Choral Festival returns to Cork on May bank holiday weekend

Cork will once again become a city of song this May bank holiday weekend, as Cork International Choral Festival returns for its 71st year.

The festival will welcome more than 5,000 performers from 13 countries, and Cork’s streets, libraries, and cultural spaces will come alive with a series of free pop-up performances that bring visiting choirs into everyday settings.

Outdoor and open-air performances will play a central role in this year’s programme, with the Marina Market and Elizabeth Fort among the venues to feature concerts.

A wide-ranging series of free lunchtime and afternoon concerts will also take place in venues such as St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, St Anne’s Shandon, Freemasons’ Hall, and Griffith College.

Beyond the city centre, the festival extends to Cobh and other locations across the county, reinforcing the festival’s long-standing connection to communities throughout Cork.

With more than 60 venues hosting performances, the festival offers countless ways to experience music this May bank holiday, many of them completely free.

The Cork International Choral Festival returns from Wednesday, April 29, to Sunday, May 3.

Full programme details are available at www.corkchoral.ie.