Dublin in August. The Weeknd, College Football and How to Make a Weekend of It.

Dublin in August. The Weeknd, College Football and How to Make a Weekend of It.

Dublin in late August 2026 is not the city you expect. The summer is still warm, the evenings are long, and within the space of eight days the city hosts two of the biggest events on the Irish calendar. The Weeknd brings his record-breaking After Hours Til Dawn Stadium Tour to Croke Park for two sold-out nights on 22nd and 23rd August, with Playboi Carti as special guest. Then on 29th August, American college football returns to Dublin as TCU take on UNC in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic at the Aviva Stadium, coached by the legendary Bill Belichick.

Two completely different events. Two completely different crowds. One extraordinary city.

Whether you are flying in for The Weeknd, making the trip for the College Football Classic, or simply looking for a brilliant late summer city break to wrap around either event, this guide covers everything you need to know. And with Dublin Express getting you from the airport to the city in as little as 14 minutes from €9, the journey is the easiest part of the whole trip.

🎤 The Weeknd at Croke Park. Two Nights, One City on Fire

Dates: Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd August 2026 Venue: Croke Park, Jones Road, Drumcondra, Dublin 3 Doors: 5:00pm both nights Support: Playboi Carti

The Weeknd's After Hours Til Dawn Stadium Tour is the biggest R&B tour in history. The North American leg alone included 40 sold-out stadium shows and shattered attendance records across the United States and Canada. Now it comes to Dublin for two nights at Croke Park, Europe's third largest stadium with a capacity of over 82,000.

This is The Weeknd's first Irish show since Marlay Park in 2023, and the scale is on an entirely different level. The production is extraordinary, combining futuristic visuals, pyrotechnics, lasers and a setlist that spans his entire career from Wicked Games through to Blinding Lights, Starboy, Save Your Tears and material from Hurry Up Tomorrow. With Playboi Carti warming up both nights, gates open at 5pm and the atmosphere builds from the moment you arrive.

Both nights are sold out. If you have tickets, the most important thing to sort now is your travel. If you do not have tickets, Dublin on a Weeknd weekend is still a brilliant place to be.

Practical tips for The Weeknd at Croke Park:

Croke Park is a cashless venue. Bring your card or set up mobile payments on your phone before you arrive. Cash will not be accepted for food, drinks or merchandise inside the stadium.

Download your digital tickets to your phone's wallet before you leave your hotel. Connectivity outside Croke Park on a sold-out night can be unreliable and you do not want to be searching for a confirmation email at the gate.

Bring a portable power bank. The production at this tour is something to film and you will want your phone alive for the full show.

Wear comfortable shoes. Walking back to the city centre after the show is the fastest option and it is a pleasant 2.5km stroll along the northside. Expect to share it with 80,000 other people.

Bring a light rain jacket. It is August in Ireland. The sun may shine. It may also rain. Be prepared for both.

How to get to Croke Park from Dublin Airport: Take Dublin Express Route 782 from Dublin Airport to the city centre. The fastest journey takes 14 minutes from €9. From the city centre, Croke Park is a 25 to 35 minute walk north along Drumcondra Road. Allow extra time on concert nights as the streets fill early.

• ✔ Dublin Express tip: Both Weeknd nights will be among the most in-demand travel evenings of the year in Dublin. Book your Dublin Express ticket from the airport in advance at dublinexpress.ie and build in extra time for the onward journey to Croke Park. The post-concert walk back to the city centre is the easiest way home and avoids the taxi and bus queues entirely.

🏈 The Aer Lingus College Football Classic. American Football Comes to Dublin

Date: Saturday 29th August 2026 Venue: Aviva Stadium, Lansdowne Road, Dublin 4 Kick-off: 5:00pm Teams: TCU Horned Frogs vs UNC Tar Heels

Now in its fifth consecutive year at the Aviva Stadium, the Aer Lingus College Football Classic has become one of the most significant sporting events in the Irish calendar. The 2026 edition is the 11th college football game ever played in Dublin and this year's matchup is one of the most compelling yet.

TCU, the 2022 national championship finalists from Fort Worth, Texas, take on the University of North Carolina Tar Heels, now coached by Bill Belichick. Widely regarded as the greatest coach in the history of professional sport, Belichick has won eight Super Bowls across his career and this is his first time bringing a team to Ireland. That fact alone makes 29th August one of the most talked-about sporting occasions of the Irish summer.

The game experience goes far beyond the 60 minutes on the pitch. Cheerleaders, marching bands, an unmissable half-time show and pre-game tailgating make this a full day event rather than just a match. In the days leading up to kick-off, fan hubs and pep rallies take place at pubs across Dublin city centre as thousands of American supporters arrive from Texas and North Carolina. Guinness and Teeling Whiskey are both official partners and will be bringing the College Football Classic atmosphere to venues across the city throughout the week.

It is one of the most unique sporting experiences you can have in Dublin and it is unlike anything else on the Irish events calendar.

Getting to the Aviva Stadium: The Aviva Stadium in Ballsbridge is one of the most accessible venues in Dublin. Lansdowne Road DART station is located within the stadium grounds and brings you to the city centre in around 10 minutes. Dublin Bus also serves the area from multiple stops across the city. Dublin Express drops you at O'Connell Street and Westmoreland Street, from where the DART at Connolly or Pearse Station is a short walk.

• ✔ Dublin Express tip: Tens of thousands of American fans will be in Dublin for College Football Classic weekend, making it one of the busiest travel weeks of the summer. Book your Dublin Express airport transfer in advance at dublinexpress.ie.

🗓️ How to Make a Full August Weekend of It

With The Weeknd on 22nd and 23rd August and the College Football Classic on 29th August, there are two distinct weekend windows to plan around. Here is how to get the most out of each.

