Holidays & Festivals

Ireland

Holidays:
Holidays in Ireland include New Year’s Day (January 1); Saint Patrick’s Day (March 17); Good Friday; Easter Monday; spring and summer bank days (May, June and August); Christmas Day (December 25) and Boxing Day (December 26).

Festivals:
There is much to celebrate in Ireland. Two festivals in County Kerry are the Rose of Tralee, an interesting beauty pageant, and the Killarney Summer Racing Festival. And two festivals in County Cork are Cork Choral Festival and the Cork Jazz Festival.

Wales

Holidays:
Wales observes the same holidays as England.

Festivals:
The Chester Summer Music Festival (July) indulges tastes in music from classical to rock. During the Chester Food and Drink Festival (early spring), local restaurants and bars host a selection of food and drink. Other festivals throughout Wales include the Bodelwyddan Medieval Festival, the Maindee Festival and the Welsh Food Festival.

England

Holidays:
In England, public holidays include New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, May Day (first Monday in May), spring and summer bank holidays (last Monday in May and August), Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Festivals:
Many of the communities in England throw festivals celebrating sports, castles and even cheese. In the Lake District, the Summer Music Festival offers classical music in the beautiful countryside with concerts from a selection of chamber performers such as The Skampa Quartet and pianist Arnaldo Cohen.

Scotland

Holidays:
Scotland holds the same holidays as England.

Festivals:
The annual Edinburgh International Festival celebrates the arts with music, dance and theater. Popular music festivals includes the Edinburgh International Jazz & Blues Festival, considered the largest jazz event in Britain, and the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, held around the famous Edinburgh Castle in celebration of more than 50 years of military music and performance. In the Highlands, festivals include the Dundee Flower & Food Festival (September) and The WickerMan Festival.