Friday, 12 Sept – Settle in and Start Your Festival Weekend 

6.30pm: Kick off Earth Rising with an evening of cinema under the stars. Gather at the IPUT Living Canvas for Black Butterflies, a beautiful, animated feature that follows three women across the globe facing the realities of climate change. It’s a powerful, moving story told through stunning artwork – the perfect way to ease into the weekend with older children and teens. 

Saturday, 13 Sept – Creativity, Curiosity & Cinema 

11am: Begin your morning with Woodcut & Wordcut, where kids and adults can try their hand at inking and printing their own woodcut design to bring home. Or, if you’re in the mood for adventure, head to Dublin 8 for In Our Shoes x Bee8, a walking tour and beekeeping experience that brings local stories and pollinators to life. 

12pm: Explore the historic grounds with a Biodiversity Tour, spotting birds, insects, and native planting along the way. 

1pm: After lunch, the festival comes alive with Negro Impacto on the Greenhouse Stage at 1pm, a soulful indie duo perfect for dancing together as a family. 

2pm: Choose between the Future We Want to Be interactive drawing workshop (ages 10+) or a Green Cube Biodiversity Tour exploring the flora and fauna of IMMA’s gardens.

3pm–6pm : Drop into the Family Art Workshop, where children and parents can get creative side by side. 

5pm: As the evening settles in, step into the world of animation with Éiru followed by the breathtaking feature film Flow at 5.30pm – a story of a cat and unlikely animal companions finding their way through a flood. 

Sunday, 14 Sept – Make, Play & Celebrate 

10am: Start bright and early with the Fused Plastic Workshop at 10am, turning everyday waste into colourful new creations. 

11am: Woodcut & Wordcut returns, inviting families to roll up their sleeves and make their own prints. 

12pm: head out into the grounds with the Biodiversity Tour, spotting the hidden wildlife of Royal Hospital Kilmainham. 

1pm: The Greenhouse Stage comes alive with Mohammad Syfkhan, sharing joyous Kurdish music that’s sure to get toes tapping. 

2pm & 3pm: In the afternoon, wander through nature on a Green Cube Biodiversity Tour or join the OPW guides for another Biodiversity Tour at 3pm. 

3pm–6pm: Stop by the Family Art Workshop (Explorer) for hands-on fun, before closing out the festival with the high-energy sounds of Ispíní na hÉireann at 5.30pm – a trad-rock finale that’s bound to get the whole family dancing.