The first major summer festival, Forbidden Fruit, is about to kick off. The grounds of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, where the Irish Museum of Modern Art is located in Dublin, are expected to draw large crowds this weekend, come rain or shine.
On Saturday, June 1st, performances will include a variety of acts such as Bicep, Nia Archives, Groove Armada, Freddie Gibbs, Le Boom, Paris Texas and Interplanetary Criminal among others. The following day, Sunday, June 2nd, will also be packed with musicians including Nelly Furtado, Four Tet, Barry Can’t Swim, OVERMONO and Gemma Dunleavy.
Following the primary events, the Forbidden Fruit Night will take place – a series of exclusive, ticketed after-parties set in various downtown venues. These events, which are extended into the early morning of both Sunday and Monday, will feature DJ groups and artists from the festival line-up including, among others, Barry Can’t Swim.
When and where will this happen?
Forbidden Fruit is a two-day festival taking place on the grounds of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin 8, on Saturday, June 1st and Sunday, June 2nd.
Are there still tickets available?
Yes, according to the latest information, tickets are still up for grabs on Ticketmaster.
Who will be performing and on what days?
There’s an extensive line-up for Saturday, June 1st featuring artists such as Bicep, Nia Archives, Freddie Gibbs, Paris Texas and Groove Armada, among others.
Sunday, June 2nd, also boasts an exciting roster with the likes of Four Tet, Nelly Furtado, Barry Can’t Swim and Gemma Dunleavy expected to hit the stage.
The festival roster includes performances from Hagop Tchaparian, Puzzy Wrangler, Jezebel at the Undergrowth Stage, OVERMONO, DJ Seinfeld, special guests, Salute, Prozak and more. The line-up for RTÉ 2FM Live showcases Infinity Song, Qbanaa, The Cope, Big Sleep, Saibh Skelly, Sick Love, and Dave Treacy.
Gates to the festival commence from 2 pm each day with the last admission at 9.30 pm. The final show of the day is projected to conclude at 10:45 pm.
To reach the venue, several options are available. However, venue parking is not provided, and traffic restrictions will be enforced on Military Road and Kilmainham Lane. The closest public parking facility is Park Rite Parking at 7 Queen Street, Dublin 7. For car access from the west, take the N4 towards Heuston Station. If you’re coming from the north or south, take the M1 or N7, respectively, towards Heuston Station.
For those on foot, entryways are accessible via East Gate on Military Road and West Gate on James St. Bus routes from the city centre include the 40, 123, and 13 from Upper O’Connell Street or College Green – all of which stop at St James’s Hospital. Buses run every 10-15 minutes on Saturdays and around every 20-30 minutes on Sundays. Route 79/79A departs from Aston Quay, Temple Bar about every 15-20 minutes during the weekend, stopping at St John’s Road West. The 25A leaves from Wellington Quay, Temple Bar around every 20-30 minutes and stops at Heuston Station.
Additionally, buses 25A or 66A depart from Palmerstown towards Kilmainham. Train travel from Celbridge to Heuston Station is also an option, with the event entrance just a five-minute stroll from Heuston Station.
From the Irish towns of Maynooth, Greystones, and Balbriggan, the route to Connolly Station will direct you. From there, you can catch the Luas Red Line toward Saggart or Tallaght, which takes you to Heuston Station. If you opt for Luas from The Point, make sure to disembark at Heuston Station, from where East Gate entrance is a brief five-minute stroll through Military Road. Dart timetable can be accessed on this page.
For persons with mobility challenges, cars showing a mobility impaired badge are given passage from James Street and Bow Lane, where they will be rerouted through Military Road to the East Gate and further to their dedicated area of the parking lot. Be sure to visibly place your mobility impaired parking sticker. Please be aware that after festival activities, vehicles will be held until about 30 minutes after vehicle curfew time.
So, what about security arrangements?
Only small bags of A4 size or less will be allowed into the concert arena, with security checks mandatory upon entry. Entrants carrying no bags will have a quick entry process. According to the event website, items that have been prohibited from the festival venue include: liquids, illegal substances, fireworks, drones, professional recording devices, umbrellas and pets. Also, enclosed spaces are designated as no-smoking areas, there is no parking at the venue, day tickets do not permit re-entry, and wristbands should not be tampered with.
Available at the festival are bar and catering services; and bars will implement a Challenge 25 policy, so anyone appearing to be age 25 years or below must be prepared to show identification.
The event organisers suggest periodic breaks for attendees, active consent practice, and recording their group members’ phone numbers in case of lost phones or separating from the group. It’s also advised to remember the location of wellness-area icons and go to the medic station if feeling sick.
Take note, this is an event that does not accept cash transactions.
And the weather forecast?
We’re glad to report that no rain is expected on this coming Saturday, with temperatures ranging from 10 to 17 degrees along with some sunshine. On Sunday, however, prepare for possible rain in the evening despite similar daytime temperatures of 13 to 18 degrees. Given that we are in Ireland though, weather can be unpredictable. It is prudent to bring clothing suitable for any weather condition.