Twinkletown Christmas festival takes in €12 million for local Dublin economy
Dublin’s first ever Christmas festival generated €12 million for the local economy.The ‘Twinkletown’ Christmas festival held in Smithfield over the festive season saw approximately 600,000 visitors enjoying a variety of family-friendly programming. With feedback figures revealing an 85% satisfaction rate, Dublin City Council said this “exceeds typical benchmarks for large-scale public gatherings.”Held in Smithfield Square, the festival featured a Christmas Market, food and drink stalls, an ice-rink and the Santo Panto live show. With 25,000 tickets sold to original production filled with North Pole wonder, the €5 price point removed financial barriers for families who might not otherwise be able to enjoy a traditional pantomime show.Lord Mayor Ray McAdam described Twinkletown as a major success not only for Dublin but “for families, for the city centre, and for local businesses.” He stressed the €12 million earnings highlight “what’s possible when we invest in inclusive, high-quality placemaking.”“The €5 ‘Santo Panto’ and the accessibility-first approach helped ensure this was a festival for everyone. My thanks to the council teams, partners and traders, and to the thousands who came to Smithfield and made Twinkletown truly magical,” he said.Twinkletown aligns well with the council’s strategic objectives around placemaking, cultural activation, and enhancing economic vitality for the city centre. As a pilot event that the council has praised as a "resounding success,” they offer their thanks to the “many thousands of people who turned up to experience the Twinkle!”Events like the Spiegeltent take over also ensured Dublin was filled with festive energy last December as the Hugh Lane Gallery celebrated an after hours evening programme complete with live music and Christmas crafting. This included Christmas wreath-making, a mosaic workshop, and sustainable Christmas crafting with The Useless Project.Those looking for extra excitement were also able to enjoy a vintage fairground filled with different rides, including a gentle Ferris wheel that overlooked Smithfield Square.This content is funded by the Local Democracy Reporting SchemeJoin our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice .For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage .
