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seasonal · Saturday 18 July 2026 · Various 
Belvedere Garden Festival
At Belvedere House, Gardens & Park · Mullingar, Co. Westmeath
At Belvedere House, Gardens & Park · Mullingar, Co. Westmeath
The Belvedere Garden Festival turns one of the finest historic estates in the Irish Midlands into a proper summer day out for gardeners, food lovers and families. Held across the weekend of 18 and 19 July 2026 at Belvedere House on the shores of Lough Ennell, this is far more than a plant sale - it is a relaxed, outdoors celebration that draws nurseries, food producers and local makers together against a backdrop of mature parkland and a 160-acre lakeside estate. If you have been meaning to visit Belvedere House and are looking for a good reason, this is it.
The headline draw is a strong showing of plant nurseries and garden centres, with stands from both local and national traders. Gardeners can browse for hard-to-find perennials, unusual shrubs or seasonal bedding, and the organisers run a plant creche so you can deposit your purchases while you keep browsing - a small but genuinely useful touch. Food trucks and craft stalls fill out the grounds, with produce from local suppliers alongside a wider selection of artisan makers. Expert talks on gardening and environmental topics run through the day, so there is genuine content alongside the shopping. For families, face painting and amusements are on offer (with additional charges), and children can take part in a sunflower potting station to bring something home. Admission at €15 for adults includes entry to the Belvedere Woodlands and Park Grounds, so the walled Victorian garden - with its rose beds, herb garden and herbaceous borders - and the lakeside walks are all part of the day. Children get in free.
Mullingar is the county town of Westmeath, roughly 80km west of Dublin. By car, the M4 motorway runs directly from Dublin and the drive takes about an hour. Belvedere House sits about five kilometres south of Mullingar town on the R392; follow signs for Belvedere House from the town centre. Free car parking is available on site. By public transport, Bus Eireann and Expressway coaches serve Mullingar from Dublin Busaras, and the town is on the Dublin Heuston to Westport rail line - journey time from Heuston is around 90 minutes. A taxi or lift from Mullingar town would cover the remaining distance to the estate.
Mullingar is a lively market town with a good choice of pubs, cafes and restaurants along the main streets - worth a stop before or after the festival. The cathedral, the Mullingar Pewter visitor centre and Lough Ennell itself all make for easy additions to the day. There is more to see in Mullingar and across Co. Westmeath.
Heading to Belvedere House, Gardens & Park in Mullingar? Westmeath has plenty more to see. Read the Mullingar area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.