Dragonfly Festival at Castle Espie

WWT Castle Espie’s first Dragonfly Festival runs across the wetland centre in Comber from Tuesday, 30 June to Tuesday, 1 September 2026, built around the dozen or so dragonfly and damselfly species that breed in the reserve’s ponds each summer. The festival mixes guided dragonfly safaris, pond dipping and craft sessions with the centre’s usual mix of wildfowl, aviary birds and nature trails on the shore of Strangford Lough. It runs daily through the summer holidays, with themed activity days added on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

What to expect

Pond dipping sessions run on Wednesdays through 25 August, letting children net and identify freshwater invertebrates from the reserve’s ponds with staff on hand to help work out what has turned up in the tray. Dragonfly Crafts with Boom Studios runs on Saturdays from 4 July to 29 August, excluding 15 August, 10am to 2pm, with dragonfly-themed making and drawing included in normal admission. On Sundays from 5 July to 30 August, 1pm to 3pm, musician Mark Hamilton plays acoustic sets in the courtyard. Beyond the festival programme, the reserve’s usual attractions stay open: the adventure play areas, the World Wetland Aviary with its diving duck talk, the Potter’s Bothy creative space, the working duckery and the sensory garden. A dragonfly safari trail with spotter sheets runs throughout the festival, and 3D dragonfly craft kits are available for an extra £1 at the shop for anyone who wants to take a project home.

Getting there

Castle Espie is on Ballydrain Road outside Comber, about 20 minutes from central Belfast and a short drive from Comber town centre. There is on-site parking, and the centre offers a 20 percent Green Ticket discount on admission for visitors who arrive by public transport and can show their ticket.

While you’re in Comber

Comber is a short drive from the wetland centre and makes a natural stop before or after a visit, known locally for its potato-growing history and its Saturday market in the town square. There is more to see in Comber and across Co. Down.

Good to know

• Date: Tuesday, 30 June to Tuesday, 1 September 2026 (daily, 10am to 5pm, last entry 4:30pm)
• Venue: WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre, Ballydrain Road, Comber
• Price: standard site admission, WWT members free; 3D dragonfly craft kits £1 extra
• Themed days: pond dipping Wednesdays to 25 August; Dragonfly Crafts Saturdays to 29 August, 10am-2pm; Courtyard Sessions live music Sundays to 30 August, 1pm-3pm
• Booking: online booking available, with a saving on the on-the-door price