Bram Stoker Festival Dublin 2025

I can’t wait to tell you about Bram Stoker Festival Dublin 2025, happening from Friday 31 October to Monday 3 November. It’s four days and nights of dark delight, literary lore and immersive horror fans dream of.

Why Global Fans Flock to This Festival

I’m always asking: why does this festival draw crowds from around the world? It’s the perfect blend of Bram Stoker’s literary legacy, Victorian Dublin’s atmospheric architecture and a love for Gothic storytelling.

Rooted in Stoker’s heritage and inspired by his life in Dublin, the city becomes a stage for stories that feel alive.

What Exactly Is Bram Stoker Festival?

Bram Stoker Festival began in 2012 as a mostly literary event. Over the years it has expanded into one of Dublin’s most anticipated multi‑disciplinary arts festivals.

Now it features theatre, art, immersive experiences, talks, family events, music and more all tied to Stoker’s life, works and the Gothic aesthetic. It’s produced by Dublin City Council and Schweppe Curtis Nunn.

This festival isn’t just about Dracula. It explores Stoker’s upbringing in Victorian Dublin, his lesser‑known writings, Irish folklore, spiritualism and Gothic culture. That rich context gives the programme depth and keeps it fresh.

Dates & Format: Halloween Weekend, Reinvented

Confirmed Dates for 2025

The organisers emphasise: these sinister delights do not fall over the October bank‑holiday weekend this year, they run Halloween Night through early November.

How the Festival Is Structured

I love how the programming blends family‑friendly experiences with late‑night offerings for adults. You can just think about Victorian fun parks for kids and immersive theatre or fire spectacles for grown‑ups.

The events take place across iconic Dublin locations so you wander the city while soaking up the Gothic vibe. It feels like Dracula’s Dublin is very much alive.

Open Call & How to Participate

I want to highlight the Open Call launched for Bram Stoker Festival Dublin 2025. It kicked off on 31 January 2025 and ran until Monday 3 March at 6 pm.

Creators could email or submit proposals via the official form. Selected applicants were invited for interviews in early March.

The festival invited proposals strongly linked to Stoker’s life, works, Victorian Dublin, Gothic themes, the supernatural or Irish folklore.

Budgets up to €15,000 were available, but applicants needed to be “festival‑ready” meaning fully planned and executable.

Applicant Criteria & Timeline

• Themes must tie to Bram Stoker, his era, Gothic culture or Irish mythology.
• Proposals could include theatre, visual art, spoken word, workshops, food, site‑specific events and more.
• Events had to be ready to go by Halloween weekend.
• Funding up to €15k was offered per project. Public liability insurance had to be arranged.

What to Expect in the Event

Based on previous editions and official teasers, here’s what we can expect for 2025:

1. Stokerland – Victorian Fun for Families

Stokerland returns as a free, pop‑up Victorian fun park. With street theatre, a performance tent, face‑painting, and a market, it’s made for families. Children under 12 love it; parents get a bit of Gothic charm too.

2. Fire Shows at Dublin Castle

Prepare for Frank & McStein’s Monster Laboratory, a theatrical fire spectacle set in the atmospheric Dublin Castle courtyard. It’s one of the festival’s signature adult‑oriented attractions.

3. Spooky Stories at Marsh’s Library

Marsh’s Library hosts guided tours featuring ghost stories, skulls, witchcraft texts right where Bram Stoker first studied as a teenager. It’s free, family‑friendly, and deeply atmospheric.

4. Immersive Art & Workshops

Look for Maser’s “Eternal Night”, a maze‑like immersive art installation, mask‑making workshops at the National Museum, and ritual chant performances by Schola Hyberniae.

Venues & Locations In 2025

The festival changes Dublin into a living Gothic set. Here are some confirmed venues:

• Dublin Castle: Home to fire shows and light installations, and historically where Stoker worked.
• Marsh’s Library: Spine-chilling storytelling in the city’s oldest public library, where Stoker first visited at age 18.
• Trinity College, National Museums, secret crypt spaces and city streets all host events tied to Stoker’s connections to Dublin.

The festival spreads across these locations, making Dublin easily walkable for visitors. With public transport and accessible venues considered, it welcomes diverse audiences.

Important Highlights to Remember

Ticketing, Cost & Accessibility Advice

Buying tickets for Bram Stoker Festival Dublin 2025 opens in Autumn 2025 on the official site. Each event has its own ticket price generally €10 - €40 plus a €1 booking fee. Expect early sell‑outs.

No refunds or exchanges, sales are final. If an event is cancelled, they will refund the ticket and fee.

Accessibility matters: wheelchair-accessible tickets, ISL interpreted performances, and free companion tickets are available online. Most venues have accessible toilets, lifts, quiet rooms, and audio-loop systems.

Travel & Getting Around Dublin

Getting around Dublin during the festival is easy:

• Buy a Leap Card that works on Dublin Bus, LUAS trams, DART trains and saves you money. Taxis and ride‑shares like FreeNow or Uber are widely available.
• The festival zones are compact and walkable. Dublin is pedestrian‑friendly with flat routes between key venues. Cobblestones appear but public-access paths are marked.
• Prefer cycling? Dublinbikes has docking stations all over the city center.

Where to Eat, Drink & Stay Nearby

Where to Stay

Stay in central Dublin (Dublin 2, Dublin 8) for easy event access: zones like Temple Bar, Merrion Square, and Dublin Castle are ideal.

Recommended hotels include The Chancery Hotel near Castle and O’Callaghan Collection properties near culture districts. Hotels like Shelbourne, Merrion, Blooms Hotel and Sandymount have character and comfort. Booking early is advised.

Eat & Drink Suggestions

Dublin’s pub and food scene is legendary. Old‑school pubs such as The Long Hall, Palace Bar, Slattery’s, and O’Donoghue’s serve excellent Guinness and traditional vibes.

For food trends, try Rei Momo for fusion bites or Suertudo for Mexican‑style treats. Dining near Trinity College or Temple Bar gives you options ranging from Irish stew to tapas.

Conclusion

If you love Bram Stoker’s world, Gothic ambience, or immersive theatre you’ll find your match in Bram Stoker Festival Dublin 2025.

Four days of literary history, family fun in Stokerland, fireshows at Dublin Castle, eerie storytelling in Marsh’s Library, and city‑wide participation combine into an unforgettable spectacle.

I encourage you to sign up for the festival newsletter now, bookmark the official ticket pages, and plan your trip in advance. Whether it’s your first festival or your fifth, you’ll leave Dublin with chills, thrills, and stories to share for years.

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