There will be no New Year's Eve headline concert in Dublin this year.

Organisers of the Dublin New Year's festival are planning a new format after last year’s concert had to be cancelled at the last minute.

This year’s festival will include music, food and bars along the quays with a focus on the countdown and fireworks display along the Liffey.

Last year, a spike in COVID cases saw the festival called off for the second year in a row.

The plans, which included a headline concert with Picture This, afternoon shows at Dublin Castle and a street party near St Stephen's Green, had to be called off just days beforehand.

This year, a family-friendly New Year’s Eve Matinée is planned with an earlier countdown at North Wall Quay from 4pm, along with family entertainers and street performers according to the application for the outdoor licence.

The 30-minute performance will start at 6.30pm building to the earlier countdown celebrations at 7pm. There will be space for 24,000 people with tickets needed to attend.

The main event will kick off at 8pm on North Wall Quay and Sir John Rogerson Quay.

It will include a firework display on pontoons in the Liffey from Samuel Beckett Bridge right down to Tom Clarke Bridge

That will be followed by the official countdown to ring in the New Year.