MORE THAN 100,000 people are expected to descend on the cities of Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway for a night of free cultural entertainment tomorrow.
Building on the success of last year's Dublin Culture Night, which had over 80,000 visitors, this year's event has been expanded to include Cork, Galway and Limerick, with a host of free activities taking place between 5pm and 10pm.
Among the venues taking part across the country are the National Museum of Ireland, Galway's St Nicholas Collegiate Church, Limerick city Museum, Limerick city Gallery of Art, the Nuns Island Art Centre in Galway and the Cork Opera House.
In Dublin, the Abbey Theatre is inviting people to "Do your own culture with Maeve Higgins". The comedian is hosting an evening of entertainment with guests such as RTÉ's Bryan Dobson, DJ Donal Dineen and The Irish Times' Frank McNally.
The Gate Theatre is presenting a conversation with David Walliams of Little Britain fame, while the Light House cinema will screen Chacun son cinéma. This film involves nearly three dozen film-makers who were asked to make three-minute long contributions to a collective work.
Among the events for children will be film-making workshops at Filmbase in Temple Bar, a comic book project at the Glucksman Gallery, acting classes at the Gaiety school of acting and puppet shows in Limerick's city library.
Culture vultures can take part in drawing demonstrations at the National Gallery, keyring making at the National Print Museum, guided tours by costumed characters at Dublinia and The Viking World and a free concert at the National Concert Hall.
If you're one of the many Dubliners who has never set eyes inside the debating chambers of the Dáil and Seanad, now is your chance as the gates of Leinster House will be opened for the evening. Tickets for the event can be reserved in advance through the Oireachtas Communications Unit (1 890 252 808) and are available on a first come first served basis on the evening.
Visitors will also be able to enjoy a stroll along Grafton Street, with a difference. Starting at 5pm outside Trinity College, three samba dancers will parade up Grafton Street in a festive whirl of glitz and colour, accompanied by five samba drummers, bringing the sights and sounds of Brazil to window-shopping in Dublin.
For those who fancy having a drawing of their childhood memories, artist Laura Fitzgerald will be on hand to draw people's memories as described to her at Dublin's Talbot Gallery and Studios, with copies of the drawings provided.
Or if you would rather create your own painting, join in Art Jam at the Curved Street Café in Temple Bar, where you will be able to paint your own masterpiece. Places are limited to 25, so booking is essential.
To book a place, e-mail: info@artjam.ie or visit www.artjam.ie for further information.
Poetry Ireland will host a drop-in open-mic poetry night, running from 6pm through to 11pm in the Unitarian Church on St Stephen's Green. Once you've signed up you can read your own poems/prose/political pamphlets for a maximum of 6-8 minutes.
In Cork, adults and children alike can meet the cast of Red Riding Hood at the Everyman Palace, take part in a word hunt at the Glucksman Gallery, see the stars at the Blackrock Cast Observatory and participate in screen printing at Cork Printmakers.
Also in the Glucksman, artist Fiona Dowling will screen famous trailers from films, with audience members invited to act out the dialogue to movie scenes, karaoke style. Don't worry though, no singing is involved.
Other events not to be missed in Cork are the innovative music walking tours which are being led by three Cork musicians, John Spillane, Camille O'Sullivan and Cara O'Sullivan and singing cycling tours with William Hammond, founder of the Cork Singers' Group.
The musical tours will take people to places in Cork that are most important to the musicians and which have influenced their music. Pre-booking of the music walking tours is essential though, so telephone 021 4924780 or e-mail: culturenight@corkcity.ie
The singing cycling tours will lead cyclists through the city, pausing at historical sites, and singing songs connected to events and buildings along the route, starting at 7pm outside the National Monument on the Grand Parade. Culture Night in Cork will also see transport with a twist. Visitors will be able to enjoy poetry as they travel to and from the various venues, with poets on board every bus.
Among the poets reciting their work will be Liz O'Donoghue, Billy Ramsell, Ian Wild and Leanne O'Sullivan. Event goers can either listen to the poets along the whole route, or hop on and off at the participating venues, catching some verse along the way.
In Limerick, cultural enthusiasts can walk the city walls, play bingo for art at the City Gallery, visit the Hunt Museum or enjoy traditional music at Conradh na Gaeilge in Thomas Street along with storytelling by Eddie Lenihan. In Galway, visitors can try their hand as an artist with free demonstrations and workshops at the Artspace Art collective, see Ireland's largest display of living marine and freshwater life at Galway Atlantaquaria and enjoy a Madhatter's Tea Party at the Bold Art Gallery.
See www.culturenight.ie