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food-drink · Sunday 2 August 2026 · See website for times 
Artisan Food & Craft Market, Birr Vintage Week
At Green Street, Birr · Green Street, Birr, Co. Offaly
At Green Street, Birr · Green Street, Birr, Co. Offaly
Every August, Green Street in Birr is closed to traffic for a weekend and given over entirely to market stalls. The Artisan Food & Craft Market runs as part of Birr Vintage Week & Arts Festival - one of the midlands’ longest-running summer festivals - and it draws local food producers, makers, growers and craftspeople together in the kind of compact, walkable setting that makes a market worth attending. It suits anyone who likes to browse, eat on their feet, and pick up something handmade or home-grown. Families with younger children tend to enjoy it too, particularly on the Saturday when the whole street has a festive feel with vintage buskers providing a soundtrack from the pavement.
The market occupies Green Street, one of Birr’s main commercial streets, with stalls running the length of the road on both days. The mix typically covers fresh and artisan food - breads, preserves, cheeses, baked goods and seasonal produce from local growers - alongside handmade crafts, jewellery, artwork and unique goods from independent makers across Offaly and surrounding counties. Vintage buskers who have competed in the Mick Egan Memorial Busking Competition add live music to the atmosphere as you walk the stalls.
Saturday 2 August is the bigger of the two days: Green Street is fully closed to traffic for the full day from 11am. Sunday’s market follows the same format. The event is part of a nine-day festival programme (31 July to 7 August 2026) with over 90 events in total - so the market sits alongside theatre, a festival parade, film, visual arts, a donkey derby and much more across the weekend.
Birr is in the centre of Co. Offaly, roughly equidistant from Tullamore (22km north), Roscrea (20km south) and Portumna (25km west). By car, take the N52 or N62 depending on your direction. Because Green Street is closed on the Saturday, allow a few extra minutes to follow the traffic diversions - parking is available in the surrounding streets and in Birr’s main car parks. Bus Éireann services run between Tullamore and Birr on the 861/862 routes; journey time is around 30 minutes. The town itself is compact and easy to walk once you arrive.
The market is a good anchor for a longer day out. Birr Castle Demesne and its historic telescope are within easy walking distance of Green Street, and the town has a strong café culture with independent coffee shops and pubs well used to feeding a festival crowd. There is more to see in Birr and across Co. Offaly.
Heading to Green Street, Birr in Birr? Offaly has plenty more to see. Read the Birr area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.