Between all the TV channel surfing, face stuffing and reconnecting with family and friends, get out to celebrate the festivities with some of Galway’s best events and gigs. To help keep you happy and sane over your days off, find our guide to what to do over the Christmas break below…
Since Christmas & New Year’s Day fall on a Thursday this year, we’ve got two weekend guides rolled into one in order to give you the ultimate compilation of all there is to do in Galway over Christmas. Happy Holidays, folks!
above: COPE Galway Christmas Day Swim
1. Brave the cold with your community and spread Christmas cheer at the annual Christmas Day Swim by Blackrock Diving Tower. A highlight of the festive season for many, the swim has become a tradition for many families across the country, giving crowds reason to come together in merriment while helping to raise vital funds for COPE Galway. A chilly and cheerful way to begin Christmas morning registration is now available here.
2. Midway between Christmas and New Year’s Day, St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church is hosting two phenomenal candlelight performances by the Contempo String Quartet. At 7pm, you and loved ones can enjoy a dazzling soundtrack of Christmas Classics, such as Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas is You, Wham!’s Last Christmas, Carol of the Bells, O Holy Night, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky and so much more. At 9pm it’s time for Christmas Movie Soundtracks with favourites such as Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas from Meet Me in St. Louis, You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch from How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, Believe from The Polar Express and many many more.
3. Run, jog or walk the Fields of Athenry 10km annual road race on St Stephen’s Day. Starting at 11am, this festive run is a great way to work off all the Christmas dinner from the day before, while simultaneously working up your appetite for leftovers. As well as the 10km main event, there is also a 1km kids race, so the whole family can take part in this fun festive community event. Registration available here.
4. Trade TV for front row seats at Dexcom Stadium and catch Connacht Rugby taking on Ulster Rugby on December 27th. With that unmistakable winter matchday buzz, this game promises to be an unforgettable festive fixture. So, wrap up warm, gather your friends and family, and come along to soak up the Christmas cheer as you enjoy every high and low of the action with fellow supporters. Tickets available here. (now sold out).
above: Connacht Rugby
5. Bring the kids out for a family-friendly adventure through fairyland at Renmore Pantomime Society’s new show ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’. With performances showing daily from December 29th, join Jack, his mother Mrs. Wiggles and their friends Little Boy Blue and Mary Mary, as they hatch a daring plan to save Fairyland from a fearsome Giant. With lots of sparkle from Fairy Flowers, and mischief from Milky Moo the cow along the way, this is a festive show that all ages will enjoy. Tickets available here.
6. Get out of the house for some fresh air and exercise and Stroll to the Stout. December 30th, will be their final tour of 2025 and you’re invited! It’s free and fun and the perfect way to spend time with family and friends over the holiday period. This is a relaxed one-hour walking tour through the heart of Galway, filled with stories, humour, and genuine Irish hospitality. The tour ends in a small, family-run pub where you’ll learn the craft of pouring your own pint of Guinness and leave with a Polaroid keepsake to remember the moment. Reserve your place on this tour here.
7. Break up the feasting, TV watching and pyjama wearing by hitting the dance floor at Electric on December 27th. Get ready to deck the dancefloor, sleigh the night away, and celebrate the season with beats, lights, and festive fun all night! Tickets available here.
8. If you have family returning to Galway for Christmas Day, or simply want to take a bit of time for yourself amongst the chaos of the Christmas period, on Christmas Eve St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church will be hosting their annual Carols Around the Christmas Tree from 4-5pm. A perfect start to your Christmas celebrations this free event allows you to slow down, reconnect with others and enjoy the sounds of Christmas carols in a cosy candlelit setting.
9. Attend the Sunflower Project Gala. Bring a date, bring a pal, or just bring yourself, either way a good time is guaranteed! Hosted by the charming Sioban Kelleher, organiser of The Sunflower Project, a fundraiser in aid of eating disorder recovery. For the Gala she’s planned a night filled with music, drinks, dancing, and light refreshments in celebration and gratitude for all those who've supported The Sunflower Project over the last year. Cocktail attire encouraged. Tickets available here.
10. Silent Cinema Galway are wrapping up their exceptional 2025 program with a unique twist; an adult-only ‘The Roaring Twenties Show’! The evening will feature screenings of some of the earliest adult-only films, thrilling stage performances, and an afterparty that will be unlike anything Galway has ever experienced. Tickets available here.
11. Christmas is the time of year to catch up and reconnect with loved ones and sometimes the best place for that is over a few winter warmers in your local boozer. Galway city and county are full of amazing bars, pubs, and wine bars that will be spreading cheer throughout the Christmas break so make sure you call in and share in the well wishes and buy a round in for your friends (and the bartender). The 12 pubs of Christmas anyone? Here's where to buy a round this Christmas.
above: Tigín
12. The year is almost at an end so what could be a better finale to 2025 than by hitting one of Galway’s best dance floors and dancing through the night with your nearest and dearest. It has been said that if you haven't boogied, shifted or completely lost the run of yourself on a Galway dance floor then you haven't really experienced a night out in Galway! Check out our top picks on where to go dancing in Galway and we hope to see you under the disco ball.
13. Visit the Galway Christmas Market on Eyre Square this Twixmas (December 26th-31st) for a programme of free family-friendly activities, including workshops, facepainting, kids’ discos, circus shows and more. A perfect easy-going activity for families, together you can stroll through the city at twilight, enjoy Galway’s sparkling festive lights, and make the most of each others’ company while exploring local shops, cafés and restaurants. More information here.
14. Come along for a cosy evening in the pub, with three acclaimed songwriters; Vincent Cross, Tom Portman, and Tracy Bruen. Blending folk, Americana, and contemporary Irish songwriting, this special showcase invites audiences into the creative heart of each artist, where melody meets meaning. Taking place on December 30th, Writers in the Round is going to be an intimate evening of songs and stories in Monroe’s Backstage. Tickets available here.
15. If you’ve got one last hurrah in you, then you need to book your seats at Hyde’s 2025 Rewind Disco Brunch. For the occasion they are taking the year’s biggest hits and turning them into the ultimate send-off soundtrack. As you boogie to the music, you’ll enjoy a delicious main course brunch paired with two irresistible handcrafted cocktails. So, come along, raise a glass to the memories, dance to the hits and send off 2025 in style! Tickets available here.
above: HYDE Bar
16. Get ready for the countdown to a brand new year!! You deserve to enjoy a fantastic end to 2025, so this New Year’s Eve join in the celebrations and welcome 2026 in with your friends and family. From bottles of bubbly, festive cocktails and delicious party foods to watching firework displays and dancing your way into a new year and new you, stay tuned for the full list of our picks on where to ring in the New Year in Galway.
17. Begin 2026 with a 5km run! Is there a better way to start a new year than by surrounding yourself with friends, your family, and neighbours and taking part in a 5k social run. Whether you are planning to prioritise fitness in the new year, or simply want to get out of the house and enjoy some company on January 1st, the Resolution Run is a superb way to start the year. Registration available here.
18. Deciding on 2026 year goals is no easy task -join a gym, join a club, give up the drink, start journaling, go for more walks, start sea-swimming, spend less time on social media.. These are just some of the many challenges that we set for ourselves each year, now whether you actually manage to complete any is really besides the point (don’t they say it’s the thought that counts anyway?) And sure who doesn’t love a trier? …Good luck!
above: Goals Gym
