Once again Cork City will be brought to life by the independent festival, River Runs Round, as they announce their dates for 2025. The festival was founded by local musician Matthew Xavier Corrigan, in collaboration with Peter O’Sullivan, in 2023. The idea came to them on a flight to London, partially inspired from Matthew’s previous work with Quiet Lights Festival and Another Love Story. As they chatted about their ambitions and scribbled notes, River Runs Round was born.

Although the festival mainly showcases music, it has also hosted visual artists and talks from industry professionals. Other creative ventures that have been platformed by River Runs Round include theatre and literature.

The Festival utilises a range of venues in the city, including Plugd, St.Peter’s, Coughlan’s, Maureen’s, and Dali. It is known for its commitment to platforming artists at different stages of their professional careers. The festival has grown every year, but so far the creators are keeping their goals for 2025 under wraps.

Last year, a stand-out performance came from Cork musician Actual Acid. He performed a DJ set under the project name ArtHouse VanHouten at a sold out show in Pulgd. Another memorable moment came during a song circle hosted by the festival in Maureen’s: Arthur Valentine, a musician known for his unique production and blending of bedroom-pop and R&B, made an appearance to share a stripped back acoustic version of an upcoming song release.

Other past festival highlights included a sold-out performance by Rita Linn, a multi-disciplinary show by Immanuel Sola, and a live conversation about the future of music journalism between Fourth Best magazine’s founder Colm Cahalane and reporter Dylan Murphy (of District Magazine and Mabfield.

The 3rd iteration of the festival will take place across two weekends in October 2025, on the 10th-12th, and the 18th-19th. The program will be announced soon and tickets will be available to purchase from their website, be sure not to miss it!