloween night. The pair, who also launched their own label SASP Records, blend electronic beats and live instruments to create immersive soundscapes. The event will also feature a range of special guests. Tickets are available here.

That concludes our list of some amazing queer events happening this October. If you think we’ve missed one, get in touch at [email protected], and if you’re after something a little spookier, keep your eyes peeled for our Halloween party round-up coming very soon!

Did you know we have a team of wonderful runners taking part in this year’s Dublin Marathon and raising funds for GCN? You can support our athletes at this link.