A CHOCOLATE Carnival, Wife Carrying Championships and a maritime film festival form part of this weekend's events.
Dublin's first Chocolate Festival in Temple Bar features free events, including a chocolate carnival and a chocolate fair at Meeting House Square tomorrow from noon to 4pm, which will allow visitors to sample handmade chocolate from Ireland's largest gathering of chocolate artisans.
For those looking for a laugh, the Carlsberg Comedy Carnival is taking place in Dublin's Iveagh Gardens and will play host to over 65 international and Irish acts, including Des Bishop, Ardal O'Hanlon, Jason Byrne, PJ Gallagher, David O'Doherty, Maeve Higgins and Après Match.
Ireland's first Wife Carrying Championships take place today as part of the Sneem Family Festival in Co Kerry. The winners will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Finland to represent Ireland in the 2009 World Championships.
Ireland's only film festival dedicated to the screening of maritime films begins today on Tory Island in Co Donegal. The festival will see the screening of more than 30 international maritime films.
The town of Skibbereen in west Cork will again open its Showgrounds to the eclectic music festival Cork X Southwest. Today's line-up will feature acts including Cathy Davey, Jape, John Spillane, Roesy and Preston Reed.
The culmination of the Cork Cycling Arts Festival will take place this weekend, with cycling workshops today, and a cycling picnic tomorrow.
Set dancing workshops, sculpture competitions and photography exhibitions will form part of Féile Lughnasa at Cloghane and Brandon on the Dingle Peninsula in Co Kerry.