# Things to Do in Dublin with Kids This Weekend \(Oct 16–18\)

Family days out in Dublin this weekend, Oct 16–18: 7 dated events, things to do with kids, family activities and kid-friendly restaurants. Updated Oct 17.

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This weekend in Dublin: Fri, Oct 16 – Sun, Oct 18, 2026 · 7 dated events

Updated: Oct 17, 2026

Family days out in Dublin, Ireland right now: kid-friendly events the whole family will like, restaurants that can handle a toddler, and weekend ideas that work around nap windows.

## Happening Today

Events and things to do tonight

### Matilda The Musical at Bord Gáis Energy Theatre
Catch the Saturday matinee in Grand Canal Dock — Tim Minchin's sharp, energetic musical staging is an ideal rainy afternoon escape for families and theatre lovers alike.
- Venue: Bord Gáis Energy Theatre
- Location: Grand Canal Dock, Dublin
- Date: 2026-10-17 2:30 PM
- Cost: $$$
- Best for: Families and theatre lovers
- Link: https://www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie/shows/matilda-the-musical/

### Arlo Parks: Desire Tour at The Academy
Mercury Prize-winner Arlo Parks brings poetic indie soul and warm brass melodies to Middle Abbey Street tonight.
- Venue: The Academy
- Location: North City Centre, Dublin
- Date: 2026-10-17 7:00 PM
- Cost: $$
- Best for: Live music fans
- Link: https://www.ticketmaster.ie/arlo-parks-desire-tour-dublin-17-10-2026/event/1800646381365BA4

### Declan O'Rourke Live at Vicar Street
One of Ireland's finest lyricists commands the legendary Liberties stage with intricate acoustic storytelling and full band arrangements.
- Venue: Vicar Street
- Location: The Liberties, Dublin
- Date: 2026-10-17 8:00 PM
- Cost: $$
- Best for: Irish folk enthusiasts
- Link: https://www.ticketmaster.ie/declan-orourke-dublin-17-10-2026/event/18006481EB0EC58C

## This Weekend in Dublin, Ireland

Weekend gigs, shows, and crisp autumn strolls

### Melanie C at 3Olympia Theatre
Sporty Spice takes the ornate stage on Dame Street on Sunday evening, delivering solo pop anthems and nostalgic favorites.
- Venue: 3Olympia Theatre
- Location: Dame Street, Dublin
- Date: 2026-10-18 7:00 PM
- Cost: $$$
- Best for: Pop music fans
- Link: https://www.3olympia.ie/whats-on/melanie-c

### The Mountain Goats at Vicar Street
John Darnielle brings his verbose, impassioned cult-classic indie folk repertoire to Dublin 8 for a Sunday night showcase.
- Venue: Vicar Street
- Location: The Liberties, Dublin
- Date: 2026-10-18 8:00 PM
- Cost: $$
- Best for: Indie rock devotees
- Link: https://www.ticketmaster.ie/the-mountain-goats-dublin-18-10-2026/event/1800635DE9F1DB8E

### Keith Barry: Unhinged at Gaiety Theatre
Mentalism, hypnosis, and sharp comedy collide at South King Street's historic Victorian theatre for his final tour run.
- Venue: Gaiety Theatre
- Location: South City Centre, Dublin
- Date: 2026-10-18 8:00 PM
- Cost: $$
- Best for: Comedy and mystery fans
- Link: https://www.ticketmaster.ie/keith-barry-unhinged-the-final-shows-dublin-18-10-2026/event/180064899D5FC03D

### Autumn Canopy Walk at St. Stephen's Green
Wrap up for a brisk mid-morning stroll past fiery copper beeches and the duck pond before warming up with flat whites across the road at Hatch & Sons.
- Location: St. Stephen's Green, Dublin
- Cost: $
- Best for: Morning walkers & couples
- Link: https://www.google.com/search?q=Autumn%20Canopy%20Walk%20at%20St.%20Stephen%27s%20Green%20St.%20Stephen%27s%20Green%2C%20Dublin

