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festivals · Saturday 29 August 2026 · 4:00pm 
ERA Dance Classics Festival Armagh - August 2026
At Shambles Yard · Shambles Yard, Armagh City, Co. Armagh, BT61
At Shambles Yard · Shambles Yard, Armagh City, Co. Armagh, BT61
If you spent your twenties in a darkened club with your hands in the air to house anthems and trance classics, ERA Dance Classics is made for you. This outdoor festival at Shambles Yard in Armagh city brings together the artists and DJs who defined the 90s and 00s dance scene - live, under the sky, for an audience that actually remembers those nights. It suits anyone in the 30-plus crowd who wants a proper summer evening out rather than a generic music festival, and it has the track record to back it up: the 2025 edition drew upwards of 3,500 people and was credited with boosting footfall right across the city centre.
ERA is a ticketed, licensed outdoor event running over two days - Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 August 2026. Doors open at 4pm on both days, with Saturday running until 10pm and Sunday wrapping at 9pm. The music covers the full sweep of late 90s and early 00s dance - house, club classics, euphoric trance and Eurodance - with artists who performed the originals rather than cover acts. The 2025 headline lineup included Chris Agnelli of Agnelli and Nelson, Italian house group Living Joy, Belfast DJ Yomanda, the Midknight Thieves (former Lush nightclub residents), and radio and dance personality Neal McClelland. Expect full stage production, live vocal performances and 90s-era production values. Local food vendors are on site, focusing on produce from around the area.
Shambles Yard itself is an open trading space with genuine character - it has hosted markets since the 15th century, sits between Armagh’s two cathedrals, and is built around the listed Johnston Building. The venue was identified by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council as the most suitable outdoor space in the borough for events of this kind. It holds atmosphere well for a crowd.
Armagh city is roughly 40 minutes south-west of Belfast by road via the A3. From Dublin it is around an hour and 40 minutes north via the M1 and A3. Translink operates regular Ulsterbus services to Armagh from Belfast Europa Bus Centre, Portadown, and Newry - the bus station on Lonsdale Road is a short walk from Shambles Yard. If you are driving, the city has several public car parks, including off Lower English Street and close to the Mall; the city centre is compact so most parking options leave you within ten minutes on foot of the venue.
Armagh is worth the trip in its own right - two cathedrals on two hills, the ancient seat of Irish Christianity, the Palace Demesne gardens, and a city centre that repays a wander. There is more to see in Armagh and across Co. Armagh.
Heading to Shambles Yard in Armagh? Armagh has plenty more to see. Read the Armagh area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.