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festivals · Thursday 3 September 2026 · Various 
Harvest Time Blues Festival
At Various venues, Monaghan town · Monaghan, Co. Monaghan
At Various venues, Monaghan town · Monaghan, Co. Monaghan
The Harvest Time Blues Festival has been a fixture on the Irish music calendar for three decades, drawing blues fans from across Ireland and beyond to Monaghan town each September. Running from 3 to 7 September 2026, it spreads across the town centre in a way that turns the whole place into a stage - ticketed headline shows sit alongside free pub sessions that run late into the night. If you love live music and want a festival that feels genuinely rooted in a place rather than fenced off from it, this is a good one to travel for.
The festival runs on three tracks. The Main Stage hosts the headline acts - in 2026 these include Johnny Gallagher, Muireann Bradley, Andrew Strong, Rebecca Downes and Earl Thomas - with ticketed shows across the weekend. A separate Late Night Stage runs alongside, also ticketed, for those who want to keep going after the main sets. The first Late Night Stage show falls on Friday 4 September at the Westenra Arms Hotel with Muireann Bradley at 8pm.
Alongside the ticketed programme, the free Blues Trail is where the festival earns its reputation. Bands play across nine venues around Monaghan town - pubs, bars, and public spaces - with no wristband required. Juke Joint events are also free. The acoustic programme runs in the Market House, giving the weekend a range that suits both committed blues heads and people who simply want to wander in and see what they find. Weekend combo tickets covering multiple shows are available on Eventbrite; individual show tickets are also sold separately.
Monaghan town sits on the N2 from Dublin, roughly 130km north of the capital - about an hour and a half by car. Bus Eireann runs services from Dublin to Monaghan; journey time is around two hours depending on the route. There is no rail connection to Monaghan town. Driving is the most practical option for people coming from outside the region. Town centre parking is available at several car parks; during a busy festival weekend, arriving early or using any park-and-ride arrangements the festival may put in place is sensible.
Monaghan town is a compact market town with good food options, a lively pub scene, and a handful of heritage sites worth a look before or after the gigs. There is more to see in Monaghan and across Co. Monaghan.
Heading to Various venues, Monaghan town in Monaghan? Monaghan has plenty more to see. Read the Monaghan area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.