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festivals · Sunday 5 July 2026 · 15:00 - 17:00 
Open House Festival - Picnic in the Park
At Ward Park · Hamilton Road, Bangor, Co. Down, BT20 4TA
At Ward Park · Hamilton Road, Bangor, Co. Down, BT20 4TA
Every Sunday afternoon from July through August, Ward Park in Bangor becomes the most relaxed concert venue in Co. Down. The Open House Festival’s Picnic in the Park series brings live music to the park’s Victorian bandstand, free of charge, with no tickets, no barriers, and no dress code - just a couple of hours of good music in the open air. It suits families with young children, people after a low-key Sunday outing, and anyone happy to spread a rug on the grass and let the afternoon drift by.
The 2026 series runs every Sunday from 5 July through 30 August, with performances from 3pm to 5pm. Acts this year include The 1977, Meraki, Cap on the Wall, The 19th Street Band, The Queen Magic Experience, Lee Hedley Blues Band, Red Hot Roosters, Anna’s Number, and Otis and the Elevators - a solid mix of rock, soul, blues, and covers across nine weeks.
The setting is the bandstand at Ward Park, a 37-acre park gifted to Bangor by the Ward family in the early 1900s. It has a duck pond, wildfowl sanctuary, tennis courts, bowling greens, and plenty of open grass. People bring picnic baskets, fold-up chairs, and blankets. You are welcome to bring your own food and drink (no BBQs; gazebos are not permitted). Dogs on leads are welcome. Arriving around 30 minutes before 3pm gives you the best pick of spots near the front. The event is fully accessible, with concrete paths, a designated viewing area, accessible toilets, and first aid on site.
Bangor is on the southern shore of Belfast Lough, about 16 miles east of Belfast. By road, take the A2 from Belfast and follow signs for Bangor town centre; Ward Park is on Hamilton Road (BT20 4TA), close to the main shopping area. Several car parks are nearby. By rail, Bangor is the terminus of the Bangor line from Belfast Central and Great Victoria Street, with regular Sunday trains. The walk from Bangor station to the park takes about 10 minutes.
Bangor seafront - the marina, the castle, and the promenade - is a short walk from the park and well worth an hour before or after the music. There is more to see in Bangor and across Co. Down.
Heading to Ward Park in Bangor? Down has plenty more to see. Read the Bangor area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.