Carnlough Whiskey Festival 2026

What to Expect

The Harbourview Hotel, billed as Ireland’s first whiskey hotel, hosts four nights of tastings and live music in the small harbour village of Carnlough on the Antrim coast road. Each evening is built around a different distillery: Wednesday opens with Shortcross whiskey and traditional Irish music, Thursday moves to Bushmills fine whiskies paired with a live set from The Rogues, and Friday features Copeland Whiskey. The Saturday finale is a double bill of Outwalker and Limavady whiskies with live performances from The Causeway Shantymen and String Ninjas. The format suits both committed whiskey drinkers working through a flight of Irish and Northern Irish producers and casual visitors who fancy a good night out with a dram in hand.

Carnlough itself is one of the prettier stops on the Causeway Coastal Route, a small limestone harbour village that once shipped stone out by rail and now trades more in tourists working their way up towards the Glens of Antrim and Giant’s Causeway. Running the festival across four separate evenings rather than one big trade-show day means each night stays small enough for guests to actually talk to the brand ambassadors and distillery staff pouring the drams, rather than queueing through a crowded hall. The hotel’s own restaurant and bar stay open around the tasting sessions, so it’s straightforward to make a full evening or a short break out of a visit rather than just dropping in for one session.

Good to Know

• Wednesday 20 to Saturday 23 August 2026, evenings; exact start times and daily ticket prices are on the hotel website

• The Harbourview Hotel, 20 Harbour Road, Carnlough, Co. Antrim, BT44 0EU

• Distilleries featured across the four nights: Shortcross, Bushmills, Copeland, Outwalker and Limavady

• Live music each night: traditional session Wednesday, The Rogues Thursday, The Causeway Shantymen and String Ninjas Saturday

• Book directly through the hotel; accommodation packages are available for anyone travelling from further afield

Getting There

Carnlough sits on the A2 Causeway Coastal Route between Larne and Cushendall, roughly 45 minutes north of Belfast by car. Ulsterbus services run along the coast road and stop in the village, a short walk from the hotel on the harbour front.