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seasonal · Thursday 30 July 2026 · Various 
Ballygar Carnival 2026
At The Square, Ballygar · Ballygar, Co. Galway
At The Square, Ballygar · Ballygar, Co. Galway
The Ballygar Carnival has been running every summer since 1945, making it one of the longest continuously running community carnivals in Ireland. The 82nd edition takes place over six days from 30 July to 4 August 2026, spanning the August Bank Holiday weekend. It is not a single evening out - it is a full week of organised activity in a small east Galway village, where the permanent population is a few hundred and the carnival crowd is several times that. Families with young children, music fans, sports enthusiasts, dog owners, and anyone who enjoys a traditional Irish street event will find something pitched directly at them.
Murray’s Amusements anchors the week at The Square in the village centre, running rides and fairground attractions from 7:30 pm most evenings and from early afternoon on Bank Holiday weekend days. Beyond the funfair, each day carries its own programme. Previous carnivals have included forest walks and guided heritage bus tours; hurling and tag rugby on the GAA pitch; a children’s fancy dress parade; a family magic show; a busking competition; street performances and fire acts; and nightly live music running into the small hours at the Mattie McDonagh Centre. Saturday tends to be the packed day for outdoor sports, while Sunday is strong on family events in the afternoon. For 2026, a confirmed highlight is a ticketed evening of darts on Friday 1 August, headlined by PDC World Champion Rob Cross - a rarity for a village of this size and a good sign of the committee’s ambition. Bank Holiday Monday is Fair Day: the market fills Main Street with traders from 9 am to 4 pm, and the Ballygar Dog Show takes place at Niall Walsh Pitch with classes across the afternoon. The dog show is open to all breeds and popular with visitors who arrive with their dogs as well as those who just want to watch. Entry is charged separately for fairground rides and ticketed concerts; the general carnival programme is free to walk around.
Ballygar is in east County Galway, roughly 30 km northeast of Galway city and about 45 km southwest of Roscommon town. By car, take the N63 from Galway city towards Roscommon and follow local signage for Ballygar. From Dublin, the M6 motorway brings you to Ballinasloe, from where Ballygar is a short drive north on the R357. Public transport to the village itself is limited; Expressway and Bus Eireann services cover the Galway - Roscommon corridor but do not serve Ballygar directly, so a car or lift is the practical option for most visitors. Parking is available on the village streets around The Square; during Fair Day and Bank Holiday Monday expect the village roads to be busy and arrive early if you want space close to the action.
East Galway is a quieter part of the county - good farmland, small market towns, and none of the summer crowds that pile into Galway city during the Races. If you are travelling from further afield, it is worth combining the carnival with a night in the county town or a drive through south Roscommon on the way home. There is more to see in Galway and across Co. Galway.
Heading to The Square, Ballygar in Galway? Galway has plenty more to see. Read the Galway area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.