Bealtaine Festival, Ireland’s national celebration of arts and creativity as we age, is set to make its highly anticipated return this May, marking a milestone 30th anniversary.
An Age & Opportunity initiative, the festival invites arts organisations of all kinds to take part by organising events that capture the evolving, playful, and dynamic spirit of Bealtaine.
Organisers are now calling on organisations nationwide, big and small, to get involved by planning and registering events in their local areas in May 2025. From music and choral performances to visual arts, theatre, writing workshops, dance, literature, circus, film screenings, storytelling, and more, the programme is open to a wide range of creative expressions.
As Bealtaine celebrates three decades this year, event organisers are encouraged to reflect on past festivals or look ahead to the future of Bealtaine and how it continues to inspire.
MAY TEA PARTY
Celebrating 30 years, Bealtaine Festival is set to host a Big Birthday Tea Party on Sunday, 4th May. Local organisers are invited to join in the celebration by hosting their own tea parties with their communities throughout the month of May, whether it’s a family gathering, an indoor tea dance, or something completely unique.
Continuing the festival’s three-year theme, ‘Lust for Life’, Age & Opportunity encourages event organisers to consider the theme’s relevance and the wide-ranging experiences of Bealtaine’s audiences when planning their events.
This year, the festival will also take a moment to honour the many hundreds of events that have taken place in communities across Ireland since its inception in 1995.
Event organisers are invited to share archive photos or videos showcasing the creativity and diversity of past Bealtaine events, which will be featured across the festival’s social media channels in the lead-up to May.
REGISTRATION
Organisations are encouraged to incorporate the 2025 festival theme ‘Lust for Life’. Once the event is ready for promotion, it can be registered on the Bealtaine website https://bealtaine.ie/
Registration is open from February right through the month of May. Queries regarding the online registration process or the festival in general, can be sent to the Age & Opportunity Arts Administrator on arts@ageandopportunity.ie
