Family Friendly Events
We offer a wide range of dining experiences and trails suitable for families. Young food lovers can also get hands-on with interactive workshops and demos running throughout the week, along with lots of fun at our SuperValu Family Zone at Bishop Lucey Park all weekend.
*Please note booking fees may apply on some events
Cork Food History Guided Tour
10.00am-12.00pm, Wed 12th Aug, City Centre various
Step back in time on this guided walking tour exploring Cork’s rich food heritage. Visit iconic sites like the English Market and the Butter Museum while sampling local flavours along the way. Learn how Cork’s food story has evolved from Viking times to today through engaging storytelling, tastings, and conversations.
Adults €73.50 | Youth (10-17) €63.17 | Children u10 Free | Activity Days - Cork Food History Tour
Taste the Goodness Community Garden Party
12.30pm-4.00pm, Wed 12th Aug, Knocknaheeny Hollyhill Community Garden
(Behind Applegreen garage)
Join NICHE Health Project for a special open garden party, celebrating community and local food. Pick fresh produce straight from the garden, enjoy live music, food, face painting, and more. A fun, relaxed event for all ages.
€2 donation | No booking required. All welcome.
Cork Culinary Tour
2.30pm-5.00pm, Wed 12th, Thurs 13th & Sat 15th Aug, Cork City Centre various
Enjoy a true Cork experience with storytelling, Irish culture, food and drink. You will wander through the famous English Market, in operation since the 18th century, with tastings of local award-winning cheese, mouthwatering seafood fresh from the Atlantic, handmade Irish bread, gourmet country sausages, and more. The tour finishes in a relaxed gastro pub where guests can enjoy a sharing platter and a creamy pint or local beverage of choice.
€110 Adult | €80 Youth (12–18) | €35 Child | Cork Culinary Tour Bonner Travel
Cork Food History Guided Tour
10.00am-12.00pm, Thurs 13th Aug, City Centre various
Step back in time on this guided walking tour exploring Cork’s rich food heritage. Visit iconic sites like the English Market and the Butter Museum while sampling local flavours along the way. Learn how Cork’s food story has evolved from Viking times to today through engaging storytelling, tastings, and conversations.
Price: Adults €73.50 | Youth (10-17) €63.17 | Children u10 Free | Activity Days Cork Food History Guided Tour
Little Beekeepers Breakfast
10.00am-11.00am, Thurs 13th Aug, City Centre various
A fun, hands-on one-hour morning for families exploring the world of bees and honey with Hanna’s Bees. Children will learn how bees live, how honey is made, and even meet some of Hanna’s bees up close. The morning includes a honey-themed breakfast with pancakes, fruit, yoghurt and juice for the children, along with honey tasting, kids’ crafts, and pollination seeds to take home. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
€12 | Little Beekeepers Breakfast Bookings | Booking opens Thursday 9am
The Hysterical Histories - Food, Fame and Frivolity Walking Tour
11.00am-12.45pm, Thurs 13th Aug, City Centre
Discover the highlights of Cork’s foodie past and the city's 1500-year history, through the eyes of Cork's quirky characters and pickiest eaters on this truly unique walking tour of Cork City.
Adults €15 | Youth (6-12) €10 | u5's FREE with discount code: FORKWALK26
Hysterical Histories Thursday Tour
Children's Pizza Making Workshop
11.30pm-12.30pm, Thurs 13th Aug, Marina Market
Learn how to stretch and top pizza with some of Oak Fire Pizza's chefs at the Marina Market. In this hands-on workshop, children will make their own pizza which will then be cooked for them to taste their amazing creations!
€15 | Children's Pizza Workshop with Oakfire | Bookings open Thursday 9am
Cork Culinary Tour
2.30pm-5.00pm, Thurs 13th Aug, Cork City Centre various
Enjoy a true Cork experience with storytelling, Irish culture, food and drink. You will wander through the famous English Market, in operation since the 18th century, with tastings of local award-winning cheese, mouthwatering seafood fresh from the Atlantic, handmade Irish bread, gourmet country sausages, and more. The tour finishes in a relaxed gastro pub where guests can enjoy a sharing platter and a creamy pint or local beverage of choice.
Adults €110 | Youth (12-17) €80 | Child €35 | Bonner Travel - Cork Culinary Tour
Hysterical Histories Cork - Dinner theatre experience
7.00pm, Thurs 13th Aug, Amicus
A laugh-out-loud 2-course dinner theatre experience unlike anything else in Ireland. This packed performance is suitable for all ages. Discover the highlights of Cork's 1,500 year history and become acquainted with the citys quirky characters. Enjoy Cork cuisine made from locally sourced ingredients served up with live music and plenty of personality as you engage with the actors. Leave with a belly full of food, a warm heart and a pain in your face from laughing.
