Macnas Parade
This year’s parade will take place on a new route in Dublin’s North East inner city.
- Sunday 02 November 7:00pm
- Around Mountjoy Square
family-friendly
free
spectacle
This year’s parade will take place on a new route in Dublin’s North East inner city.
Part ecological fable, part dreamscape, part rebellion.
World-renowned spectacle makers Macnas return to Dublin’s streets with another magical and unforgettable parade: An Treun – The Summoning of the Lost, a brand-new procession weaving through the North Inner City on a new route, passing beneath the city’s elegant Georgian facades as dusk descends on Hallowe’en Weekend.
Inspired by Gibbet Hill, the long-lost tale by Dracula author Bram Stoker, unearthed in the National Library of Ireland and presented at last year’s festival, this spellbinding new work channels Macnas’ signature blend of storytelling, live music, giant puppetry and otherworldly magic.
From the forgotten pages of Bram Stoker’s imagination and the vanished song of the Corncrake, a force awakens. At its heart is the ghostly call of the corncrake: once the soundtrack of Irish summers, now a vanished voice from our fields. Stirred by this lost sound, An Treun awakens: a shapeshifter, a memory, a force.
Directed by Louise Lowe and designed by Owen Boss, the visionary team behind ANU Productions, this incredible new parade explores how our culture, memory and climate intertwine and asks what it means to hold on to what we’re losing.
Join us along the new route for this free, open-air procession where myth and memory rise to walk the streets once more.
For the first time, Macnas, in collaboration with the NEIC (Dublin City Council’s North East Inner City Initiative), will work with a group of 16 young community members from the NEIC who will be trained by Macnas to perform at their parades in Galway and Dublin.
This year’s parade takes place on a new route in Dublin’s North Inner City:
Great Denmark Street, Gardiner Place, Mountjoy Square, Gardiner Street and Seán MacDermott Street.
This year’s Macnas Parade at Dublin City Council Bram Stoker Festival is dedicated to the memory of Marcus Costello, who served as the festival’s Production Manager from 2015 to 2025.
| New Parade Route | This year's parade will take place in Dublin's North Inner City. Parade Route: Great Denmark Street, Gardiner Place, Mountjoy Square, Gardiner Street and Seán McDermott Street. At the Parade, please follow the instructions of An Garda Síochána and event security staff. |
|---|---|
| Gather Time | 6.45pm. Please do not arrive any earlier. |
| Parade Start Time | 7.00pm |
| Duration | The full parade typically takes 15-20 minutes to pass any particular spot on the route. |
| Age Suitability | All ages. |
| Warnings | This is an outdoor event. Please dress appropriately. |
| Accessibility | Designated accessible viewing areas are available only to people who have pre-booked a space. These areas are open to wheelchair users and people who identify as neurodiverse, people on the autistic spectrum, people with sensory and communication disorders, ADHD, ADD, tourettes or with learning disabilities as well as their family or friends. Details on how to book one of these very limited spaces will be made public on October 15th on this page. More info |
Accessibility Information
Accessibility Along The Parade Route
This is a free, non-ticketed event and spectators can come and go as they please to enjoy the Macnas Parade from Great Denmark Street, Gardiner Place, Gardiner Street, Sean McDermott Street and Mountjoy Square West.
Some of the pathways in this area may be uneven, particularly around Great Denmark Street.
The majority of Gardiner Street is on a downward hill, with flatter access routes coming in from Gardiner Place, Grenville Street and Sean McDermott Street.
The gather time for the Parade is 6.45pm.
If you have additional or accessibility requirements, we advise you not to arrive any earlier.
The Parade Environment
The Macnas Parade weaves its way along the route, with traffic closed off on the route. This is expected to be a very busy event with crowds gathering before the parade begins.
Designated accessible viewing areas are available only to people who have pre-booked a space. Details on how to book one of these very limited spaces will be made public on October 15th on this page.
People with mobility requirements can also enjoy the parade from Gardiner Place, Grenville Street and Sean McDermott Street as they have flatter and smoother pavements.
Accessible Bathroom / WC
No toilets will be provided in the area for the parade.
Lighting & Special Effects
Some atmospheric lighting will be used during the parade, including smoke machines as well as water and fire effects. There will also be soft lighting that looks a little like fire or water, but there will be no flashing or strobe lights. Some effects will look like sparks flying, but they will not be loud.
A smoke bubble machine will also be used at the end of the parade.
Sound
Most of the floats in the parade will have speakers that play music with deep, low sounds that can be felt as well as heard. The music will be consistent in beat and volume. A small group of musicians will be playing gentle wooden instruments called guiros, which make a soft, scraping sound. Audience members with noise sensitivities are encouraged to bring their own headphones/ear defenders to help them enjoy their visit.
Quieter Areas
Performers will relax their movements around the appointed accessible areas. These spaces are free and they will only be available to those who have pre-booked. Details on how to book one of these very limited spaces will be made public on October 15th on this page.
These areas are open to wheelchair users and people who identify as neurodiverse, people on the autistic spectrum, people with sensory and communication disorders, ADHD, ADD, tourettes or with learning disabilities.
Bar
No food or drink will be served at this event.
Seating
Seating will not be provided along the route or at designated accessibility areas.
Performance Space
The performers will make their way along the parade route by using the main roads as their performance space.
Ticketing
The Macnas Parade requires no tickets. We expect large crowds at this parade.
Designated accessible viewing areas are available only to people who have pre-booked a space. Details on how to book one of these very limited spaces will be made public on October 15th on this page.
These areas are open to wheelchair users and people who identify as neurodiverse, people on the autistic spectrum, people with sensory and communication disorders, ADHD, ADD, tourettes or with learning disabilities.
Arrival & Transport to Parade
Please note that traffic will be diverted on some roads to accommodate the Macnas Parade, but pedestrians can access the route from any direction. Event security staff will be available to answer any questions about the route.
The closest Luas stops are on Parnell Street (400m walk) on the Green Line, and Abbey Street on the Red Line (900m walk).
A number of Dublin Bus routes serve this area, but some routes may face disruption as roads will be closed to traffic for the parade. The closest Dublin Bus route stops are:
Stop 2, Parnell Square West, Northbound: 38, 38a, 38b
Stop 3, Parnell Square West, Northbound: 120, 122
Stop 4, Parnell Square West, Northbound: 7, 7a, 7b, 7d, 7e, 9
Stop 7, Parnell Square West, Northbound: 13, 40, 40b, 40d, 140
Stop 8, Parnell Square West, Northbound: 16
Stop 10, Parnell Square West, Northbound: 1, 11, 11b, 44
Stop 261, Parnell Square East, Southbound: 11, 11b, 13, 40, 116
Stop 262, Parnell Square East, Southbound: 16
Stop 263, Parnell Square East, Southbound: 9, 120, 122
Stop 264, Parnell Square East, Southbound: 19, 140, E1, E2
Stop 265, Parnell Square East, Southbound: 1, 38, 38a, 38b, 44
Stop 6071, Parnell Street, Eastbound: 40b, 40d, 120
Stop 6004, Parnell Street, Westbound: 40b, 40d, 120
If travelling by DART, the nearest stations are Tara Street and Connolly. Both are approximately 1.5km away.
The nearest accessible on-street parking is available on Parnell Square North, Mountjoy Square East, Hill Street and Temple Street North. Please note that these areas will be busy.