Groove Festival is a weekend that caters for all the family, with a heavy emphasis on music and food. You can wander around Bray’s Killruddery House & Gardens and nibble on food from the Happy Pear boyos, dig into one of Box Burger’s offerings, and eye up a crepe, a vegan feast or burrito for later on in the day, while Primal Scream, Daithí, UB40 and Ailbhe Reddy tend to your dancing needs.
The Thrive Wellness area will have a series of talks and workshops from the likes of Olympian Derval O’Rourke, where you will learn how to balance food and fitness to live a happier life, or Platinum Pilates, who will help strengthen your core and get you as flexible as a cat.
There will be also plenty of workshops, Teddy’s ice cream and outdoor activities for the kids.
Are tickets still available?
Yes. Weekend tickets (€106; teens €53), Saturday tickets (€64; teens €27) and Sunday tickets (€64.00; teens €27) are still on sale. Children 12 and under go free but there will be a €2.50 booking charge per child. Group rates are available for groups of 10 adults or more. Contact bookings@groovefestival.ie for more information.
Is there camping?
Not this time, pal, but if you need accommodation, there are plenty of hotels and B&Bs in the area.
What else can we do there?
You won’t be stuck for things to do at Groove. Hell and Back will be on site, providing strength and endurance challenges for those of you who like torture, or you can have an adventure on the Squirrel Scramble, where you can zip-line, climb, crawl and balance through the forest. You can add a splash of colour to your face at The Paint Lab, tend to your soul in the Thrive Wellness area or peruse the stalls at Groove Market.
What time does it kick off at?
The gates open at 11am on Saturday and Sunday morning and it will wrap up at 10.30pm. The Thrive Wellness area and Family Zone will hold their activities between 11am and 7pm.
How do I get there?
Killruddery House and Gardens is a short drive from either the M/N11 and the M50. Parking is available across the road from the house and the entrance is beside the Wilton Hotel, off the Southern Cross Road. Parking costs €5 per day. There will also be a taxi rank and a drop-off/pick-up point at the entrance to Killruddery.
What access facilities have they got?
Groove Festival is an outdoor event so some surfaces will be uneven, but there will be wheelchair facilities available, such as accessible bathrooms. Carers can attend free of charge when accompanying a festival attendee who needs assistance. You don’t need to book a separate carer ticket, just accompany the guest that you are assisting to the box-office for your wristband.
Accessible on-site parking will be available for customers with disabilities close to the festival entrance. You don’t need to book this in advance as the parking attendants will direct you.Contact info@groovefestival.ie for more information.
What about the weather?
Saturday promises to stay dry but there will be a few showers on Sunday afternoon.
And security?
Guests are asked not to bring any alcohol, glass bottles, cans or glass containers to the festival. Tents and marquees are not permitted.