Adults €50 | Youth (3-12) €27 | u2's Free with discount code: FORKFEST26 Hysterical Dinner at Amicus Thursday
Taste of Shandon: Bells, Bread, Butter, Beef... Samosas and Sweets!
2.00pm-4.00pm, Fri 14th Aug, The Butter Museum
A lively showcase of food, tradition, and local craft at The Butter Museum in the historic Shandon area. Enjoy demonstrations of traditional soda bread and butter making with The Butter Museum and delicious samosas with The Four Liars, and hear insightful talks from local butcher James Nolan on spiced beef and the history of Shandon Bells. Visitors can also taste classic hard sweets from Shandon Sweets. Please note: Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
FREE | Taste of Shandon Bookings Eventbrite.
Hysterical Histories Cork - Dinner theatre experience
7.00pm, Fri 14th Aug, Amicus Restaurant
A laugh-out-loud 2 course dinner theatre experience unlike anything else in Ireland. This packed performance is suitable for all ages. Discover the highlights of Cork's 1,500 year history and become acquainted with the citys quirky characters. Enjoy Cork cuisine made from locally sourced ingredients served up with live music and plenty of personality as you engage with the actors. Leave with a belly full of food, a warm heart and a pain in your face from laughing.
Adults €50 | Youth (3-12) €27 | u2's Free with discount code: FORKFEST26 | Hysterical Histories Bookings.
Cork on a Fork Markets & Open Street Event
10.00am-5.00pm, Sat 15 & Sun 16th Aug, South Main Street and Surrounds
South Main Street will be pedestrianised for an Open Streets event, creating a relaxed, traffic-free space for the Festival Market, which will extend onto Tuckey Street and Grand Parade. Enjoy delicious Cork food, Cork craft stalls, live music, and street theatre throughout the day. Meet the animals at the pop-up Rumleys Farm and enjoy free family-friendly activities including giant games and face painting. A day of food, entertainment, community, and family fun in the heart of the city, supported by Open Streets, a net-zero city pilot project.
FREE | All welcome.
Consume Cork Cooking Demos Marquee
10.30am-6.30pm, Sat 15th & Sun 16th Aug, Cooking Demo Marquee outside Cork City Library, Grand Parade.
Our Festival Cooking Demo Stage on the Grand Parade will host of demos and tastings all day, celebrating the best Cork chefs and producers. MC'd by food writers Kate Ryan and Joe McNamee., these are free to attend thanks to support from Cork City Council, Fáilte Ireland, Ireland's Ancient East, the Wild Atlantic Way, and SuperValu.
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10.30am: Cooking with Amaranth: Learn how to cook with amaranth, a Mexican superfood locally grown in Cork's international garden, with Mexican plant scientist Mabel Hernánde.
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11:30am: Tiger Balm Club - All Killer, No Filler! Get up close and personal with Cork’s latest supper club collective, Tiger Balm Club, exploring the flavours of Vietnam and Thailand with founders Mark Ahern and Bryan “Sunshine Primo” Rudd for a high energy cookery demo that's gonna be "All Killer, No Filler"!
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12:30pm: Beans to Get The Pulse Racing: Join Cork's very own “Bean Queen”, Ali Honour, as she demonstrates why we should all bang in some beans with our daily meals! Ali will cook recipes from her debut cookbook, Beans, using beans, peas and lentils for climate conscious eating that’s all about delicious, sustainable nutrition.
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1.30pm: TBC
- 2.30pm: TBC
- 3:30pm: Discover The Magic of Soda Bread - Made in Minutes with Darina Allen: Join Darina Allen of Ballymaloe Cookery School as she prepares and bakes in minutes traditional Irish soda breads, as well as comforting twists on this Irish classic!
- 4:30pm: Rescue The Plate with Food Cloud: In partnership with FoodCloud, we turn Food “Waste” into Food “Ace” with our two Cork chefs, Kate Lawlor-Lyne of K O'Connell Fishmonger and Eoghan O'Flynn, of The Metropole Hotel. Ready, Steady, Cook-style, our chefs will be tasked with making delicious dishes using a surprise bag of would-be food waste rescued from some of our festival restaurants with a winner chosen by a surprise Guest of Honour!
