Forbidden Fruit
vendor catering Ireland.
Forbidden Fruit is Dublin's electronic + dance music festival at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham (RHK), held on the June bank holiday weekend. Urban-pitch logistics are simpler than rural festivals — Dublin city loading, mains water + power available, vehicle access via M50/N4. Crowd skews younger (20s/30s electronic music audience) with strong demand for late-night street food (kebabs, tacos, burgers, chicken wings) over breakfast / family items.
Festival facts
- Venue
- Royal Hospital Kilmainham (RHK), Dublin 8
- County
- Dublin
- Typical dates
- June bank holiday weekend (3 days)
- Attendance
- ~15,000 daily across 3 days
- Operator
- POD (Promoter of Day & Night Productions)
- Application window
- November–February for the following summer
- Pitch fees
- €800 – €2,200
- Official site
- www.forbiddenfruit.ie ↗
Application + selection
Applications open via forbiddenfruit.ie. Same operator as ATN (POD); curation is similar but skews toward late-night street food + cocktail trailers + speciality coffee. Vendors with strong electronic-music-festival experience (international acts at Croke Park, etc.) tend to win pitches over rural-festival-only operators. Standard insurance + RGI + FSAI paperwork required at application + gate-in.
Pitch fees + urban advantages
Forbidden Fruit pitch fees €800–€2,200 for the weekend. Urban location at RHK means: shared mains power is sometimes available (smaller generator load), water from RHK's tap network, easier overnight stock restock from Dublin wholesalers (Pallas / Sysco / Musgrave can do daily delivery), and no on-site overnight camping — vendors typically tow back to a Dublin yard each night which simplifies security.
Crowd profile + late-night demand
Forbidden Fruit's electronic-music audience drives late-night food demand (peak 8pm-2am Friday + Saturday). Vendors that close at 10pm leave money on the table — the strongest food trailer revenue happens 11pm-1am. Coffee trailers do well at gate-in (~3-6pm) and during DJ-changeover lulls. Cocktail trailers are heavily oversubscribed at this festival; if the licence and equipment investment is feasible, this is one of the highest-margin pitches in Ireland.
Urban-festival operational notes
RHK has tight load-in windows (typically 6am Friday for setup, 2am Monday for breakdown) — book vehicle access slots early in the planning. Waste handling is via Dublin City Council contracted bins; vendor packaging compliance with EU SUP + EU FIC is rigorously enforced. No camping onsite for vendors — book a Dublin yard or hotel ahead of the weekend.
Cocktail trailer + late-night specifics
Forbidden Fruit attracts the most concentrated cocktail-trailer demand of any Irish festival. Vendors with a Section 4 occasional liquor licence (granted by the local District Court for the festival weekend, applied for via the festival operator's legal team) can run premium pitches. Spirits-mixed-drinks dominate — gin + tonics, espresso martinis, paloma, mezcal cocktails. Ice consumption is heavy (200-400 kg over the weekend for a busy bar trailer); plan ice deliveries from Polarice or Pinguim Ireland on Friday + Saturday morning. Pair with food vendors who close earlier than the cocktail bar — late-night bar attendees gravitate to whatever food remains open at midnight.
Restock + supplier logistics
Urban festival = Dublin wholesaler proximity. Pallas Foods, Sysco Ireland, BWG Foodservice, and Musgrave Foodservice can all deliver same-day or next-day to RHK during the weekend (subject to vendor pre-arrangement + vehicle access slot). Coffee trailers running specialty beans should pre-stock 1.5x weekend volume from their roaster Friday morning — most Irish roasters (3FE, Coffeeangel, Imbibe, Java Republic) can deliver direct to RHK if booked a week ahead. Ice cream + frozen-stock operators should bring chest freezers full + plan a Saturday-night fresh-stock drop to avoid running out by Sunday.
Frequently asked questions
When does the Forbidden Fruit vendor application open?
Applications open in November-February via forbiddenfruit.ie. The festival curates for late-night street food, cocktail trailers, and specialty coffee — vendors with strong electronic-music-festival experience tend to win pitches.
How much does a Forbidden Fruit pitch cost?
Pitch fees range €800-€2,200 for the weekend. Urban location at Royal Hospital Kilmainham means easier logistics than rural festivals — shared mains power sometimes available, water from RHK's tap network.
What menu performs best at Forbidden Fruit?
Late-night street food (kebabs, tacos, burgers, chicken wings) drives peak revenue 8pm-2am Friday and Saturday. Coffee trailers do well at gate-in (3-6pm) and DJ-changeover lulls. Cocktail trailers are the highest-margin pitches if licensed.
Is overnight camping permitted for vendors at Forbidden Fruit?
No. Vendors typically tow back to a Dublin yard each night. Book a yard or hotel ahead of the weekend; load-in is typically 6am Friday and breakdown 2am Monday.
Other Irish festivals
Need festival-grade trailer or equipment?
Browse Irish suppliers — silent diesel generators, refrigeration, fryers, coffee equipment + finished food trailers built for the Irish festival circuit.