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family · Saturday 15 August 2026 · 12:00pm 
Taste of Kildare 2026 - Family Fun Festival
At Naas Racecourse · Racecourse Road, Naas, Co. Kildare
At Naas Racecourse · Racecourse Road, Naas, Co. Kildare
Naas Racecourse turns into Kildare’s biggest outdoor food celebration for a weekend each August, and the 2026 edition looks to be the liveliest yet. Taste of Kildare brings together local producers, food trucks, restaurants and live music across Saturday and Sunday the 15th and 16th of August - making it a solid day out for families, food lovers, or anyone who wants to spend a few hours eating and drinking well in good company. Children under 10 get in free with an adult ticket, and the Family Fun zone runs dedicated kids’ entertainment throughout both days, so parents are not just dragging reluctant kids around a food market.
The festival spreads across Naas Racecourse - a large, well-run venue with plenty of open ground, covered grandstand areas, and course-wide facilities. On the food side, expect a mix of street-food trucks, restaurant stalls, and artisan producers showcasing what Kildare and the wider Leinster food scene can do - everything from local cheesemakers and craft brewers to wagyu burgers and fresh seafood. Live cooking demonstrations and chef masterclasses run alongside the market, so you can watch proper cooks do their thing, pick up a tip or two, and then immediately go and eat the same dish from a nearby stall.
The Family Fun zone keeps younger visitors occupied with face painting, a pet farm, a bouncy castle, and live magic shows. Live music plays across the weekend, and many of the tastings and demonstrations are free once you are inside the gate.
Tickets are priced from around €10 early bird / €15 standard for adults; children under 10 enter free. Check tasteofkildare.ie for current pricing and availability before you go.
Naas is on the M7, roughly 30 minutes south-west of Dublin city centre by car. The racecourse sits on Racecourse Road, about 1.2 km from Naas town centre - walkable in around 15 minutes if you come in by bus. Free on-site parking is available at the venue all weekend, with the main entrance on the Dublin Road and an alternative entrance from Tipper Road. Evening shuttle buses run between the racecourse and Naas town centre (check the festival website for timings closer to the date). Bus Eireann serves Naas regularly from Dublin’s Busaras, and the town is also reachable from Newbridge rail station a few kilometres away.
The town itself has a decent main street for a wander before or after the festival, with a mix of cafes, a good Saturday market tradition, and the remains of a Norman motte on the edge of town. There is more to see in Naas and across Co. Kildare.
Heading to Naas Racecourse 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.