The Weeknd Weekend. 22nd or 23rd August

Friday - Arrive into Dublin Airport and jump on Dublin Express to the city centre from €9. Check in and spend the afternoon getting your bearings. The area around St Stephen's Green, Grafton Street and the surrounding laneways is one of the best parts of Dublin to base yourself for a concert weekend. Good restaurants, great pubs and everything within easy walking distance.

Concert day - Give yourself a relaxed morning. The Guinness Storehouse on St James's Gate is a brilliant way to spend a few hours before a concert, finishing with a pint at the Gravity Bar with a 360 degree view of the city. Dublin Express customers can save on entry via dublinexpress.ie/offers. Head north to Croke Park in the early afternoon to soak up the atmosphere building around the stadium before gates open at 5pm.

The morning after - If you are going both nights, Sunday morning in Dublin is one of the best things about the trip. The city is relaxed, the brunch spots are excellent and there is no rush anywhere. If you are heading home, Dublin Express runs from the city centre to Dublin Airport every 7.5 minutes at peak times from €9.

College Football Classic Weekend. 29th August

Thursday or Friday arrival - The week leading up to the game is when Dublin's city centre starts filling with American supporters. Fan hubs at pubs across the city and pep rallies in Temple Bar and Merrion Square give the whole city a genuinely electric atmosphere well before Saturday's kick-off.

Saturday game day - The Aviva Stadium is in Ballsbridge, a 20 minute DART journey or short taxi from the city centre. Pre-game tailgating begins well before 5pm kick-off so arrive early and enjoy the full American football experience on Irish soil. After the game, Ballsbridge and the surrounding southside villages fill with supporters from both teams. It is a brilliant atmosphere regardless of the result.

Sunday - A final morning in Dublin before heading to Dublin Airport on Dublin Express. The city on a Sunday morning after a big event weekend is a joy. A walk along the Grand Canal, a visit to the National Gallery or a long brunch in Ranelagh or Rathmines are all excellent options before the journey home.

🏛️ What Else to Do in Dublin This August

The Big Grill BBQ and Food Festival - Herbert Park in Ballsbridge plays host to Dublin's biggest outdoor food festival from 13th to 16th August, with the best Irish and international chefs, live fire cooking, craft beer and a brilliant outdoor atmosphere. It falls right in the window between the two events and is one of the best free afternoons you can spend in Dublin in summer.

The Guinness Storehouse - Seven floors of brewing history in the heart of the Liberties finishing with a pint at the Gravity Bar with a 360 degree view of the city. Arguably the most popular visitor attraction in Ireland and a brilliant way to spend a few hours on either side of the weekend events. Dublin Express customers save on entry via dublinexpress.ie/offers.

EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum - Nine interactive galleries in the Docklands telling the story of the Irish diaspora. Voted Europe's leading tourist attraction multiple times and particularly resonant for the tens of thousands of American visitors in Dublin for College Football Classic weekend. Dublin Express customers save on entry via dublinexpress.ie/offers.

Trinity College and the Book of Kells - A 400-year-old university right in the heart of Dublin city centre. The Book of Kells, an illuminated manuscript from around 800 AD, is housed alongside the breathtaking Long Room of the Old Library. Book tickets in advance at tcd.ie.

Dublin's Pub Scene - No trip to Dublin in August is complete without at least one evening properly immersed in the pub culture. The city is at its most sociable in late summer and the mix of locals, tourists, concert-goers and American football fans in the last week of August makes for a genuinely unique atmosphere.

🧳 Practical Tips for an August Dublin Trip

Book accommodation early - Both Weeknd weekends and College Football Classic weekend are among the busiest accommodation periods of the year in Dublin. If you have not already booked, do it now. The city centre fills months in advance for major events.

Getting around Dublin - The city centre is compact and walkable. Most of the main attractions and venues are within a 30 to 40 minute walk of each other. Dublin Bus covers everything outside walking distance and the DART coastal rail line is the best option for Ballsbridge and the Aviva Stadium.

August weather - August in Dublin averages temperatures of around 17 to 19 degrees with a reasonable chance of rain on any given day. Pack a light layer and a waterproof jacket alongside your summer clothes and you will be prepared for whatever the Irish weather decides.

Luggage - Dublin Express coaches can carry two bags weighing up to 20kg each plus one piece of soft hand luggage, so you can travel from the airport with everything you need without any hassle.

✈️ Getting From Dublin Airport to the City. Everything You Need to Know

Dublin Express Route 782 is the fastest and most reliable way to get from Dublin Airport to Dublin city centre.

Departure point: Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 at Dublin Airport Key city centre stops: O'Connell Street, Trinity College, Westmoreland Street, Harcourt Street and more Journey time: As little as 14 minutes via the Port Tunnel Frequency: Every 7.5 minutes at peak times Operating hours: 365 days a year, around the clock Fares: From €9

Dublin Express bypasses city centre traffic entirely by using the Port Tunnel, meaning your journey time from the airport is not affected by the busy roads that come with major event weekends.

Book your ticket at dublinexpress.ie.

Ready to Plan Your August Dublin Trip?

Whether you are flying in for two nights of The Weeknd at Croke Park, making the trip for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic, or building a longer late summer break around both, Dublin in August 2026 is an exceptional time to visit the city.

Dublin Express gets you from the airport to the heart of it all in as little as 14 minutes from €9. No queues, no traffic, no stress. Just arrive, board and go.

Book your Dublin Express transfer at dublinexpress.ie and start planning your August trip today.

All event dates and details are correct at time of publication (May 2026). Always check official event websites for the most up to date information on lineups, times and ticketing. Dublin Express timetables and fares are available at dublinexpress.ie.