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heritage · Saturday 1 August 2026 · See website for times 
Bangor Open House Festival
At Multiple venues across Bangor · Bangor Town Centre, Co. Down
At Multiple venues across Bangor · Bangor Town Centre, Co. Down
Every August, Bangor on the County Down coast turns itself over to free live culture for a full month. The Open House Festival - now in its 13th year and run by an independent non-profit charity - pulls in over 50,000 visitors across 50-plus events, all without charging a penny at the door. The format suits anyone who likes to dip in and out: music, comedy, film, theatre, food and drink, heritage talks, guided tours, and crafting sessions are spread across the town from the first to the last day of the month.
The festival has two flagship outdoor settings. Bangor Castle Walled Garden hosts ticketed and free evening concerts on the main festival stage - this is where the bigger headline acts play, in a genuinely atmospheric walled setting beside the castle. Ward Park is the venue for the Sunday afternoon Picnic in the Park series, nine Sundays of free music at the bandstand in relaxed parkland - families bring blankets and food and make an afternoon of it. The permanent festival home is the Court House on the seafront, a refurbished heritage building that has become one of the most respected music venues on the island, with acts spilling out from the building year-round.
The 2026 programme includes artists such as Lisa Hannigan, Deirdre O’Kane, The Staves, The Tallest Man on Earth, Luka Bloom, and Bangor’s own The Florentinas. The Bangor Blues and Jazz Week runs 18 to 25 August, bringing 40-plus free events across ten town-centre bars along the Blues and Jazz Trail - from Central Avenue down to the seafront - with headline sets from Mary Coughlan and Dana Masters in the Walled Garden.
Heritage walks and talks are woven through the programme throughout the month, making it a good fit if you want to learn as well as listen.
Bangor is on the north shore of Belfast Lough, roughly 20 kilometres east of Belfast city centre. The train is the easiest option from Belfast: Translink NI Railways runs frequent services from Belfast Great Victoria Street and Central Station to Bangor, and the journey takes around 30 minutes. By road, take the A2 coastal road east from Belfast. All the main festival venues - the Walled Garden, the Court House, and Ward Park - are within easy walking distance of the town centre and the train station. Parking is available at the seafront and at various car parks close to the castle.
The town has a long seafront promenade, a working marina, and the restored Victorian pier - all worth a walk before or after an event. There is more to see in Bangor and across Co. Down.
Heading to Multiple venues across Bangor 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.