‘Hive of activity' – Bord Bia Bloom 2025: Everything you need to know about the festival

Irish Independent

a day ago

A five-day festival of flowers, food and family fun kicks off on Thursday.
Head of Bord Bia Bloom and brand partnerships, Laura Douglas, said there is 'no other festival like Bloom in Ireland'.
'It's a five-day celebration of gardening, food and sustainable living in the unique setting of the Phoenix Park,' Ms Douglas said. 'It's going to be a hive of activity.'
Around 100,000 visitors are expected to attend the festival over the next five days.
"This is our 19th year, so the Bloom has grown from 2007 with 36,000 visitors to a 70-acre site with 100,000 visitors,' she added.
Here's everything you need to know about Ireland's largest gardening festival.
Where is Bord Bia Bloom?
The Bord Bia Bloom festival takes place at the Phoenix Park in Dublin.
It is held on a 70-acre site surrounding the Visitor Centre in the park.
When does Bloom take place, and what time does it start?
The Bloom lasts for five days over the June Bank Holiday weekend, opening at 9am and closing at 6pm each day.
Starting on Thursday, May 29, it will last until Monday, June 2.
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How to get to Bloom?
A free shuttle bus service operates from Parkgate Street to Bloom and back from 7am to 7pm daily.
The organisers also said there is an increased number of free shuttle buses each day this year.
If you arrive by train or the Luas Red Line at Heuston Station, Parkgate Street stop is just a five-minute walk away.
The bus will drop you off at a designated Bloom stop on Chesterfield Avenue.
If you plan on driving to Bord Bia Bloom, parking can be booked in advance via Ticketmaster with your entry ticket. A full day costs €10.
You can also take the 99 bus route and get off at Áras an Uachtaráin bus stop.
Those wishing to hop on a bike can cycle right up to the festival entrances and safely park there.
The Bloom is also easily accessible on foot.
The festival's map is available on the event's website.
What's on?
H ead of Bloom, Laura Douglas, said there are many things you can do at the festival.
'We have over 300 talks, demos, interactive workshops and performances across six main stages and five demo stages,' she said.
'So lots to see in terms of gardening, food, sustainable living, kids area, entertainment,' she added.
There are 21 show gardens and feature gardens in the line-up this year, with themes such as innovative designs, environmental awareness, and prioritising health and well-being.
Ms Douglas said: 'The show gardens are always the jewel in the crown, so I always advise people: 'Do come to the show gardens'.'
"We have 21 stunning show gardens and they're great for demonstrating how we can nurture wildlife, enhance biodiversity, and protect the environment.
'The postcard gardens are incredible as well. We've got 11 postcard gardens created by community groups all over the country.
'It's all great features but the show gardens are definitely not to be missed,' she added.
The Pink Lady Balcony, designed by Cornelia Raftery, is a sustainable, bee-friendly balcony garden, which features an exhibition beehive, to highlight the role of pollinating insects.
Ms Raftery said the balcony is based on 'biodiversity and planting suitable for bees and pollinators'.
The European Commission's 'Renewed Blooms' Garden was designed by David Negus from Suffolk, England.
'The garden represents Circular Economy principles, so it's all the big R's, like repair, recycle, renew. But the main takeaway we're trying to establish is that the circular economy isn't just about recycling.
'It is about design as well, so it's sort of planning for the future. I've tried to integrate recycling as well as new materials or forward-thinking materials in terms of sustainability.
"A lot of these materials came from talking to tradesmen, plumbers, scaffolders, builders, because they all have materials left over from jobs,' he said.
There is also a nursery village with exhibits from 17 nurseries and floral artists, and a selection of plants you can buy.
Many musical performances and cookery demonstrations have been planned, and you can hear from leading horticulturalists, conservationists and environmentalists at the Sustainable Living Stage and the Conservation Area.
Children can enjoy the Budding Bloomers Kids' Zone at Bloom, with 50 performances and activities waiting for them.
The full listing of events is available to view on the website here.
What about the kids?
There should be plenty to keep younger gardeners entertained.
For example children might spot Toothless among the plants in How To Train Your Dragon garden, which celebrates the live-action movie coming to Irish cinemas on June 9.
Designed by Tünde Perry and Barry Kavanagh, the garden reflects the natural landscapes of Northern Ireland, where this live-action film was made.
Ms Perry told the Irish Independent: 'We created a beautiful woodland area with a wetland base, using lots of Irish native plants like the oak, the Scotch pine, the larches, and very nice wetland plants also, like the bog myrtle, the royal fern.'
'It was also very helpful to mimic what's gonna be in the movie and what was in the cartoon before. The scene when Hiccup finds Toothless is also a very nice flat area arriving from the woodland beside the lake.
"Hiccup is walking between big pines as well, and birches and oaks and big boulders, giant ferns. And this is what you can find here in Ireland. Just step outside Dublin or your doorstep,' she added.
Do I need a ticket to enter the festival?
Yes, you need a ticket to enter Bloom 2025.
Tickets are available for each day via Ticketmaster, along with car park tickets.
How much are the tickets to Bord Bia Bloom 2025?
Tickets to the festival cost €30 for an adult.
Concession tickets are available for €25 for senior citizens aged 66 and over, as well as students.
Up to two children aged 16 and under can go in for free with each adult ticket, while tickets for any additional children cost €5.
Where can I eat at Bord Bia Bloom 2025?
The Garden View Restaurant, the Seafood Terrace and County Crest Restaurant are open, while there are also plenty of food trucks available around the site.
More than 100 food and drink companies can be found across the Bloom Inn and Food Village, which features the Food Hall marquee.