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family · Saturday 22 August 2026 · 11:00am 
Neuroart Family Festival
At Portlaoise · Portlaoise, Co. Laois
At Portlaoise · Portlaoise, Co. Laois
Neuroart Family Festival brings a free day of performers, workshops and support information to Portlaoise on Saturday, 22 August 2026, running from 11:00am to 5:00pm. The festival is built around neurodivergent children and their families, mixing circus style entertainment with a dedicated sensory sanctuary and information stands from organisations including ADHD Ireland and Bright Sparks, the dyslexia support group.
The programme runs across the day and covers a wide spread of activities: bubbles, jugglers and stilt walkers, science experiments, music therapy, holistic drumming, breakdancing, spray painting, ceili dancing and art workshops all feature. Alongside the entertainment, there is a messy play space for younger children and a sensory sanctuary set aside for anyone who needs a quieter space to retreat to during the day. Parents can drop into information sessions run by ADHD Ireland and Bright Sparks, aimed at families navigating an ADHD or dyslexia diagnosis. The mix of loud, high energy performance areas and calmer sensory-friendly spaces is deliberate, built so children with different sensory needs can each find something that works for them across the day rather than being funnelled through one format of event.
The festival is held in Portlaoise, the county town, which sits just off the M7 motorway and is served by regular rail links from Dublin, Cork and Limerick. Full venue details are confirmed on the Eventbrite listing closer to the date.
Portlaoise has cafes, shops and parking within easy reach of the town centre, making it straightforward to combine the festival with lunch or a wander around town afterwards. There is more to see in Portlaoise and across Co. Laois.
Heading to Portlaoise in Portlaoise? Laois has plenty more to see. Read the Portlaoise area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.