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food-drink · Saturday 15 August 2026 · 12:00pm 
Taste of Kildare Food and Drink Festival 2026
At Naas Racecourse · Tipper Road, Naas, Co. Kildare
At Naas Racecourse · Tipper Road, Naas, Co. Kildare
The Taste of Kildare Food and Drink Festival brings two days of eating, drinking and meeting the people behind County Kildare’s food scene to the broad grounds of Naas Racecourse each August. It is the kind of event where you can move from a Michelin-starred chef doing a live demo, to a craft brewer explaining a hop bill, to a small-batch cheesemaker letting you taste three varieties in a row - all within the same afternoon. If you care about where food comes from and want to spend a Saturday doing something more interesting than a supermarket run, this is the day for it. Families are well catered for too, and children under 10 get in free.
The festival floor runs across the racecourse grounds, with producer stalls, food trucks and restaurant pop-ups set out so you can graze your way around. Kildare has a strong agricultural base - beef, dairy, lamb, vegetables - and that shows in who turns up to exhibit. Expect local cheeses, cured meats, breads, preserves, craft beers and spirits, alongside freshly cooked dishes from restaurants and street food traders.
A stage programme runs throughout both days with cooking demonstrations, producer talks and masterclasses. Chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants have featured alongside local food entrepreneurs in previous years, and the format is informal enough that questions from the audience are part of it. Live music fills the gaps between sessions. If a masterclass or workshop catches your eye, it is worth checking in early on the day as spots fill up.
Admission includes access to the live music, demonstrations and tastings from producers. Food and drink at stalls is paid separately.
Naas Racecourse sits on Tipper Road, about 15 minutes’ walk from Naas town centre. The main entrance for the festival is on the Dublin Road side. On-site parking is free all weekend, with space for around 3,500 cars - arriving early on Saturday avoids the busiest periods. Shuttle buses run in the evenings from the racecourse back into town, which is handy if you plan to eat out afterwards.
From Dublin, Naas is roughly 30 km south-west on the M7. Bus Eireann runs regular services from Dublin and Newbridge into Naas town, from where the venue is a short walk or taxi ride.
Naas is Kildare’s county town and has a good range of restaurants, cafes and pubs if you want to extend the day. The Curragh plains and the Japanese Gardens at Tully are both within easy reach for anyone staying the area for a night. 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.