Ever-popular Mayo folk and bluegrass festival celebrates its 20th anniversary

Westport will be a hive of activity from June 4 to June 7 as one of the town’s leading cultural events – the Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival – celebrates its 20th Anniversary.

Fourteen folk, American old-time and bluegrass acts from across the United States will join nine Irish acts for what promises to be the festival’s most exciting programme to date.

Over the four-day celebration, ten venues across the town will host four all-ticket concerts, more than 25 free pub gigs and sessions, a square dance, gospel concert, workshops, a luthier showcase, record fair, academic symposium, and the festival’s first-ever literary event in collaboration with the Rolling Sun Festival.

The festival is expected to attract approximately 1,500 music fans from across the country as well as fans from the United States, the UK, continental Europe, and Australia.

The festival is now recognised as Ireland’s leading bluegrass event and among the most prominent festivals of its kind in Europe. It is also widely regarded as the curtain-raiser to the tourism season in Westport and throughout Mayo.

Once again, RTÉ Radio 1 will be in attendance, with Louise Duffy broadcasting The Louise Duffy Show live on Friday, June 5, from the broadcaster’s outside studio beside the festival headquarters in Westport Town Hall.

Whether you are a professional or amateur musician, a lifelong music enthusiast, or someone ready to discover a new musical style, this promises to be a weekend to remember.

While the Friday, Saturday and Sunday headline concerts have been sold out for some time, a limited number of tickets remain available for the Thursday evening concert and the literary event. For tickets and for the full programme and all festival information, visit here. Festival staff will also be available throughout the weekend at Westport Town Hall to welcome visitors and answer any questions that they may have about the festival.