Embrace Summer Ball at Galgorm Resort Ballymena

A summer ball at Galgorm Resort and Spa is not a typical Friday night out. Galgorm is one of Northern Ireland’s most celebrated hotels - a four-star resort set across 163 acres of woodland parkland on the banks of the River Maine - and it makes a genuinely impressive setting for a dressed-up evening. The Embrace Summer Ball is pitched at people in their 20s and 30s who want something more than a bar crawl: a DJ-led club night in a venue that actually merits getting dressed up for.

What to expect

Doors open at 8pm, so there is time to settle in before the night hits its stride. The format is a club night rather than a seated dinner - expect a dancefloor, a DJ set, and the kind of crowd that turns up because they want a proper night rather than a quiet one. Galgorm’s event spaces are polished and well-managed; the resort hosts everything from wedding receptions to championship golf events, so large-scale evenings are routine here. The “Embrace” brand suggests a social, inclusive atmosphere with an age focus that keeps the crowd broadly similar in stage of life. Tickets start from GBP 15. Smart dress is the sensible call given the surroundings.

Getting there

Ballymena is well connected by rail from Belfast - the journey takes around 35 minutes from Great Victoria Street, and trains run regularly on the Dublin - Belfast - Coleraine line. Galgorm Resort sits about 3 km from Ballymena town centre on the Fenaghy Road. There is no direct bus to the resort itself, so a taxi from Ballymena train station or town centre is the practical option for the evening. Driving guests will find parking on site, though for a late night event arranging a lift or taxi back avoids the obvious difficulty.

While you’re in Ballymena

Ballymena is a busy market town in Co. Antrim, worth arriving into early if you are coming from further afield. The surrounding area includes the Antrim Coast Road, the Glens of Antrim, and Slemish Mountain - a manageable afternoon’s detour before the ball. There is more to see in Ballymena and across Co. Antrim.

Good to know

• Friday 3 July 2026, from 8:00pm
• Galgorm Resort and Spa, 136 Fenaghy Road, Ballymena, Co. Antrim
• Tickets from GBP 15
• Organised by Embrace Events
• Check the Facebook event page for ticket links and any updates
• Age focus: 20s and 30s; smart dress recommended for the venue