Culture of Waterford

Spraoi festival, (pronounced 'Spree') organised by the Spraoi Theatre Company, is a professional festival and street arts organisation which takes over the city centre of Waterford on the August Bank Holiday Weekend. It attracts audiences in excess of 80,000 people to the city.

Waterford International Festival of Light Opera is an annual event that has been held in the Theatre Royal since 1959. It has recently been re branded as the Waterford International Festival of Music and now takes place in November.

Tall Ships Festival, held in Waterford in 2005, marked the start of the Tall Ships race of that year. The Suirriver provided a perfect berthing location for the numerous tall ships (up to 90) that lined the north and south quays, for almost a week. The festival attracted in the region of 450,000 people to the city in what was the biggest event ever held in Waterford or the south east. Waterford hosted the start of the Tall Ships race again in 2011, with an entirely free festival of music, culture, food and from the 30th June to the 3rd July 2011. Race 1 saw the fleet race to Greenock in Scotland, from Waterford, Ireland.

Waterford Harvest Food Festival takes place annually in September along the Quays and in 2010 saw the South Quay closed off to traffic two successive Sundays and a free concert on the Saturday night. The festival offers visitors demonstrations, workshops and tours of local producers, numerous markets, tastings and dinners. Local restaurants design special Festival Menus. A feast for the senses, for all the family.

St. Patrick's day Parade takes place annually on the 17th March.