Forest Fest Announces Forest Fleadh Stage Line-Up
By 
Friday July 24th – Sunday July 26th 2026
Bee’s Wing Farm, Emo Village Co. Laois
Tickets on sale now from forestfest.ie
Legendary Acts. Modern Boutique Experience
Forest Fest has today revealed twenty-seven acts set to perform on the festival’s beloved Forest Fleadh Stage this July, with a stellar line-up celebrating the very best of Irish folk and traditional music.
Joining the bill are Kíla and Brass, Camille O’Sullivan, Aldoc, Jiggy, Dervish, Cherish The Ladies, The Henry Girls, Lorraine Nash, Hugsie and many more.
The acts join a stacked Forest Fest line-up featuring headliners Echo & The Bunnymen, James and Madness, all performing across the weekend at Bee’s Wing Farm, Emo, Co. Laois from 24th–26th July. Bee’s Wing Farm will also welcome The Boomtown Rats, The Charlatans, The Undertones, Deacon Blue, The Coronas, Paul Brady, Feeder and many more, with further announcements still to come.
Festival Director Philip Meagher said: “We are so proud of our Fleadh line-up this year and we’re really looking forward to welcoming the very best folk and trad acts from all around the country to Laois in July. We cannot wait to have the mother of all hooleys in Emo this summer!”
The announcement will be celebrated this evening with a launch party at a secret location, where an all-star trad session will mark the occasion. 10 lucky Forest Fest ticketholders have been selected to win a pair of tickets to attend the event.
The full Forest Fleadh Stage line-up:
Kíla and Brass; Aldoc; Jiggy; Dervish; The Byrne Brothers; Cherish The Ladies; Goitse; Derek Warfield and the Young Wolfe Tones; Caoimhín; The Henry Girls; Lorraine Nash; Camille O’Sullivan; Marty Barry and Conal O’Kane; Méabh Mulligan and Friends; Hubert Murray and Band; Aisling Drost Byrne; Brendan McCarthy and Conal O’Kane; Trad Hits feat. The High Kick Irish Dancers; Alder; The Craic Addicts; The Murphy Sisters; Jordan Lively & Rae MacIver; Wayne Brereton and Band; The Achill Lads; Hugsie; Set Dancing with Maureen Culleton feat. Scoil Rince Ní Anglais; Music Generation Laois & Harp Ensemble; Triológ.
About Forest Fest
Forest Fest was voted No. 1 Festival in Ireland in The Irish Times Critics’ Poll 2025, shortlisted for Best Small Festival 2025 in the IMRO Live Music Awards and crowned Best Event / Festival at the Midlands Hospitality Awards 2025, firmly cementing its reputation as one of the country’s most respected boutique music festivals.
Founded by Laois native Philip Meagher, Forest Fest was created with a clear purpose: to bring exceptional music to audiences who value carefully curated line-ups and a truly premium festival experience. It is a festival for those who want to see artists come together in ways rarely seen on Irish soil, the kind of line-up that feels instantly iconic.
For 2026, the festival remains rooted in the beautiful village of Emo, with the stunning backdrop of Emo Court still central to the experience. A new site layout within Bee’s Wing Farm introduces more space across the festival, allowing for a more comfortable experience and improved facilities, while retaining the walkable, convenient village-based setting that festival-goers know and love.
Forest Fest champions the best of indie and rock, complemented by outstanding homegrown talent across its dedicated trad, folk and emerging music stages. Each year, the entire village of Emo becomes part of the festival itself, with stages, food, bars and camping all just a short stroll apart.
Deliberately prioritising atmosphere and experience over scale or commerciality, Forest Fest transforms Emo, Co. Laois into an intimate yet vibrant festival hub. The involvement of local businesses, volunteers and residents is central to the festival’s warm, distinctive character and strong sense of community.
The long-term vision is clear: Forest Fest will continue to grow as one of Ireland’s most loved festivals while preserving the boutique atmosphere and premium experience that set it apart, a proudly independent event standing confidently alongside the world’s leading festivals.
Community, Sustainability and Partnerships
Forest Fest actively supports local enterprise, with glamping provided by Abbeyleix-based Pitched Perfect and craft beers supplied by Wicklow Wolf and Ballykilcavan Brewing Co.
Sustainability is a core pillar of the festival’s ethos, and through our partnership with Native Events we are focused on reducing emissions, protecting biodiversity, and encouraging collective action through practical initiatives across energy, transport, waste & materials, food & beverage, and governance. Through transparent reporting and responsible partnerships, we aim to create a festival experience that respects nature while inspiring positive change.
Each year, we collaborate with different stakeholders to advance our sustainability journey, and in 2026 our focus is centred on working with traders and attendees to create a greener, more responsible festival for everyone involved. We will also be collaborating with local charities and collectives to further strengthen our community and sustainability initiatives across the festival.
We’re excited to partner with Heineken, Bacardi, High Noon, My Waste and European Recycling Platform, with exciting announcements coming soon across our social channels. Check out our website for more information on our sustainability initiatives.
Travel & Accommodation
The festival offers a range of accommodation, including Pitched Perfect glamping units from two-person pods to eight-person suites equipped with hot showers, phone charging and pamper facilities. Dedicated campervan and caravan passes are available, with extensive tent camping options also provided. Local hotels in Portlaoise, Kildare, Tullamore and Abbeyleix are served by regular shuttle buses. Forest Fest is easily accessible, located one hour from Dublin and just 5km from the M7 (Exit 15), with complimentary parking, hourly trains to Portlaoise and Portarlington and additional private buses planned for 2026.
Catering & Bars
A wide selection of artisan and street food stalls, including vegetarian and vegan options, complements a full bar service featuring wine, Prosecco and craft beers.
Forest Fest 2026 takes place from Friday 24 to Sunday 26 July at Bee’s Wing Farm, Emo Village, Co. Laois.