Headfest 2026 will take place in Headford on the June Bank Holiday Weekend, from Wednesday May 27th to Monday June 1st, bringing six days of music, sport, culture, food and family events to the town and surrounding area. At the heart of the festival is community, with a programme designed to bring people together, celebrate local identity and welcome visitors to Headford over the June Bank Holiday weekend.
The events at this year’s Headfest are shaped around the themes of Land, Water and Air, with a strong focus on Lough Corrib and its surrounding communities. The programme includes historical talks on Lough Corrib, biodiversity talks and guided walks, panel discussions on water quality and sustainable farming, exhibitions and film screenings with Corrib Beo, Galway Hooker and power boat trips on the lake and Drumadore in Knockferry and Kilbeg. There will also be a film screening of the late Manchán Mangan’s film Listen to the Land Speak.
The music line-up for 2026 includes four nights of live entertainment in Monaghan’s Mega Marquee, beginning Thursday night with the Elevate local talent showcase. The weekend line up features Jenny Greene, All Folk’d Up, Derek Warfield & The Young Wolfetones, Qween Tribute Band, Ruaile Buaile, Tradstone, The Jab Band and Tav Jam Band.
Sport remains a central part of Headfest, led by the return of the Headfest Fittest Parish challenge on Sunday, one of the most popular events of the weekend. The Headfest 8K Road Race returns for its second year on Friday evening, alongside girls football blitzes and competitions, the Mattie Reddington U12 Cup, the Anglers Rest Cup and a Muay Thai exhibition. The annual tractor, truck and vintage run will take place in aid of this year’s local charity, to be announced shortly.
The festival also includes a wide range of community and family events such as the Headfest Kids Variety Show, Maker Bear workshops, children’s yoga, mammy and baby yoga and sound bath sessions, Yogalates classes and the annual gardening competition. As part of the community programme, the Headford Yarnbombers will host a sit and knit event on Saturday. The popular McGaugh’s gardening competition also returns with new categories to open up opportunities for new entrants.
Food and local enterprise are an important part of the weekend, with the annual Food and Craft Fair taking place Saturday and Sunday, alongside the SOLAS multicultural day on Saturday, celebrating the diversity of the local community. Festival food vendors for the weekend will include Smashbird, Burgerlicious, and Bartollini Pizza.
Liam McDonagh, Chairman of Headfest, said the festival continues to reflect the strength of the local community; "Headfest is about bringing people together and celebrating everything that is good about Headford. It is a chance to welcome visitors, support local groups and provide something for all ages across the bank holiday weekend."
Visit www.headfest.ie to discover more.
The full festival programme will be available to download from Thursday May 7th, with printed copies available in local shops. Remaining events will go on sale from Friday May 8th. A large number of events across the weekend are free to attend, with tickets required only for selected shows and activities.
Tickets will be available on the door for most events, however advanced booking is recommended.
Headfest 2026 is supported by LEADER through Galway Rural Development, Galway County Council, Fáilte Ireland and West Midlands Credit Union.
Banner Photo by Shane Geraghty.
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