Experience Kilkenny this Arts Festival with Rinuccini
Since 1974 Kilkenny Arts Festival has brought many of the world’s finest artists and performers to Ireland’s medieval city each August. From our home on Parade Plaza in the heart of Kilkenny City we have enjoyed a bird’s eye view of the 10 day festival over the last 25 years.
Our little city comes alive with music, visual arts, street performance, poetry and theatre becoming a must visit destination for culture vultures throughout Ireland and beyond. Over the course of the festival, the city’s historic churches, castle, courtyards, townhouses and gardens offer a magical setting for performances and every shopfront is transformed into micro-galleries as paintings and sculptures fill the streets of Kilkenny!
Kilkenny Arts Festival Highlights
One of the highlights of the festival will be the exciting theatrical performance DruidShakespeare, an experience that should not be missed! Set in the stunning open-air theatre of the Castle Yard, just a two minute walk from Ristorante Rinuccini, the performance is a distilled re-working of Shakespeare‘s Richard II, Henry IV (parts 1 & 2) and Henry V into one epic tale.
Ristorante Rinuccini is over-looked by the majestic twelfth century Kilkenny Castle which is home to one of Ireland’s most respected art galleries, Butler Gallery. This year as part of the Arts Festival line-up, Butler Gallery will showcase still images from the Oscar nominated film, ‘Song of the Sea’, by locally based animation studio, The Cartoon Saloon. The gardens of the castle will once again host, Architects of Air, a mystical labyrinth filled with light and colour to wander through for a truly unique experience.
During the festival, Rinuccini will offer ‘Lunch & Early Evening Set Menu’ available from 12pm – choose from a two or three course meal featuring fresh Kilmore Quay Prawns or the famous Ristorante Rinuccini pâté, for you to enjoy throughout, when taking time out from your busy festival schedule.
We take pride in sourcing the very highest quality Italian produce from small artisan producers, which we import directly. We are equally proud to work closely with our local and Irish producers. Our fish is sourced from the boats at Kilmore Quay, Rosé Veal from Windgap in Kilkenny and locally grown vegetables from Dunmore and Callan.
The artisan makers of Kilkenny will have their annual exhibition showcasing local crafts at Butler House and Garden, so why not take a stroll through the hidden city-centre formal gardens and watch out for the surprise ‘pop-up’ musical performances!
The full programme of events is now available for the 42nd Kilkenny Arts Festival, which runs from 7-16 August 2015. Come and experience all the city has to offer during the 10 day festival. Take a read of, ‘Visit Kilkenny with Ristorante Rinuccini’s top city hot-spots’ for more local recommendations. We’re looking forward to welcoming you to the Marble City this August!