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family · Monday 31 August 2026 · Various 
Ould Lammas Fair 2026 - Ballycastle
At Ballycastle Town Centre · Diamond, Ballycastle, Co. Antrim BT54 6AA
At Ballycastle Town Centre · Diamond, Ballycastle, Co. Antrim BT54 6AA
Every August Bank Holiday weekend, Ballycastle pulls off something that most towns could only dream of - turning its streets into one of Ireland’s great traditional gatherings. The Ould Lammas Fair has been running since at least the 17th century, when it grew out of livestock markets and public games on the north Antrim coast. Today it draws well over 100,000 visitors across two days and manages to feel both ancient and alive: horse trading still happens on Fair Hill, hundreds of market stalls run as far as you can see down the main street, and the smell of yellowman toffee drifts through the crowd from the first hour. It suits families, day-trippers, food lovers and anyone curious about what a real Irish fair actually looks like.
The fair takes over Ballycastle’s Diamond and the streets radiating from it. Stalls sell everything from crafts, handmade jewellery and vintage clothing to local produce and farm goods. The Naturally North Coast and Glens Artisan Market adds fine art and regional food producers to the mix. Horse trading - an unbroken tradition at the fair - draws dealers and enthusiasts who still do deals the old way.
Two foods define the day: yellowman and dulse. Yellowman is a brittle, amber honeycomb toffee made to a recipe passed down through generations of Ballycastle families - sweet, sticky and unlike anything else. Dulse is dried edible seaweed, salty and chewy, sold in paper bags. Locals eat them together; the combination is an acquired taste that most visitors end up buying a second bag of. Street entertainment and live traditional music run throughout both days, and the fair finishes with an evening fireworks display over the marina. Children’s games and free entertainment are woven through the programme so younger visitors are well looked after.
Ballycastle sits on the north Antrim coast, roughly an hour’s drive from Belfast. From Belfast take the M2 north to Ballymena, then the A26 onwards - the road is well signed. Translink runs Ulsterbus services from Belfast and Ballymena to Ballycastle, and there are dedicated coach services from Belfast for the fair itself (check belfastminicoach.com ahead of travel). Parking in the town centre is limited on fair days; the marina and harbour car parks fill early. Arriving before 10am or coming by bus makes the day considerably easier.
The town sits between the Glens of Antrim and the sea, with Rathlin Island visible on clear days and Fair Head a short drive away. There is more to see in Ballycastle and across Co. Antrim.
Heading to Ballycastle Town Centre in Ballycastle? Antrim has plenty more to see. Read the Ballycastle area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.