Arrive early. It's the single easiest way to avoid long queues and see the headline show gardens before the site fills. The 20th Bord Bia Bloom opens today, Thursday 28 May, and runs through the June Bank Holiday to Monday 1 June across 70 acres (28 hectares). Expect show gardens, cookery stages and family activities; pick the few things that matter and plan routes to the Chesterfield Avenue front entrance or the rear gates to avoid wasted time.
Arrive early and you will avoid long queues and have the best chance of seeing the headline show gardens before the site fills up, organisers say. The festival gates open daily at 9am and close at 6pm, but the shuttle bus loop between Parkgate Street and Bloom runs from 7am to 7pm for those who prefer not to walk. If you plan to arrive on foot, allow 45 minutes from Parkgate Street to the front entrance on Chesterfield Avenue, 25 minutes from the Castleknock gate, or about 10 minutes from the Ashtown or Cabra gates to the rear entrance.
What to expect on site
Bloom covers a broad programme across those 70 acres. There are 20 show gardens, including a sculptural garden created to mark the festival's 20th anniversary and a garden celebrating 90 years of Met Éireann. Themes recur across the displays: biodiversity, climate action, mental health, wellbeing and the circular economy. One eye-catching draw for television viewers is the Super Garden winner, which is being kept under wraps until the final airs on RTÉ One on Thursday night; that winning garden will then be placed among the show gardens.
RTÉ has a presence on site with a tent hosting live music and shows, and Bloom Live will be shown on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player with presenters from RTÉ Radio 1 and RTÉ lyric fm. Food is central to the Bloom experience: more than 100 artisan food and drink producers will trade across the site, supported by over 50 food trucks, three outdoor catering areas and three indoor restaurants.
For seated dining there's the Garden View "Taste of Bloom" three-course menu curated by chef Neven Maguire, priced at €85 and available through Ticketmaster. The Dunnes Stores Quality Kitchen Stage and other cookery areas host live demonstrations by Irish chefs including Neven Maguire, Rory O'Connell, Donal Skehan, Eva Pau, Catherine Fulvio, Shane Smith, Aisling Larkin, Edward Hayden and Brian McDermott. Beside the picnic area, Meagher's 360° Wellness Village will convene talks and panel discussions on food, nutrition and health.
Practical tips and family planning
If you want practical advice for your own garden, Bloom has a heavy instructional strand. The Garden Stage features designers and horticulturists such as Diarmuid Gavin and Adam Frost. There are three Ask the Expert clinics, a Botanical Hub demo space with interactive workshops, and opportunities for personalised advice from garden designers and tree specialists.
Smaller-space gardeners can pick up ideas at the creative balcony displays, and there are show gardens focused on organic farming and food community-building, including a Marks & Spencer-designed garden called Where Trust Takes Root and a Bord Bia and Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine garden demonstrating organic practices.
Families will find the Budding Bloomers children's area stocked with activities including planting patches, willow weaving, science-based hands-on sessions, story time and biodiversity workshops. There are lighter attractions too, such as a Minions garden and community-driven Postcard Gardens that tell local stories, for example a GAA club garden built around social connection. Some children’s activities require booking, so book any ticketed events in advance where possible and factor in shade, water and resting stops between garden walks and the food areas.
Tickets are sold through the festival website and on Ticketmaster. Prices start at €35 for adults and €30 for concessions, plus booking fees. Two children aged 16 and under are admitted free with each adult ticket; extra child tickets cost €5 plus fees. Given the scale of the site and the headline draws, prioritise the few things you most want to see and book seats for popular cookery demos or the Garden View meal in advance if you want them.
Plan your time around announced demonstrations and clinics. If you want expert help, bring photos and quick measurements to consultations to make the most of short advice sessions.
If cookery demos matter, secure a seat early. And if show gardens are your priority, head to them first thing. For families, split the day between a garden block and a food block with clear rest stops in between.
Look, bloom will also host a number of public figures across the weekend. The festival will be officially opened on Thursday morning by the President of Ireland, Bloom Patron Catherine Connolly, and An Taoiseach is scheduled to attend on Friday. There are scheduled celebrity chef appearances and plenty of live programming across stages and tents throughout the day.
Finally, expect crowds and allow some slack in your day. Even with careful planning, popular routes and stages fill quickly. The shuttle bus loop can be useful for weary legs, and the range of catering options means you can stagger meal times to avoid peak queues at the indoor restaurants and the main outdoor catering areas.
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The Super Garden winner is revealed on RTÉ One on Thursday night; it will be on display among the show gardens thereafter. Bloom remains open until 6pm on Monday 1 June. Originally reported by RTÉ.
This article was created with AI assistance.
