North Westmeath preparing to celebrate Culture Night 2024

Culture Night returns with a busy schedule of free events on offer for the public in Westmeath. Taking place on Friday of this week, September 20, the national event celebrates the richness and diversity of Irish culture by connecting people with local cultural activities.

Supported by the Arts Council and Westmeath County Council, all events are free.

This year’s programme in Westmeath offers something for everyone, from live concerts and podcasts to craft workshops and storytime sessions for children.

What’s on locally

• Author and illustrator Dolores Keaveney will be in Mullingar Library for a Storytime and Craft event, also at 4pm (booking required in advance online).

• Mullingar Library will be hosting a ‘Found Poetry’ event 4pm to 4.45pm, described as a ‘playful way to express yourself using existing words and phrases’, tailored to children aged eight and above.

• Music Generation Music Jammers live performance, Mullingar Library, 4pm.

• Young local musicians from Music Generation live performance at 4pm in Mullingar Library.

• Clan Lir Comhaltas in Castlepollard Library, 4.30-6pm.

• The Greville Arms Hotel will host the Mullingar Art Room Annual Exhibition from 6pm, where an eclectic mix of styles from members of the local artist collective will be on display (see article below left).

• An ‘energetic display’ of ballet, tap, lyrical, jazz, and contemporary dance from students of Energy Plus School of Dance, on Dominick Place, 6-7pm.

• Mullingar Town Band, with Colourguard, perform at the Market Square at 6.30pm.

• Mullingar street brass band, ‘Blasta Brass’, will play an hour of pop, soul, funk, blues, rock, and hip-hop classics at the Market Square from 7pm.

• Kilbeggan Distillery is hosting a talk by a local historian and author, focusing on women past and present and their contribution to the local community and the distillery, 6.30-8.30pm.

• The public is invited to ‘explore the rhythm’ of Latin dance at Mullingar Arts Centre, where a drop-in class for all abilities will take place at 8.30pm, followed by a Latin Dance Disco from 10pm until late.

• A live episode of the Teenager Wasteland Podcast will take place in Mullingar’s new record store, The Vinyl Room (old cinema building), with special guest Amy Michelle, at 7.30pm.

- Colombia Bar will host Kino Kabaret from 8pm, a unique screening event of films that have been pitched, shot, and edited across three days – all of which has been facilitated by organisers.

• The Wagon Wheel Pub host Ballynacargy Comhaltas for a night of trad music, song, and dance from 9.30pm to midnight – musicians are welcome to join in on the night.