Púca Festival (27–31 October) is an invitation to enjoy music, myth, food, folklore, fire, feasting and merriment in the country where Halloween began.
An authentic, immersive and fun festival that is contemporary in feel but strongly rooted in tradition, Púca will take place in two County Meath towns – Trim and Athboy – in the historic Boyne Valley.
The festival will showcase the best in contemporary Irish music, spectacle, and performance over four days and five nights to tell the story of Samhain or ‘Summer’s End’.
In Celtic traditions Samhain marks the end of the harvest season, when all the crops have been picked and stored for the New Year. This was historically a time of celebration, involving gathering, lighting fires, feasting, music and storytelling. It was believed that at this time the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead is at its thinnest and the creatures of Samhain, Ireland’s ancient Halloween tradition, come to life.
The festival is named after a shape-shifting character from Celtic folklore, Púca (pronounced poo-kuh), that appears at ancient new year to roam the night and change the fortunes of those that cross it.
The festival’s colourful opening procession will take place in the heritage town of Trim, known for its medieval castle. It will blend outdoor theatre, street performance and music in a wild celebration of Samhain lore, nature, ancestry and the looming darkness.