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seasonal · Saturday 25 July 2026 · Various 
Markethill Community Festival 2026
At Markethill Town Centre and surrounds · Bingham Square, Markethill, Co. Armagh
At Markethill Town Centre and surrounds · Bingham Square, Markethill, Co. Armagh
Markethill’s annual summer festival has been bringing the town together for decades, and the 2026 edition runs from late July into early August with a mix of family events, live music, charity fundraisers and community gatherings. It is the kind of local festival that feels nothing like a commercial production - the fancy dress parade is led by a local accordion band, the open garden raises money for causes the town knows personally, and the whole thing is put together by volunteers. If you want to see a small Irish town at its most sociable, this is a good weekend to visit.
The anchor events are a Charity Open Garden and a Fancy Dress Parade. The open garden runs on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 July at Hawthorne’s of Markethill on the Dunesmullan Road, with the garden open from noon to 8pm on Friday and 10am to 8pm on Saturday. Admission is by donation, with funds going to Armagh Special Olympics Swimming, Motor Neuron Disease NI, and Evora (formerly the Southern Area Hospice). Light entertainment and refreshments are available on both days, and the open garden regularly draws a strong turnout - it is as much a social occasion as a fundraiser.
The Fancy Dress Parade on Monday 28 July assembles at Bingham Square from 6:45pm, with the parade setting off at 7pm led by Mullabrack Accordion Band. Prizes are awarded across categories including Best Homemade, Celebrity Lookalike, Funniest, and Most Original, with judging and a children’s disco following at the Small Memorial Hall. Any costume goes - this is relaxed and good-humoured.
Later in the festival week, a Family Car Treasure Hunt and BBQ takes place from the Masonic Hall carpark (£5 per person, preschoolers free), and a Gospel Concert is planned for Sunday 3 August. The full programme is posted to the Markethill Community Festival Facebook page as the date approaches.
Markethill sits on the A28 between Armagh city and Newry, about seven miles south-east of Armagh. By road it is straightforward from either direction - the A28 passes directly through the town centre and Bingham Square. There is no dedicated rail link to Markethill; the nearest train stations are Portadown and Newry, from which a car or taxi is needed. Street parking is available in the town centre and around Bingham Square, and the town is compact enough that most festival locations are within easy walking distance of each other.
Gosford Forest Park, managed by the Forest Service, is on the edge of town and well worth an hour before or after festival events - the woodland walks and the castle ruins make for a pleasant wander. There is more to see in Markethill and across Co. Armagh.
Heading to Markethill Town Centre and surrounds in Markethill? Armagh has plenty more to see. Read the Markethill area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.