## Eat & Drink

Warm corners, seasonal bites, and buzz-worthy spots

### Peruvian Wood-Fired Feasts at Cantina Valentina
Tucked inside The Hoxton on Exchequer Street, this lively picantería turns out citrus-cured sea bass ceviche, anticuchos, and pisco sours against cozy terracotta tiles.
- Location: Exchequer Street, Dublin 2
- Cost: $$$
- Best for: Casual chic dinners
- Link: https://www.google.com/search?q=Peruvian%20Wood-Fired%20Feasts%20at%20Cantina%20Valentina%20Exchequer%20Street%2C%20Dublin%202

### Northern Thai BBQ & Smoked Ribs at Achara
From the team behind Crudo, this riverside kitchen fires up Irish produce with northern Thai funk — think glazed Leinster lamb ribs, chargrilled squid, and natural wines.
- Location: Aston Quay, Dublin 2
- Cost: $$
- Best for: Small groups & bold flavours
- Link: https://www.google.com/search?q=Northern%20Thai%20BBQ%20%26%20Smoked%20Ribs%20at%20Achara%20Aston%20Quay%2C%20Dublin%202

### Special Ham & Cheese Toasties at Grogan's Castle Lounge
On a blustery 50-degree afternoon, pull up a stool next to local artists, order a creamy pint of stout, and ask the barman for the legendary cheddar toastie with English mustard.
- Location: William Street South, Dublin 2
- Cost: $
- Best for: Authentic pub culture
- Link: https://www.google.com/search?q=Special%20Ham%20%26%20Cheese%20Toasties%20at%20Grogan%27s%20Castle%20Lounge%20William%20Street%20South%2C%20Dublin%202

## New & Notable

Fresh exhibits and what to book ahead

### Hilma af Klint: Artist and Visionary at National Gallery of Ireland
Opened this week in Rooms 6–10, Ireland's first major retrospective of the Swedish mystic and abstract trailblazer showcases large-scale spiritual canvases and rarely exhibited watercolours.
- Venue: National Gallery of Ireland
- Location: Merrion Square West, Dublin 2
- Date: 2026-10-17 9:15 AM - 5:30 PM
- Cost: $
- Best for: Art enthusiasts and history buffs
- Link: https://www.nationalgallery.ie/art-and-artists/exhibitions/hilma-af-klint-artist-and-visionary

### Bram Stoker Festival 2026 Bookings Open
Dublin's annual celebration of its homegrown Gothic master returns October 23–26; reserve the popular torchlit walking tours and cathedral spectacles before they sell out.
- Location: Citywide, Dublin
- Cost: $$
- Best for: Gothic literature lovers and night owls
- Link: https://www.google.com/search?q=Bram%20Stoker%20Festival%202026%20Bookings%20Open%20Citywide%2C%20Dublin

## Quick Escape

Mini-trips within two hours of Dublin

### Glendalough & The Sally Gap Autumn Drive
Drive 60 minutes south into County Wicklow where rusty bracken coats the hills. Walk the sheltered Lower Lake trail by the 6th-century monastic round tower, then thaw out by the fire at The Wicklow Heather in Laragh.
- Location: Glendalough, Co. Wicklow \(1 hr drive\)
- Cost: $$
- Best for: Hikers and weekend road-trippers
- Link: https://www.google.com/search?q=Glendalough%20%26%20The%20Sally%20Gap%20Autumn%20Drive%20Glendalough%2C%20Co.%20Wicklow%20(1%20hr%20drive)

### Boyne Valley Ancient Trail to Medieval Carlingford
Head an hour north along the M1 into County Meath and Louth. Explore Newgrange's prehistoric stone passages before continuing to Carlingford Lough for coastal chowder and cobble-lined medieval lanes.
- Location: Boyne Valley & Carlingford, Co. Louth \(1.25 hr drive\)
- Cost: $$
- Best for: History fans and coastal explorers
- Link: https://www.google.com/search?q=Boyne%20Valley%20Ancient%20Trail%20to%20Medieval%20Carlingford%20Boyne%20Valley%20%26%20Carlingford%2C%20Co.%20Louth%20(1.25%20hr%20drive)

## Ready-made Dublin, Ireland itineraries

- [A Romantic 3-Day Dublin Weekend for Couples](https://wonderkit.app/itineraries/dublin-ireland/3-day-weekend-for-couples)
- [All Dublin, Ireland itineraries](https://wonderkit.app/itineraries/dublin-ireland)

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