← All events
seasonal · Sunday 20 September 2026 · Various 
Listowel Harvest Festival
At Listowel Racecourse · Listowel, Co. Kerry
At Listowel Racecourse · Listowel, Co. Kerry
Every September, Listowel draws racing people from all over Ireland for what is, by attendance, the second biggest racing festival in the country after Galway. The Harvest Festival runs for a full seven days, 20 to 26 September, at Listowel Racecourse - a compact left-handed track that has been staging meetings since 1858. If you like the atmosphere of a proper town-centre racecourse where the whole place comes alive for a week, this is one of the best examples of it in Ireland.
Both flat and National Hunt racing run throughout the week, so the card changes character from day to day. The headline race is the Guinness Kerry National Handicap Chase, run on the Wednesday - a Grade B chase that draws well-fancied runners and a big crowd. Friday is Ladies Day and traditionally the busiest day of the week, with a style competition adding to the occasion alongside the racing.
Off the track, there is a Festival Marquee with live music most evenings, and a “Winning Line” celebrity tipster panel gives the week a bit of fun beyond the form guide. The atmosphere is relaxed compared to Galway - the town is manageable in size, the racecourse is right in the middle of it, and there is a good mix of hardcore racing fans and people who come mainly for the craic. Hospitality packages and regular grandstand admission are both available, with general admission from around €20 per day. Advance booking is strongly recommended, especially for Wednesday and Friday.
Listowel sits in north Kerry, about 25 km north of Tralee on the N69. From Tralee, the drive takes around 25 to 30 minutes. From Limerick, take the N21 south-west through Abbeyfeale - it is roughly 80 km. Bus Eireann connects Tralee to Listowel on Route 14, and during festival week coach services and race-day shuttles typically run from surrounding towns. The racecourse is in the town centre - from the main square it is a short walk. Parking is available in Listowel but fills quickly on busier days, so arriving early or using town car parks and walking in saves time.
Listowel is a literary town - it was home to John B. Keane and Bryan MacMahon, and the town takes that tradition seriously. The Writers’ Week festival each June draws writers from across Ireland, and the square has a distinctive character year-round. Worth a look at the castle ruins and the Listowel Arms if you are staying overnight. There is more to see in Listowel and across Co. Kerry.
Heading to Listowel Racecourse in Listowel? Kerry has plenty more to see. Read the Listowel area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.