Carrigaline Community Park will come alive on 4 July from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm as the Basant Festival returns to co. Cork, bringing one of South Asia's most colourful cultural traditions to Ireland.

Expected to attract over 1,000 attendees from across the country, the family-friendly festival will feature kite flying, live performances, traditional live drumming, food stalls, and activities for all ages.

Basant, meaning "yellow", celebrates the arrival of spring in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent. Traditionally associated with fields of blooming mustard and sunflower crops, the festival has been celebrated for centuries across South Asia. The Basant Festival in Cork has become an important platform for celebrating South Asian culture while promoting inclusion, diversity, and community participation.

This year's festival will also feature a display of traditional Japanese Koinobori kites by Cork-based artist Kim-Ling Morris. The carp-shaped kites symbolise perseverance, strength, and the ability to overcome challenges, while their movement in the wind represents youth, energy, and hope. 

Organisers are inviting people from all communities and backgrounds to attend, wear something yellow, fly a kite, and take part in a unique celebration of culture, creativity, and community spirit.

Please note that the details of events listed above are provided by the relevant Local Authorities.