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seasonal · Saturday 8 August 2026 · 10:00am 
Ardara Agricultural Show
At Pearse Memorial Park · Pearse Memorial Park, Ardara, Co. Donegal
At Pearse Memorial Park · Pearse Memorial Park, Ardara, Co. Donegal
The Ardara Agricultural Show is one of the older fixtures on the Donegal summer calendar, running since 1904 and still drawing a crowd that fills Pearse Memorial Park on the second Saturday of August each year. It is a day out that works well for farming families, for people with children, and for anyone curious about rural Donegal life - the kind of event that moves slowly enough to be enjoyable and has enough going on to fill a full afternoon.
The heart of the show is the livestock judging. The ring features brood mares and foals, young horses, riding classes, thoroughbreds, ponies, working hunters, donkeys, pedigree cattle, commercial cattle, sheep, rare breeds, poultry, and a popular dog show. These are proper competitions with serious entries from farms across the county, and the atmosphere around the judging ring is a good mix of expertise and banter. Trade stands and farm machinery displays fill the ground alongside the ring, giving you something to look at between classes. After the formal judging winds down, the afternoon opens up with live music and a licensed bar. Children’s entertainment - magic shows in recent years - runs in parallel, so families are not waiting around for the adults to finish.
Ardara sits in southwest Donegal on the N56, roughly 40 km south of Letterkenny and about 20 km from Donegal town via the N56 and R261 through Mountcharles and Killybegs direction. From Sligo, allow around an hour and a half via the N17 and N56. There is no regular bus service that makes the timing practical from outside the county, so most people drive. Parking is free on-site at Pearse Memorial Park and at additional spots across town, with a park-and-ride option clearly signposted on the day.
Ardara is worth the stop on its own - it is a small town known for Donegal tweed and hand-weaving, with several shops and heritage experiences along the main street. The coastline around Loughros Point and the inland glens to the north are within a short drive if you want to stretch the visit into an evening. There is more to see in Ardara and across Co. Donegal.
Heading to Pearse Memorial Park in Ardara? Donegal has plenty more to see. Read the Ardara area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.