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food-drink · Sunday 26 July 2026 · Various throughout festival 
Castlerea Rose Festival 2026
At Castlerea village · Castlerea, Co. Roscommon
At Castlerea village · Castlerea, Co. Roscommon
The Castlerea Rose Festival is one of the west of Ireland’s most genuinely packed community festivals - nine days of live music, food, sport, family activities and street entertainment running from the last Sunday of July right through to the first Sunday of August. It draws people from across Connacht and beyond, not because it markets itself well, but because it consistently delivers a full programme that gives families, couples and solo visitors real reasons to show up on multiple days. If you are passing through County Roscommon in late July, this is the kind of event that turns a two-hour drive into a long weekend.
The festival runs across the village and its outdoor spaces, with the SuperValu car park regularly transformed into a concert venue for headline acts. In previous years the opening night has featured Irish country music - Mike Denver has played - and the nights that follow bring tribute acts covering everyone from Queen to the Eagles, alongside traditional céilí bands including All-Ireland senior champions.
The daytime programme is where the festival earns its family credentials. There are art and craft mornings for younger children, treasure hunts, kids’ discos, a swimming gala at Castlerea Outdoor Pool, and family movie evenings at low cost. The more eccentric events - pony racing with a twist, a Mardi Gras parade through the town - give the week a genuine character that sets it apart from a generic marquee-and-wristband setup.
Food is woven through the whole event. A headline cooking demonstration by celebrity chef Neven Maguire is scheduled for Wednesday 31 July at 8pm, with tickets at around 20 euro through willwego.com. Local food vendors and stalls run throughout the festival, making it easy to graze your way through an afternoon. Sport is part of the mix too - the John Tully Hospice Triathlon has featured in previous years, alongside Pilates sessions, a swimming gala, and a teen pool party.
The festival also runs its Rose Selection Evening during the week, nominating Castlerea’s candidate for the Rose of Tralee - a local tradition that gives the whole event a thread of continuity and community pride.
Castlerea sits roughly in the middle of County Roscommon, about 30km west of Roscommon town and 20km south of Boyle. By road it is on the N60 and is well signed from the M6 motorway at Ballinasloe. From Dublin, the drive is around two hours via the M6. Bus Eireann serves Castlerea on the Galway to Westport / Ballina route (route 51), with stops in the village centre. The train station in Castlerea is on the Dublin Heuston to Westport / Ballina line, with several services daily - this makes it one of the easier festival towns to reach without a car in the west of Ireland. Festival parking is available throughout the village during the event.
The town is the gateway to a quieter, less-visited part of Roscommon, with Castlerea Demesne (the old Sandford estate) on the edge of the village and the ruins of Carnagh Friary a short drive away. The surrounding countryside is good walking and cycling country, unhurried and underrated. There is more to see in Castlerea and across Co. Roscommon.
Heading to Castlerea village in Castlerea? Roscommon has plenty more to see. Read the Castlerea area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.