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festivals · Saturday 19 September 2026 · Various 
Upstart Festival 2026
At Glounthaune Village · Glounthaune, Co. Cork
At Glounthaune Village · Glounthaune, Co. Cork
Upstart Festival is a small, one-day outdoor music festival held in Glounthaune, a village on Cork Harbour, and 2026 marks its fifth edition on Saturday 19 September. Billed as an “end of summer” event, it has built a reputation locally for punching above its size, bringing together some of Cork’s best indie acts alongside a handful of other Irish bands for a single day of music in a genuinely picturesque harbourside setting.
The 2026 lineup runs to six acts across the day, leaning into indie and alternative sounds with a strong Cork identity running through the bill. It’s a community-rooted event - the Glounthaune Community Association organises it, and the atmosphere is closer to a village fete with a serious music programme than a large commercial festival. Expect food stalls alongside the music, and a crowd that skews toward people who already know the village and come back year after year rather than festival tourists passing through. Tickets for 2026 are priced at roughly €25, sold through Eventbrite.
Glounthaune sits on Cork Harbour just east of Cork City, and is served by its own stop on the Cork suburban rail line, making the train from Cork Kent Station one of the easiest ways to arrive without worrying about parking in a small village during a festival day. By road, it’s about a 15 minute drive from Cork City Centre via the N25. Given the village setting, parking is limited close to the festival site itself, so the train or a lift share is the more comfortable option if travelling from the city.
Heading to Glounthaune Village in Glounthaune? Cork has plenty more to see. Read the Glounthaune area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.
In town for Glounthaune Village? These Cork tours book out in summer.