EXPERIENCE Ireland’s largest Autumn Point-to-Point and Country Fair taking place on 27 October at Dowth, Brú na Bóinne, Co Meath. Visitors can enjoy live music, the Dowth Dog Show, the craft and high-end shopping village, country fair exhibits and the Boyne Valley Flavours Food Market. New this year is a Bale Maze alongside the Ladyrath Lane Pumpkin Patch where families can select and carve their own pumpkin. There will be six point-to-point races over three miles and fences and the pony club race to finish off. Admission to the point-to-point is free for under 12s. For more information see www.dowthp2p.ie.

CELEBRATE the Westport Music and Arts Festival in Mayo from 23 to 28 October. There promises to be something for everyone with 62 events on the schedule from art installations and exhibitions to music, theatre and other live performances. For free family fun, experience the likes of the Carnival of Adolescent Antics and the Faerie Tailor’s Faerie Trail. Paul Noonan of Bell X1, Maria Kelly, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble and Sing along Social will be on during the festival along with Dirty Circus, Dracula Live and Diarmuid Delargy. For more information see www.westival.ie.

IMMERSE yourself in the music of the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival which runs from 24 to 28 October in Cork city. The headline acts include the Big Brass Band Explosion, Fred Hersch Trio and Linley Hamilton Quintet, Kurt Elling, Martha Reeves and The Vandellas and Spyro Gyra. There will be a series of free fringe event activities aiming to extend the festival experience for both locals and visitors alike and the Festival Club at the Metropole Hotel will host a diverse range of artists and music on several stages through the weekend. For more information and tickets, see www.guinnessjazzfestival.com.

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SCARE yourself silly at Carlow’s Scarefest from 25 to 31 October. This festival has a variety of events to suit people of all ages. The Carlow Framers’ Market street party is a favourite featuring a mobile petting farm, street entertainers, free pumpkin soup, busking competition and face painting. Michael McCoy, legendary comedy hypnotist, will be placing people under his spell on Monday and Barry Fitzgerald from Ghost Hunters International is hosting an evening of the paranormal in Duckett’s Grove. Other events include boat trips on the Barrow, a Public Witch Trial and storytelling workshops. For more information see www.scarefest.ie.

BUILD your own bear at the Bear Essentials Teddy Bear Gift Shop and Silver Bear Centre in Bawnboy, Co Cavan. Located in Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands, this Halloween experience is open to all ages and there will be a choice of making a teddy bear or an Irish wildlife animal and customising it however you like. The workshop will last from 11-1pm on 1 November and the playground and Teddy Bear Gift Shop are open for attendees to view the largest collection of Teddy Bears in Ireland. For more information or to book see www.bearessentials.ie.