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markets · Sunday 9 August 2026 · 10:00am 
Kildare Vintage Tractor & Car Rally
At Kildare Show Grounds · Oilmill Lane, Kildare, Co. Kildare
At Kildare Show Grounds · Oilmill Lane, Kildare, Co. Kildare
August in the Kildare Show Grounds brings one of the county’s most satisfying summer outings - a proper gathering of vintage tractors, classic cars, and old agricultural machinery organised by the Kildare Vintage Collectors. This is the kind of event where children climb up on tractor seats for photographs, collectors swap stories about restoration projects, and everyone ends up spending longer than they planned. It suits families, heritage enthusiasts, and anyone who grew up around farm machinery and wants to see it gleaming rather than rusting.
The Show Grounds on Oilmill Lane fill up with rows of meticulously maintained vintage tractors - Fordsons, Fergusons, Massey Harrises and more - alongside classic cars and motorcycles from decades past. Agricultural machinery, from old binders to threshing equipment, gives the event its distinctly rural Irish character. There is a trading element too, with buying and selling of parts, memorabilia, and collectables throughout the day. Food and refreshments are available on site, and family activities keep younger visitors occupied. Gates open at 10:00am and the event typically runs through to around 4:00pm, giving a full day’s browsing at an easy pace.
Kildare town sits on the main Dublin to Limerick rail corridor, making it one of the most accessible county towns in Ireland by public transport. Irish Rail runs frequent services from Heuston Station, with the journey taking around 40 minutes. The Show Grounds on Oilmill Lane are a short walk from Kildare train station. By road, the M7 motorway brings you directly to the Kildare area from Dublin and from the south and midlands; the town itself is well signed from the junction. On-site parking is available at the Show Grounds.
Kildare town has more going for it than a day’s rally. The Irish National Stud and Japanese Gardens are just outside the town, and the medieval cathedral and round tower in the town centre are worth a look while you are here. There is more to see in Kildare and across Co. Kildare.
Heading to Kildare Show Grounds in Kildare? Kildare has plenty more to see. Read the Kildare area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.