Live Music and Entertainment at Ballinasloe October Fair

What to Expect

Ballinasloe October Fair is one of Europe’s oldest horse fairs, dating back to the 18th century, and 2026 marks its 303rd anniversary. Alongside the horse sales, street trading and equestrian competitions that give the fair its name, the week runs a free festival soundstage with live music and entertainment aimed at the crowds who come into the town for the week. In 2025, the Saturday line up on that stage ran country and showband acts through the afternoon and evening, Rough n Ready, Gerry Tynan, Cliona Hagan and The Gamblers among them, giving a good sense of the kind of programming the fair typically books, live bands playing country, folk and popular covers to an outdoor crowd rather than a seated theatre audience. The 2026 soundstage line up had not been published at the time of writing, so treat specific acts as likely to follow a similar pattern rather than confirmed, and check closer to the date for the finalised bill.

Good to Know

• Dates: Sunday 4 October to Sunday 11 October 2026
• Location: Ballinasloe town centre, centred on the Fair Green, Co. Galway
• Free to attend, outdoor entertainment stage
• Saturday is traditionally the busiest day of the fair, with the fullest entertainment schedule
• Contact the organisers at info@ballinasloeoctoberfair.ie for the confirmed entertainment schedule closer to the date
• The fair also runs funfair rides, street stalls and horse trading and sales throughout the week alongside the music

Getting There

Ballinasloe is on the N6, about 40 minutes east of Galway city and well served by Bus Eireann and Irish Rail, with Ballinasloe train station on the Dublin to Galway line. The town centre gets busy during fair week, so parking fills quickly and arriving early or using public transport is worth planning for.