2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Galway International Arts Festival 2025: Everything you need to know about its stunning street spectacle
The free event promises to make the city's streets come to life across the two evenings. Here is everything you need to know about one of the festival's most impressive spectacles.
Date, time, and where to watch
The Street Spectacle will spill onto Galway's streets for one performance on Friday, July 18 from 9.30pm and two further showings on Saturday, July 19 at 6pm and 9.30pm.
The hour-long spectacle will travel from Eyre Square down William Street, Shop Street, Mainguard Street and Bridge Street to Dominick Street Lower and Raven Terrace.
What you can see
This year's spectacle is brought to Galway by parade specialists Planète Vapeur and is called Microcosmos - les Insectes Fantastiques directed by Pierre Povigna, Planète Vapeur.
Directed by France's Pierre Povigna, the show will feature giant colourful recreations of insects complemented by performers.
Among those on show will be a twelve-metre grasshopper with dazzling eyes and mix of stilt-walkers, musicians and acrobats on its back, as well as a water-spitting, twirling, and disoriented spider.
Disruptions are expected
An Garda Síochána have encouraged those attending to arrive early and if an area is crowded, to find an alternative viewing spot along the route.
Some traffic disruption and parking restrictions are expected around Eyre Square, Eglinton Street, Bridge Street, Dominick Street Lower and neighbouring streets on both evenings.
Other street events
Galway's streets will also welcome other visual art exhibitions and street spectacles for the remainder of the GIAF.
Guru Dudu presents their Silent Disco walking tours, featuring a mix of music hits from the late 20th century and commentary from the tour guide to create a flash mob atmosphere.
Renowned Scottish artist David Mach returns to the GIAF with his new site-specific installation Burning Down the House. The exhibition addresses climate change and extends his impressive legacy at the festival.
