Floating Festival
The Floating Festival, also known as the Spencer Dock Family Funday, was a community-led celebration hosted by SWAN Youth Service in partnership with A Playful City and HubSpot. Held along the Liffey at the Spencer Dock area, the festival combined family-friendly activities—such as on‑water games, art and craft booths, performances and local food—with an emphasis on engaging Dublin’s Docklands community.
A standout achievement of the event was the delivery of lifesaving and water safety training to over 300 local young people, many of whom had previously used the nearby canals for informal swimming. This initiative empowered youth with essential skills, enhancing their safety awareness and connection to the waterfront environment.
Despite unpredictable weather, the festival fostered social cohesion, nurtured creative expression, and provided safe, playful experiences in an urban setting. The event not only showcased local talent and community spirit, but also served as a hands-on platform for public engagement and intergenerational interaction. The combination of playful programming and practical education anchored the festival as both a celebratory and impactful intervention in public space.
The Floating Festival has become a model for integrating water-based recreation, safety education, and community-building in revitalised urban waterfronts.
The festival brought together a coalition of collaborators! including Make & Share, Waterways Ireland, Dublin City Council, Joined Up, The Adventure Project, Iwai Dublin and Fanzini, highlighting the power of collaboration in creating meaningful, playful urban experiences.
