On September 23rd, Culture Night will take place in 30 different regions across Ireland.
Museums, galleries, iconic cultural venues and other establishments will open their doors and invite the public in for a night of free cultural celebration.
Culture Night was created by Temple Bar Culture Trust in 2006 and was first held in Temple Bar, the capital's Cultural Quarter. Five years on, the event is taking place in a record 30 regions around the country.
Dublin alone will play host to 156 cultural venues on the night, with highlights including 'soul-nourishing' music and talks at Oxfambooks on Parliament St., a tour of Darc Space, a dedicated gallery promoting energy efficient architecture, and free guided tours of Kilmainham Gaol.
Organisers have ensured that Culture Night has something for everyone, with a range of activities and events including live performances, workshops, gallery tours, drama and dance.
There will be an Arab Jazz Night in the Chester Beatty Library, a Food and Craft Market in Cork's Connity Hall, life drawing classes at Bourne Vincent Gallery in Limerick and free tours of Windmill Lane recording studio.
In the words of Dermot McLaughlin, CEO of organisers of Temple Bar Culture Trust, Culture Night is an "opportunity to sample forms of culture you may not normally make time for. It's also a reminder of what we have around us, often on our doorstep, every day and night of the year. Almost any cultural venue you can think of is open for free on Culture Night."
So broaden your mind and do something different on September 23rd. Culture Night comes but once a year and it's free so you have no excuse not to come!
Also, to help visitors move around Dublin City on Culture Night, Dublin Bus is providing complimentary (that's free to you and me) buses along three culture trails from 6pm-11pm. Buses will leave every 20 minutes from bus stops on Bachelor's Walk, Aston Quay and Trinity College, taking visitors to outermost venues.
More information on Dublin Culture Night available here