Taste of Dublin: 5 cool events you won’t want to miss

There are very few festivals worth doing an extra bit of cardio for in preparation, but Taste of Dublin, a four-day food extravaganza in the Iveagh Gardens, is certainly one.  Arrive with an appetite, some sunscreen and some cash and prepare to eat your way around a sprawling village of stalls manned by the hottest names in the Irish food business. Tickets, from €17.50, are available here. These are the events you'll find us at this year... Start with coffee Michelin-starred chef Kevin Thornton will be guiding java fans on a unique tasting experience at the Nespresso Tasting Lounge. Start here if you need a pick-me-up first thing and hit up Seattle's Best Coffee and Otis Spunkmeyer later in the day. Treat the kids to some Minion madness To celebrate the release of MINIONS on June 26, Universal Pictures Ireland will be creating a Minion-themed family fun zone at this year’s event. Kevin, Stuart and Bob will be lead the fun in an interactive arts and crafts zone with daily appearances by the Minions themselves, Minion-themed face-painting and a Minion-themed baking demonstration by Kevin Dundon. Visit Sony Taste of Japan Sushi fans would be well advised to make a beeline for this area, where there'll be daily Sushi and Sake Masterclasses hosted by sushi expert, Fiona Uyema and signature sushi dishes from Banyi Restaurant. Play with Sony's latest XperiaTM smartphones, tablets and SmartWear while you wait for your lunch. Swing by the live demos in the Electrolux Taste Theatre From Rachel Allen (June 12), Neven Maguire and Clodagh McKenna (June 13) to Derry Clarke and Ross Lewis (June 14), all the top names in Irish cooking will be doing their thing live on stage over the weekend. Learn ALL the tricks for your next dinner party. Full schedule here. [caption id="attachment_219471" align="alignleft" width="790"] Image: Dora Kazmierak[/caption] And finish with a well-deserved glass of vino... The Rioja Summer of Tapas Fantasticas will be dishing up Spanish tapas alongside some new Rioja wines. Expert and wine critic Kevin Ecock will be leading a masterclass