- 5.30pm: Cork on a Stick:Mad cap mayhem as three Cork chefs cook off against each other to produce the best pintxos-style taste of Cork on a Stick. Watch Orla McAndrew of OM Catering, Epi Rogan of Fiain Wild Flowers, & Meadhbh Halton of Meb's Veg battle it out for the most coveted title of the year! This time, it's an all-female line up!
FREE | All welcome. Limited seating.
Farmers Market & BBQ at Glenbrook Farm
10.00am-5.00pm, Sat 15th Aug, Glenbrook Farm
Experience the best of local food and farming at a pop-up Farmers Market in the barn at Glenbrook Farm. Browse and buy fresh meat and seasonal vegetables, grown and produced on the farm, along with other produce from a selection of local makers and producers. There will be BBQ food available all day to purchase and kids might even get a peek at the pigs, piglets, and chickens up close.
FREE Pay on consumption | All welcome | No booking required.
Library Feeding Time at the Wormery
11.00am, Sat 15th Aug, Hollyhill Library
The Hollyhill Library worms are hungry! Can you guess what their favourite foods are? Come along and meet our wiggly friends, discover what they love to munch on, and learn how they help the Hollyhill Library garden grow and thrive. Suitable for children aged 5+.
FREE | No booking required.
Pizza Party at Il Padrino
11.00am, Sat 15th Aug, Il Padrino
Kids will have lots of fun at this hands on pizza making demonstration at Il Padrino, serving the families of Cork for 24 years. Your little masterchefs will have the opportunity to roll their own fresh dough and put on toppings before enjoying their own creation. The price includes the pizza, a drink and ice-cream.
€10. Pizza Party Booking Eventbrite.
A Hysterical Children’s Food Trail
12.00pm-2.00pm, Sat 15th Aug, Cork City Centre
Join Angela from Hysterical Histories for a fun and fascinating children’s food trail through Cork City Centre. Children can sample bite-size child-friendly local food as they wander through the city. They will also hear fun and interesting facts about food and history in Cork. This year’s new route will include Amicus, Urban Pantry, the English Market, and Tory Top Chocolates. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian, who can also book tastings if they wish.
€18 | Children’s Food Trail Bookings Eventbrite.
Family Cupcake Workshop
2.00pm–3.00pm, Sat 15th Aug, Urban Pantry at the Fifth Quarter
Join Sophie from Sophisticake for a fun, hands-on cake decorating workshop at Urban Pantry, a new café and events space at the Fifth Quarter (Paul St). Perfect for kids and adults to enjoy together, this experience is all about getting creative and making sweet memories. Each ticket includes entry for one parent and one child, a box of four cupcakes to decorate, all materials provided, plus coffee, hot chocolate, and tasty treats.
€40 (for 1 adult & 1 child) |Family Cupcake Workshop Bookings Eventbrite
The Cathedral 7th Century Picnic Experience
12.00pm–4.00pm, Sat 15th Aug, St. Fin Barre's Cathedral
Enjoy a relaxed afternoon in the historic grounds of St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, where Cork was founded in the 7th century, with this unique picnic experience. Pick up your picnic for two from Proby’s Kitchen, located just across the road, inspired by local produce found in this century. Don’t forget to bring your own picnic blanket. A live concert will also take place inside the cathedral from 2.00pm–3.00pm (entry by 1.55pm) as part of Heritage Open Day.
€45 for two | Cathedral Picnic Bookings
Farm to Fork Cookup and Guided Tour
2.00pm–4.00pm, Sat 15th Aug, Murphys Farm Community Garden (behind Bishoptown Tennis Club), T12VY10
All are welcome to Murphy's Farm’s Farm to Fork Cook-Up, featuring fresh vegetables straight from their garden. Guest Chef JJ from MTU will be cooking up a delicious stir-fry and vegetarian burgers on-site. Plus, enjoy a guided tour of their beautiful vegetable and flower gardens.
FREE. No booking required
Cork Historic Doughnut Tour
2.30pm–4.30pm, Sat 15th Aug, Meet at 25 Parnell Place, Cork City Centre (T12 VH29)
Explore Cork on a family-friendly walking tour combining tasty doughnut stops with local history and culture. Discover the city through its sweetest treats while getting insider tips on where to eat, drink, and visit.
€50 (adults) / €42 (kids) with “Cork Fork” 10% discount | Historic Doughnut Tour Bookings.
