Dublin Applies for 'European Capital of Christmas' Status as 2026 Entertainment Plan Announced

Dublin City Council has announced that its entertainment plans for the city, this Christmas, will be even bigger and better than last year.

This year Dublin City Council is rolling out and supporting an expanded Christmas programme, packed with festive favourites and exciting new activities. An extensive campaign will encourage people to ‘Feel Dublin City Twinkle’ this festive season. It will highlight a range of wonderful attractions and great experiences that people of all ages can enjoy as well as supporting businesses by promoting Christmas markets, shopping, and nightlife in the city centre. This is a significant investment by Dublin City Council in Christmas themed activity and events. 

Dublin City Council has also announced that it is currently preparing an application become the European Capital of Christmas. Dubliners love Christmas, Dublin City Centre is synonymous with Christmas time and Dublin City Council is committed to bring Christmas themed activity throughout the whole festive season. 

Here's What's Planned:

Fabulous, Christmas-themed light projections in Dublin City centre

Dublin City Council will illuminate Dublin City Centre with Christmas related and themed installations and projections during the Christmas period. Dublin City Council will light Iconic buildings such as the GPO and City Hall in Christmas themed projections, while the month of January will see further highlights in our expanded lighting programme, meaning the city centre will be illuminated for even longer during Christmas and January. The Samuel Beckett Bridge, the Lord Mayors Christmas Card competition on Palace Street and other well-known Christmas favourites of the Dublin Winter Lights Festival will still take place during December. Be under no illusion, imaginative moving light installations will bring the Christmas season to life in radiant colours and dazzling festive-themed displays. The ever-popular rainbow Millennium Bridge lights will be switched on too! There is one huge new location that will see a full digital Christmas themed projection during the festive period, we cannot release the location just yet, but rest assured this will be hugely exciting when announced. It will be one of the best projections the city has ever seen!!

TwinkleTown in partnership with Dublin City Council 

Dublin City Council is delighted to announce today that there will be a second TwinkleTown Christmas event and experience. TwinkleTown southside in partnership with Dublin City Council will take place in Saint Patricks Park in the Liberties. The park will be transformed for the first time with spectacular lighting, Christmas-themed carousels, and choral performances from Sing Ireland.

TwinkleTown will also return to Smithfield Square with ice skating, Santo Panto, the Big Wheel, vintage funfair, live music, festive food, and an Irish makers’ market. Both locations will have sensory-friendly experiences as part of the programme. 600,000 people enjoyed TwinkleTown in Smithfield last year, and the city will once again come alive during the 2026 Christmas period with the wide array of Christmas themed activity supported by Dublin City Council. 

Dublin City Council TwinkleTrail

Building on the huge success of 2025, the 2026 Dublin City Council TwinkleTrail is expanding significantly in 2026. It will be a magical light-filled journey through Dublin City Centre. With new locations and installations, people can expect up to 20 twinkle stars on O’Connell Street, twinkle star and other city centre locations, stunning displays, and inspiring illuminations. Watch out for twinkling reindeers and great Instagram photo opportunities.

Dublin City Council is still finalising the TwinkleTrail programme and there are some exciting elements in consideration that cannot be announced at present. 

Mansion House 

The IFA Live Animal Crib returns to the Mansion House. This long-standing tradition brings the magic of the Christmas nativity scene to the heart of Dublin City. The front of the Mansion House will become also a starry wonderland with a captivating canopy of shimmering festival lights. There will be a Sensory Space for those who need a break from the sensory stimulation that Christmas in the city centre brings.

An outdoor gallery projecting children's Christmas drawings in Barnardo Square

Christmas drawings by children of all ages will take over the side of a building, as the huge projections showcase the creativity of Dublin's youngest artists.

The Lord Mayor of Dublin Children's Art Competition

The hugely popular Children's Art Competition returns. The winning entries become the official Christmas card for the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Daryl Barron.

Christmas Markets 

From Temple Bar to Inchicore, from the annual Henry Street Mary Street Christmas market and Moore Street market to newer markets in Smithfield and The Liberties, people can enjoy Irish makers and bakers and much more in Dublin City's many festive Christmas markets. 

Twinkling Christmas trees in the city centre and communities

At over 13 metres, the Christmas tree on O'Connell Street is one of over 30 Christmas trees with sparkling lights that will be found throughout Dublin City centre and in the heart of Dublin City communities. Watch out for local tree lighting ceremonies.

The full programme will be revealed in November.  To discover what’s happening in the city visit DublinCity.ie