Brave the elements for some outdoor culture

SMALL PRINT:DESPITE THE constant threat and frequent reality of rain, the never-arriving heatwave, and occasionally very chilly temperatures, outdoor cultural activities are plentiful this summer.

You have to hand it to the organisers of such events, who place such faith in the sun and stay on top of the challenges of hosting a show outside. Some upcoming events include:

Opera in the OpenThere are two more performances remaining from this hugely successful series in the amphitheatre at Wood Quay in Dublin. The free lunchtime operas continue this Thursday with Dido Aeneas by Purcell and on Thursday 25th with The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart.

Romeo and Juliet UnpluggedTwo hours and 15 minutes of pure Shakespearean love, drama and tragedy with zero bells and whistles; no lighting, not much of a set and no mics. Testing the actors' presence and projection, this free performance runs nightly from tomorrow until Sunday at Iveagh Gardens, Dublin 2. Shows 7pm, and 3pm at the weekend.

Dublin ContemporaryIveagh Gardens will host an outdoor sculpture park during Dublin Contemporary, a large-scale art exhibition, from September 6th to October 31st.

Picture Book PicnicA great event for children held on September 4th in the People's Park in Dún Laoghaire sees illustrators and artists Kunak McGann, Chris Judge and Steve Simpson delve into the world of children's picturebooks.

Botanic Garden's Short StoriesOne of the best audio tours around, features stories and facts about everything from glasshouses to philosophy. You can take three different tours of the grounds in Glasnevin, Dublin, and are bound to learn plenty.