Cork Cultural Show & Pour Your Own Pint Experience
4.00pm–5.30pm or 6.00pm-7.30pm, Sat 15th Aug, JJ Walsh’s
Experience the best of Cork pub culture in this fun, interactive session at JJ Walsh’s. Join the cast of the Cork Cultural Show for a lively celebration of music, dance, and craic. Learn the art of pouring your own perfect pint of Murphy’s or Beamish, take part in an interactive Irish dance workshop, and enjoy live traditional performances in one of Cork’s most iconic venues. A relaxed, family-friendly celebration of authentic Cork culture. Juice included for children.
€25 for adults, €10 for kids | Cork Cultural Show Bookings Eventbrite.
SuperValu Family Zone
11.00am-5.00pm, Sat 15th & Sun 16th Aug, Bishop Lucey Park
Enjoy child-friendly bite-size food demos and hands-on workshops, meet some of Cork's small food producers and learn all about Cork food. Pet the animals from Rumleys Farm, dive into giant games and playful activities with Let’s Play Cork, enjoy free facepainting, and sample tasty treats from Glenilen. Little creatives can get stuck into arts and crafts, plant their own seeds to take home, and refuel at the free water station.
Little Foodies Tipi
Calling all mini makers and junior chefs.
- 11.00am: Storytelling with Cork City Library. The team at the Children and Young People’s Library invite you to dig into a delicious world of stories, all inspired by food! Young listeners can enjoy stories packed with flavours, fun, and imagination.
- 11.45am: Sausage making with O'Flynn Sausages. See how sausages are prepared, learn about the ingredients that go into them, and enjoy a fun demonstration from the experts.
- 12.30pm: Make seed bombs with Niamh Cawley, Community Gardener in the Glen. Get hands-on creating seed bombs to take home, while learning how simple planting projects can help brighten local spaces and support biodiversity.
- 1.15pm: Learn why bees matter and meet the bees with Hanna’s Bees. Find out how bees help pollinate the plants we rely on, hear fascinating facts about hive life, and get a closer look at these amazing insects with an experienced beekeeper.
- 2.00pm, 2.45pm, 3.30pm, 4.15pm:The Cool Food School Demos, where healthy eating meets fun and creativity! Children can participate in cooking workshops where they’ll have the chance to chop, mix, and taste their way to creating delicious and wholesome snacks.
Small Producers Pagoda with LEO Cork City
Meet local Cork food producers and enjoy tastings while discovering the stories behind small-scale food businesses.
Let’s Play Cork and Facepainting
Have lots of fun playing outdoor games with the Let’s Play Cork play leaders and enjoy free facepainting all day.
FREE | All welcome but limited capacity | No booking required | Parental supervision necessary.
Children’s Pasta-Making Demo
10.00am, Sun 16th Aug, Don Gregorio, Washington Street
Little chefs will discover how to create fresh, authentic Italian pasta from scratch in a fun, hands-on workshop. They’ll mix, knead, stretch and shape pasta before enjoying a delicious bowl at the end.
€20 | Kids Pasta Workshop Booking Eventbrite
Dough-n't Stop Believin'
11.00am,Sun 16th Aug, Epomeo Pizza, Princes Street
Watch the Epomeo Pizza team in action as they stretch, shape, and fire up their signature pizzas at speed, revealing the high-heat science and cold-ferment secrets behind their dough. Then get hands-on yourself, building and stretching your own pizza with expert guidance before it’s fired and ready to enjoy.
€25 | Dough-n't Stop Believin' Booking Epomeo Pizza
Grub Circus Takes Over St. Peter’s
11.00am–5.00pm, Sun 16th Aug, St. Peter’s
Joe McNamee’s Grub Circus brings its own brand of edible anarchy to St Peter’s, with a day-long programme of events featuring some of Cork’s finest food producers, makers and chefs. Events include: a Kids’ Cook-off, led by star chefs; The ‘Holy Trinity’ of Milleens, Durrus and Gubbeen, Ireland’s first farmhouse cheeses; Experience the taste of real bread from Cork-based baker-members of Real Bread Ireland; Natural wines; Cold Cuts, Cork’s top mixologists, shake their stuff; and choirmaster Patrick D’Alton leads the heavenly choirs. Includes free audience tastings and special guests.
Free | No booking required
The English Market Makers Demos & Tastings
12.00pm–2.00pm, Sun 16th Aug, English Market
An exclusive opening of the English Market for live demos, tastings, and stories from Cork’s iconic traders. Meet producers and enjoy demonstrations and samples from Sauer, Kay’s Kitchen, On the Hoof, Pie Guys, Uncles, and The Chicken Inn.
Free | No booking required