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food-drink · Tuesday 21 July 2026 · 1:00pm 
Multicultural Food Event with Sligo Concert Band
At King House Grounds · King House, Boyle, Co. Roscommon
At King House Grounds · King House, Boyle, Co. Roscommon
The grounds of King House in Boyle have become one of the most reliably convivial spots during the Boyle Arts Festival, and this midday gathering is a good example of why. A spread of food from different culinary traditions is laid out while the Sligo Concert Band - a full wind and percussion ensemble with brass, woodwinds and drums - plays live in the open air. It is the kind of thing that suits almost any age: families with children can sit on the grass, older visitors can take a slower wander, and anyone with even a passing interest in food will find something worth trying. The festival runs for ten days across Boyle each July, and this event tends to land in the middle of the programme when the atmosphere in the town is already well warmed up.
The Sligo Concert Band is an established amateur wind band that has performed at the festival across multiple years. Expect the sound of trumpets, trombones, clarinets, flutes, saxophones and percussion carrying across the King House Grounds - this is outdoor concert sound rather than a quiet background hum. The food element brings together dishes from different communities, so the stalls and tables reflect a range of traditions rather than a single cuisine. The event runs at 1pm, making it a natural lunchtime stop if you are already in Boyle for the festival day. The King House courtyard also hosts a tearoom and a Saturday farmers market in normal weeks, so the space is well set up for this kind of outdoor gathering. Wear layers if the weather is uncertain - a Roscommon July can go either way.
Boyle sits on the N4 Dublin to Sligo road, roughly halfway between Carrick-on-Shannon and Sligo town, making it straightforward to reach by car from most of Connacht and the midlands. The journey from Dublin takes about two hours. Bus Eireann runs services on the Dublin to Sligo route that stop in Boyle; check current timetables on the Bus Eireann website before travelling. King House itself is on Main Street in the centre of Boyle, so it is impossible to miss once you are in the town. Parking is available on the surrounding streets and in the town centre car parks a short walk away.
Boyle is worth more than a single afternoon. King House itself is open as a visitor centre with guided tours of its Georgian rooms, the Connaught Rangers museum and the Boyle Civic Art Collection. Lough Key Forest Park is a short drive out of town and is one of the better outdoor spots in the county. There is more to see in Boyle and across Co. Roscommon.
Heading to King House Grounds in Boyle? Roscommon has plenty more to see. Read the Boyle area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.