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family · Thursday 25 June 2026 · 11:00am 
Naas Summer Festival - Family Day Programme
At Naas Town Centre · Main Street and surrounding areas, Naas, Co. Kildare
At Naas Town Centre · Main Street and surrounding areas, Naas, Co. Kildare
Naas fills its main streets with free family entertainment for four days every summer, and the 2026 edition runs from Thursday 25 to Sunday 28 June. Organised by Naas Town Council, the festival turns the everyday retail streetscape of Main Street and the surrounding town centre into a proper outdoor gathering - the kind where children drag parents from one attraction to the next and the whole afternoon disappears. It suits families with young children most directly, but the live entertainment and food vendors give adults a reason to settle in rather than just supervise.
Street performers work the crowd throughout the day - jugglers, stilt walkers, circus acts - the sort of roving entertainment that means there is always something happening wherever you happen to be standing. Bouncy castles and children’s games anchor the more structured side of the programme, while face painting and interactive workshops give younger visitors something to take part in rather than just watch. Live music runs through the afternoon, and food and refreshment vendors are spread across the festival area so there is no need to go looking for lunch.
Entry to the festival itself is free. Some of the individual activities - certain rides, games, or workshops - carry a small charge, so it is worth bringing a few euro in cash if you have young children who will want to join in everything. The daytime programme is designed around families, and the 11am start means a morning arrival works well.
Naas is approximately 35km southwest of Dublin, around 30 to 40 minutes by car via the N7, taking Junction 9 or 10. Town centre parking is straightforward on a normal day - there are several public car parks close to Main Street - though it is worth arriving a little earlier than you might otherwise if you are visiting on the festival weekend. Bus Éireann and Dublin Coach run regular services between Dublin and Naas. Sallins station, on the Dublin-Portlaoise-Waterford rail line, is the nearest train stop, a short taxi or bus ride from the town centre.
Naas is Kildare’s county town - historically “Nás na Ríogh”, the meeting place of kings - and it has more going on than a quick festival visit reveals. The Grand Canal harbour is a pleasant walk from the centre, there is a working theatre in a restored 18th-century church, and the Irish National Stud and Japanese Gardens are about 20 minutes south for anyone extending the trip. There is more to see in Naas and across Co. Kildare.
Heading to Naas Town Centre in Naas? Kildare has plenty more to see. Read the Naas area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.