After the washout of a month that has been July, we can’t guarantee blue skies and sunshine for August, but we can promise you’ll have a gay old time with the best LGBTQ+ events coming to a venue near you.
Whether you’re checking off your booklist to beat the last-minute back-to-school rush or you’re unpacking your suitcases after that beach holiday, we’re still celebrating the summer with some of the finest homegrown talents the LGBTQ+ community has to offer and more besides.
As always, August kicks off with a banging bank holiday which can only mean two of our favourite queer events, Cork Pride and the GAZE International LGBTQIA Film Festival.
Cork Pride
29th July – 6th August
Cork Pride just keeps getting better and better, and this year, they’ve outdone themselves with an incredible lineup of events catering to all members of the LGBTQ+ community. From sports to activist workshops, bingo to cabaret comedy, the 10-day festival is action-packed.
Not to be missed, the queens from the Haus Of Mockie Ah will take over Cypress Avenue for a Pride Weekender drag extravaganza. Hosted by Candy Warhol on Saturday, August 5, it will feature performances by RuPaul’s Drag Race UK royalty Victoria Scone and Just May and internet sensation Bailey J Mills. On Sunday, August 6, revellers can look forward to headline acts N-Trance and Booty Luv at the perfect after-party.
For info on all the Pride Festival events click here. Tickets for both Mackie Ah nights are available here.
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Thursday, August 3, will also see MEP Grace O’Sullivan host the Pride is Political panel discussion. The panel will include Roderic O’Gorman Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Saoirse Mackin from Trans+ Pride Cork, chair of the Gay Project John Buttimer and others.
GAZE Film Festival
3rd – 7th August
This year sees the beloved GAZE International LGBTQIA Film Festival make a welcomed return to its August bank holiday slot. As always, the festival will bring you the brightest and the best of queer cinema including the ever-popular Irish shorts and the experimental shorts curated by AEMI.
In addition to the enticing programme of cinema, this year sees GAZE play host to performance artist David Hoyle in his unmissable live event, The Ten Commandments, for one night only at the Project Arts Centre on Friday, August 4.
Information on all GAZE events can be found here. To book tickets for David Hoyle click here.
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Edinburgh Fringe
2nd – 28th August
In case you haven’t booked your holidays yet, why not consider a trip to Edinburgh Fringe to support some of the fabulous Irish LGBTQ+ talent headed there?
From August 4 to 8, the gorgeous folx from Drag and Draw will be bringing some of Ireland’s hottest drag babes to pose for audiences as they put pen to paper in an attempt to harness their inner Van Goughs and Kahlos.
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This year will see the comedy cabaret styling of two of the funniest women in showbiz, The Wild Geeze. The hosts of Stoneybanter and the hugely successful The Wild Geeze Podcast will be packing their vagina puppets and nipple tassels into their suitcases and singing their way across the pond from August 11 to 28.
Tickets for both shows are available here.
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Exhibitions
Launching this Monday, July 31, as part of Cork Pride, Cork City Libraries will play host to Art and Activism: Diary of an Activist Exhibition featuring illustrations by Megan Luddy O’Leary from the book by Orla Egan.
Running from now until August 12 at the Project Arts Centre, Dublin, Kian Benson Bailes’ Culchie boy, I love you / Grá mo chroí thú, mo chábóigín féin, explores queer identity through folklore, mythology, and craft traditions in an exuberant expression of rural experience.
Marking 40 years of LGBTQ+ activism in Galway, AMACH will host Galway’s Rainbow Archive Exhibition from August 8 to 11 at PoterShed. The display will feature video, photography, t-shirts, badges, banners and more.
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Nights Out
Be sure to get your glad rags on for this year’s Galway Race Festival as the Dean Hotel hosts the first-ever best-dressed event for LGBTQ+ people on Friday, August 4. Instead of the usual ladies and gents categories, this will be a fully inclusive occasion with prizes for the most ‘dapper in a dress’, ‘stylish in a suit’, ‘fabulous in an outfit’ and ‘delicious in drag’. Hosted by Alan Hughes this is a free event with complimentary cocktails for the first 50 guests, so be sure to get there early.
And for those who are looking for some big summertime celebration, Fluid Club has got you covered with their fabulous Pan’s Labyrinth party on August 18. Spinning tunes on this enchanting night will be creative artist Minikimono, Fluid Club founder Sleepless Beauty and promoter and DJ Derv. Grab your tickets here and don’t miss this incredible event!
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With Pride events still happening across the country, including Sligo, Waterford, Mid Ulster, Galway, Meath, Clonmel, Clare and Derry, we forecast plenty more summer fun throughout August.
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