- Hagstravaganza (8 August, White Hag Brewery, Ballymote): Ireland’s largest international craft beer festival with over 50 breweries, live music, street food, and immersive experiences in a lively rural setting.
- Tubbercurry Old Fair Day Festival (early to mid-August, Tubbercurry): A five-day heritage festival with family entertainment, live music, demonstrations, crafts, and the traditional Old Fair Day showcasing local traditions.
- Yeats International Summer School (August, Sligo): A prestigious global gathering celebrating W.B. Yeats with lectures, poetry readings, seminars, and cultural events.
- National Heritage Week in Sligo (15–23 August) features walks, talks, exhibitions, and activities across the county. Additional music sessions and smaller community events often occur.
Annual & recurring festivals
County Sligo, known as “Yeats Country,” boasts a vibrant calendar heavily influenced by its literary history, traditional music, and world-class surfing coastline.
- Sligo Baroque Music Festival (January): A weekend of high-quality performances featuring international and local musicians specializing in 17th and 18th-century music.
- Sligo Drama Festival (March): A competitive amateur drama festival held at the Hawk’s Well Theatre, attracting top theatrical groups from across Ireland.
- Saint Patrick’s Day Festival (March): A large-scale carnival parade in Sligo Town along with community celebrations in Enniscrone and Ballymote.
- Sligo Feis Ceoil (April): A long-running competitive music and arts festival showcasing young talent in traditional and classical disciplines.
- Sligo Walking Festival (May): A series of guided hikes exploring the iconic Benbulben mountain, Knocknarea, and the coastal paths of the Wild Atlantic Way.
- CosCos Sean Nós Festival (May): A celebration of traditional “old style” Irish dance and song held in the village of Rathcormac.
- Sligo Jazz Project (July): An international jazz summer school and festival featuring world-class tutors and nightly concerts across Sligo Town.
- Cairde Sligo Arts Festival (July): A multi-disciplinary arts celebration featuring street theatre, circus performances, visual arts, and world music.
- Tubbercurry Old Fair Day Festival (August): A five-day heritage festival in South Sligo culminating in a massive traditional fair day showcasing old crafts and livestock.
- Yeats International Summer School (July/August): A prestigious global gathering of scholars and fans of W.B. Yeats, featuring lectures, poetry readings, and cultural tours.
- Sligo Summer Festival (August): A high-energy music festival held in the heart of Sligo Town featuring popular Irish rock and pop acts.
- National Heritage Week in Sligo (third week in August) features walks, talks, exhibitions, and activities across the county.
- Sligo Festival of Baroque Soloists (September): An intimate series of concerts focusing on solo instrumentalists and vocalists in historic venues.
- Sligo Live (October): A major folk, roots, and indie music festival held over the October Bank Holiday, attracting international headliners and thousands of fans.
- Blacknight Festival of Fire (October): A spectacular Samhain celebration in Sligo Town featuring fire performances, percussion, and street processions.
- Enniscrone Christmas Market & Ice Rink (December): A coastal festive celebration featuring local artisan stalls and family entertainment by the sea.
Festivals
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Sligo:
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